How to Close a Facebook Ads Account — A Step-by-Step Guide

Once you can decide to quit running ads on Facebook and close your Facebook Ads account. In fact, you cannot delete an Ads account on Facebook; you can only deactivate the account or close it. Anyway, if you are not using an account, you’d better deactivate it to protect it from unauthorized use.

Important: When you close a Facebook Ads account, you don’t have space for additional Ads accounts.

An Ads account can be deactivated or, using Facebook terminology, "closed" through Business Manager or Ads Manager. Again, the account cannot be deleted permanently. However, the closure of an account removes access to payments methods specified for the account. If you do not have a Business account, you can jump directly to the section on how to close your Ads account in Ads Manager.

How to Deactivate a Facebook Account in Business Manager: Step-by-Step

First of all, the Ads account can be closed only by its owner. Second, Ads accounts can be closed only by ad accounts admins or business account admins. To check what accounts belong to the business, go to the Business Settings section in Business Manager. Use the filter Owned by self — now you can see the list of accounts you own in the Business Manager.  Then, follow the instruction below to deactivate your Ads account.

1. Click on Business Settings.

2. Click on Accounts.
3. Go to Ad Accounts.

4. Then, choose the ad account you plan to close.
5. Click Deactivate Account.

6. Again, click Close Account — a required confirmation of your intent to close the account.

Before closing the ad account, Facebook admins check for any outstanding balances. If all ads have been paid, the ad account will be closed within 2 business days.

Remember: To keep your Business Manager organized, make sure to select Hide closed ad accounts.

How to Close a Facebook Ads Account in Ads Manager: Step-by-Step

When you close your Ads account, all ads will be turned off, new ads cannot be published, and the specified primary method is removed. Yet still, when you close an ad account, you do not get the room for new advertising accounts.

Important: You must be an account admin to close the account. The account closure procedure includes verification for any outstanding balance before the account deactivation. Thus, to speed up the process, make sure there is no outstanding balance (if there is, it will be charged to your primary payment method). Facebook recommends closing ad accounts from a desktop computer.

• Open your Ads Manager.
• Go to Ads Manager Settings.
• Below the Ad Agency header, click on Deactivate Ad Account.
• You should confirm the deactivation of the account. Optionally, you can provide the reason for the deactivation.
• Click Deactivate Ad Account.

Ok, that’s it. Your account is closed; however, if you have any outstanding balance but your primary payment method is not available (for example, a specified credit card is no longer valid), you can be asked to add a new payment method to cover ad costs. Once all costs are paid, all payment methods (both old and new) will be removed and the account will be closed.

Note: If you want just to suspend advertising activity for a while and plan to return to Facebook Ads once in the future, you can pause the account rather than close it. In this case, go to the Campaign and Ads link. Then, change the status of every ad, story, and campaign to Paused.

Summary

As you see, it takes no more than a couple of minutes to close your Facebook Ads account. Yes, it won’t be deleted permanently, but you may sleep deep with no worries that someone will use the account and the specified payment method. So, your credit card is safe.