When Did the Meta Ad Library Launch?

Meta’s newsroom puts the start at 24 May 2018. That day Meta required a “Paid for by” label on US election and issue ads and opened a public archive of them. By March 2019 Meta was calling it the Ad Library and had filled it with every active ad, not only political ones. Today you can use it to look up any Page’s ads.

What was the first version of the Ad Library?

Meta’s post of 24 May 2018 says that starting that day, all election-related and issue ads on Facebook and Instagram in the US must be clearly labeled, with a “Paid for by” disclosure from the advertiser. Clicking the label opened an archive showing, for example, the campaign budget associated with an individual ad and how many people saw it, including their age, location and gender.

Anyone in the world could reach it at facebook.com/politicalcontentads, and it held a US advertiser’s ads with political or issue content for up to seven years. Meta’s March 2019 post calls the Ad Library “previously called the Ad Archive in the US”. If an old guide says Ad Archive, it means this product.

Meta also said advertisers wanting to run ads with political content in the US would need to verify their identity and location.

What changed in August 2018?

On 22 August 2018 Meta began rolling out the Ad Archive API, starting with a group of publishers, academics and researchers in the US. Meta says it offers ad creative, start and end date, total spend and impressions, and the demographics of the people reached.

Meta aimed the API at researchers and journalists who analyse political ads. To look up a single ad, use the library itself.

When did the Ad Library start showing every ad?

On 28 March 2019 Meta announced an improved Ad Library “that brings together all ads on our platforms”. The update brought in all active ads any Page is running, not just ads about politics or issues. Meta says that information was previously only visible on a Page in the Info and Ads section.

The same update added Page details such as the creation date, previous Page merges and name changes. It also added search by Page, not just keywords, and the ability to report ads from inside the Ad Library.

If you research competitors, this is the update that added any Page’s active ads to the library.

When did it go global?

On 25 June 2019 Meta said it was rolling out its transparency tools globally for advertisers placing ads about social issues, elections or politics, and rolling out the Ad Library API globally. Meta’s 2022 update to that post says its transparency products would be available in more than 220 countries and territories after the expansions it listed.

If you run ads on these topics, check whether your country requires authorization before you start.

What does the Ad Library show today?

Meta’s current help page says the Ad Library contains all active ads shown across Meta technologies, plus active public branded content with a paid partnership label. Anyone can search it by term, name or Page, and pick a country.

For ads about social issues, elections or politics, Meta says the library archives them for 7 years with a spend range, an impressions range and a reach breakdown by age and gender. Ads shown in the EU or UK are kept for one year from the last impression, with reach and targeting data. A rejected or disabled ad appears covered by a shield.

Meta’s 21 May 2025 update to the 2018 post adds that from 24 May 2025 the first ads archived for seven years begin to exit the Ad Library, its API and the Ad Library Report. Do not assume a 2018 political ad is still searchable.

FAQ

Is the Ad Archive the same as the Ad Library?

Yes, in the US. Meta’s 28 March 2019 post describes the Ad Library as “previously called the Ad Archive in the US”. The 2018 archive covered political and issue ads. The 2019 version kept those and added all active ads from any Page.

Do ordinary ads stay in the Ad Library after they stop?

Not according to Meta’s help page. Its table marks archival “no” for active ads that are not about social issues, elections or politics and have no impression in the EU or associated territories. Ads about those topics are archived for 7 years, and ads delivered to the EU or UK are kept one year after their last impression.

What can I see about a Page, not just its ads?

Meta’s 2019 update added Page transparency details: the date the Page was created, previous Page merges and name changes. The current help page also lists Page creation date and name changes. Look at them when you assess a competitor’s Page.