# Meta Ad Library: How to Search Facebook and Instagram Ads > The Meta Ad Library is a free, public database of Facebook and Instagram ads. Learn to search by advertiser or keyword, use filters and research ethically. Canonical: https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/meta-ads-library Last updated: 2026-10-23 Category: Facebook. The Meta Ad Library (still often called the Facebook Ad Library) is a free, public, searchable database of ads running across Meta's apps, including Facebook and Instagram. You can open it at **facebook.com/ads/library** without logging in or having an ad account, search by advertiser name or keyword, and see the ads a business is currently running. For ads about social issues, elections or politics, it also shows extra details such as spending ranges and who paid for the ad. Meta built the library for transparency, but marketers also use it to understand their market: what competitors are promoting, which formats they use and how their messaging changes over time. This guide covers how to use it and how to do that research fairly. ## Meta Ad Library at a glance | Question | Answer at the time of writing | | --- | --- | | Where is it? | facebook.com/ads/library | | Does it cost anything? | No, it's free | | Do I need an account? | No for basic searches; some features may ask you to log in | | Which apps are covered? | Ads across Meta's technologies, such as Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Audience Network | | Which ads can I see? | Active ads from all advertisers; inactive ads mainly for issue, electoral and political ads | | Does it show spend? | Only for issue, electoral and political ads, as ranges | | Does it show targeting? | Limited details for political ads and for ads delivered in some regions, such as the EU | Meta changes the library's layout and what it shows, especially as transparency laws evolve, so check the library itself or the [Meta Business Help Center](https://www.facebook.com/business/help) for the current details. ## How to search the Meta Ad Library 1. **Go to facebook.com/ads/library** in any browser. 2. **Choose a country.** Pick the country where the ads are shown, or "All" to search everywhere. 3. **Choose an ad category.** Select **All ads**, or **Issues, elections or politics** for political and social-issue ads. In some countries you'll also see special categories for areas such as housing, employment or financial products. 4. **Type your search.** Enter an advertiser's name (for example, a brand or Page) or a keyword. 5. **Pick a result.** As you type, the library suggests matching Pages. Selecting one shows that advertiser's ads. Pressing Enter on a keyword shows all ads that mention it. 6. **Open an ad's details.** Click **See ad details** (or similar) to view all versions of the creative, the platforms it runs on and its start date. ### Searching by advertiser Searching by advertiser is the most reliable way to see everything one business is running. Look for the Page with the right name, profile picture and follower count, since many brands have similarly named fan pages or regional pages. ### Searching by keyword Keyword search finds ads that contain your words, regardless of who runs them. It's useful for spotting how a whole category talks about a product, for example "running shoes" or "project management". Use quotation marks to search for an exact phrase when the option is available. ## Filters and what they do Once you've searched, filters help narrow the results. Options vary by country and category, but typically include: - **Language**: ads in a particular language. - **Advertiser**: narrow keyword results to specific Pages. - **Platform**: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Audience Network, and other Meta surfaces where available. - **Media type**: images, videos, memes, or ads without images or video. - **Active status**: active ads, inactive ads, or both. - **Date range**: ads that were shown during a particular period. You can also sort results, for example by most recent, and some views group identical ads that use several versions of the same creative. ## Active vs. inactive ads Every ad in the library is marked as **Active** or **Inactive**. - **Active ads** are being shown to people right now. For most advertisers, these are the only ads you can see. - **Inactive ads** have stopped running. For ads in the issues, elections or politics category, Meta keeps them in the library for years (seven years at the time of writing). For most other ads, inactive ones drop out of public view, though there are exceptions in some regions. The library also shows when an ad **started running**. An ad that has been active for a long time may suggest the advertiser is happy with it, but it isn't proof that it performs well. Businesses keep ads running for many reasons. ## Political and issue ads: extra transparency Ads about social issues, elections or politics come with much more information. Advertisers have to complete an authorization process and add a **"Paid for