How to Access Meta Ad Library (Every Route In)

Here is how to access the Meta Ad Library: type facebook.com/ads/library into any browser and it opens straight away, free, with no login. You can also reach it from any Facebook Page's "Page transparency" section, from your phone's browser, or from the menu on an ad you see in your feed.

I open it several times a day for client research, and the direct link is still the route I trust most. Below is every way in, plus the three settings on the first screen that decide what you actually see.

Where is the Meta Ad Library?

The Meta Ad Library lives at facebook.com/ads/library. That's the whole answer for most people.

It sits outside Facebook's usual login wall. It's a public transparency record, so anyone can open it without an account, and it shows every active ad from any advertiser running on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and the Audience Network.

It used to be called the Facebook Ad Library. After the company rebranded to Meta, the name followed, but the address stayed on facebook.com. Both names point to the same tool.

If you're worried about being asked to sign in, whether you need to log in to the Meta Ad Library covers exactly when an account matters. For normal browsing, it doesn't.

How do you get to the Facebook Ad Library? Every route compared

There are five practical ways in. They all land on the same library, but some drop you on a specific advertiser and some on a blank search.

Route 1: The direct Facebook Ad Library link

Type facebook.com/ads/library into the address bar. This is the fastest and most reliable route, on desktop or mobile.

Route 2: Search for it

Searching "Meta Ad Library" or "Facebook Ad Library" in any search engine returns the official page as the top result. Check the address before you click. It should be on facebook.com, not a third-party site with a similar name.

Route 3: From a Facebook Page's Page transparency section

This is the best route when you already know the brand. Open their Facebook Page and look for the section Meta calls Page transparency. On desktop it has usually appeared in the About area or the Page's intro column, though the placement has moved around over the years.

Inside it you'll see details like when the Page was created and whether it's currently running ads, with a link to see them in the Ad Library. That link opens the library already filtered to that one advertiser, which saves you from fighting the search box over brand name spelling.

Route 4: From an ad in your feed

When you see an ad on Facebook or Instagram, tap the three-dot menu on it. At the time of writing, options there include something like "Why am I seeing this ad?" and, on some placements, a way to see more about the advertiser or the ad itself. Meta changes these labels often.

This route is handy for the "what was that ad?" moment, but it's inconsistent. Some ads link through to the library, some don't. If the link isn't there, note the advertiser name and use Route 1 or Route 3.

Route 5: Your phone's browser

Covered in its own section below, because it's where most people get stuck.

How do you access the Meta Ad Library on mobile?

Open your phone's browser, Safari or Chrome, and go to facebook.com/ads/library. It works the same way as on desktop, in a narrower layout.

The common snag is the Facebook app. On some phones, tapping a facebook.com link tries to open the app instead of the browser, and the app doesn't have an obvious Ad Library screen. If that happens, type the address directly into the browser rather than tapping a link, or long-press the link and choose to open it in the browser.

Two more mobile tips:

• If the mobile layout feels cramped, most browsers let you request the desktop site from their menu. The library works fine in desktop mode on a phone.
• Page transparency also exists on mobile Pages. It's usually a scroll or a tap into the Page's about details.

If you also want to save ads from your phone, how to download Meta ads on your phone covers what works on iOS and Android.

What should you set on the first screen?

This is the part people skip, and it's why they conclude a competitor "isn't running ads." Before the search box does anything, the library asks for three things.

1. 1
   Choose a countryPick where the ads run, or All
2. 2
   Choose an ad categoryAll ads for commercial research
3. 3
   Choose a search typeKeyword or advertiser name
4. 4
   SearchThen refine with filters on the results

Country

The country filter limits results to ads delivered in that country. If your competitor only runs ads in the US and your filter says the UK, you'll see nothing.

When you're not sure where a brand advertises, choose All. Then narrow once you know. One more thing worth knowing: ads that reached the EU carry extra transparency detail under the Digital Services Act, including inactive ads, so an EU country filter can show more history.

Ad category

For competitor research, pick All ads. The other main option at the time of writing is Issues, elections or politics, which shows only ads in that regulated category, along with extra disclosures such as spend ranges in some countries.

In certain regions Meta has also offered categories for housing, employment or credit ads. The labels and availability vary by country, so choose "All ads" unless you specifically need a regulated category.

Search type

Once country and category are set, the search box becomes active. You can type an advertiser's name, and the dropdown will suggest matching Pages, or you can run a keyword search across ad text.

My rule: pick the advertiser from the dropdown when you know the brand, and use keywords when you're scouting a category. The keyword search is fussier than a search engine and closer to exact match, so try a few variations.

After you search, more filters appear, such as platform, media type, active status and date range. Meta rearranges these filters from time to time, so look for the "Filters" control above the results.

What should you do once you're in?

Getting there is step one. Reading the results well is where the value is.

The field I look at first on every ad card is "Started running on." Advertisers only keep paying for ads that work, so an ad that has run for weeks or months is usually a winner. New ads are often just tests.

For the full walkthrough of searching and filtering, read how to use Facebook Ad Library. For reading what you find, including how to tell a test from a proven ad, my Meta Ad Library guide goes deeper.

One thing you won't find once you're in: a download button. Outside the EU, ads also disappear from the library when an advertiser pauses them. If you want to keep anything, save it while it's live. The manual method is in how to download Facebook Ad Library videos, and our free Meta Ad Library downloader adds a Download button to every ad card and can export a whole search as one ZIP.

Study the angle, the hook and the offer. Don't reuse another brand's creative commercially. This isn't legal advice.

FAQ

Where is the Meta Ad Library?

It's at facebook.com/ads/library. It opens in any browser on desktop or mobile, it's free, and you don't need to log in to browse it.

What is the Facebook Ad Library link?

The link is facebook.com/ads/library. The Facebook Ad Library and the Meta Ad Library are the same tool, so the same address works whichever name you search for.

Can I access the Meta Ad Library on my phone?

Yes. Open facebook.com/ads/library in Safari or Chrome on your phone. If a tapped link keeps opening the Facebook app instead, type the address into the browser directly.

How do I find a Page's ads from the Page itself?

Open the brand's Facebook Page and look for the Page transparency section, which has usually sat in the Page's About or intro area. It shows whether the Page is running ads and links to that advertiser's ads in the library.

Do I need a Facebook account to access the Ad Library?

No. Browsing the Ad Library works without an account or login. An account only matters for the separate Ad Library API, which covers political, social-issue and EU ads.