by" disclaimer**. In the library, these ads usually show: - **Amount spent**, as a range. - **Impressions**, as a range. - **Audience breakdown**, such as age, gender and location of the people who saw the ad. - **Who paid for it**, from the disclaimer. Meta also publishes an **Ad Library Report** with aggregated spending on these ads by advertiser and region. Journalists, researchers and voters use it to see who is spending on political messages. ### Ads shown in the European Union Because of EU transparency rules, ads delivered in the EU can show additional information, such as reach in EU countries and some targeting parameters, and remain viewable for a period after they stop running. The details depend on the country and the rules in force, so check the library for what's shown in your region. ## How to use the Facebook Ad Library for competitor research The library is a public tool, and looking at what others publish is a normal part of marketing research. Here's how to get real value from it. ### What you can learn - **Offers and promotions**: discounts, free trials, bundles and seasonal campaigns. - **Messaging angles**: which problems a competitor leads with and how they describe their product. - **Creative formats**: the mix of video, image and carousel ads, and how they adapt creative for different placements. - **Landing pages**: where the ads send people and what those pages ask visitors to do. - **Timing**: when campaigns launch and how long they run. - **Testing patterns**: several versions of the same ad usually mean the advertiser is testing headlines or visuals. ### A simple research routine 1. **List three to five competitors** and find their correct Pages. 2. **Review their active ads** once a month and note offers, angles and formats in a spreadsheet. 3. **Look for patterns**, not individual ads. One ad tells you little; a theme repeated across many ads tells you more. 4. **Compare with your own content.** Where is your message weaker or unclear? Where do you have a genuine advantage they don't mention? 5. **Turn insights into your own ideas**, then test them. ### Research ethically - **Don't copy creative.** Images, videos and written copy belong to the advertiser. Use them as inspiration, not as templates to clone. - **Don't impersonate or mislead.** Never create ads or posts that could be mistaken for another brand's. - **Respect Meta's terms.** Use the library's normal interface or Meta's official Ad Library API rather than scraping it with unauthorized tools. - **Be careful with personal data.** Political ad data is there for transparency, not for targeting or harassing individuals. ## From research to your own content Ad research often reveals messages worth testing in organic posts first. If a competitor leans on a pain point your product solves better, try a few posts about it on your own Page and see how your audience responds. Schedule For You doesn't run or manage ads. It's a scheduler for organic posts: you can plan Facebook Page, Instagram, X and LinkedIn posts in one calendar, tailor the caption for each platform and publish at set times. To get your Page set up, see how to [connect a Facebook Page](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/connect-facebook-page). And to judge which posts are working, our guide to [content performance analysis](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog/content-performance-analysis) explains what to measure. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the Meta Ad Library free to use? Yes. The Meta Ad Library is free and public. You can search it at facebook.com/ads/library without an ad account, and basic searches don't require logging in. ### Can I see how much a competitor spends on Meta ads? Not for most ads. Spending information, shown as ranges, is only available for ads about social issues, elections or politics. For other ads, the library shows the creative, platforms and start date, but not budgets. ### Does the Meta Ad Library include Instagram ads? Yes. The library covers ads across Meta's technologies, including Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and Audience Network. You can filter results by platform. ### Why can't I find an advertiser's old ads? For most advertisers, the library only shows ads that are currently active. Inactive ads are kept long term mainly for issue, electoral and political ads, and in some regions with extra transparency rules. ### Can I see who an ad was targeted to? Only in some cases. Political and issue ads show audience breakdowns such as age, gender and location, and ads shown in the EU can include some targeting details. For other ads, targeting isn't shown. ### Is it OK to use the Ad Library to research competitors? Yes, it's a public transparency tool, and reviewing it for market research is common. Use it for inspiration and insight, don't copy other brands' creative, and don't scrape it with tools that break Meta's terms. ## Related - [All guides](https://scheduleforyou.com/blog) - [Pricing](https://scheduleforyou.com/pricing)