Why won't my domain verify in Meta Business Suite?
Meta lists a handful of reasons domain verification fails: you entered a subdomain, path or prefix instead of the root domain, another business already verified it, the DNS TXT record is missing or doesn't match, the HTML file isn't at the root or sits behind a redirect, or Meta's crawler can't read your meta-tag.
When verification fails, Meta shows an error message, and its troubleshooting guide maps each message to a fix. The fix depends on the method you used: a DNS TXT record, an HTML file in your root directory, or a meta-tag on your home page. Before you retry, confirm you meet Meta’s requirements: a business portfolio, full control of it, and admin or developer access to the domain.
What makes domain verification fail?
| Cause | How to check | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Subdomain or subdirectory entered | You entered something like shop.yoursite.com or yoursite.com/page | Verify the root domain, which also covers its subdomains |
| Prefix or symbol included | The entry includes https:// or a trailing slash | Enter the bare root domain, such as yoursite.com |
| Already verified by another business | Error says another business account verified it | Ask that business to share the domain with you |
| DNS TXT record missing | Error says there were no DNS TXT entries | Add the record at your registrar, then check it with a DNS lookup tool |
| DNS TXT record doesn’t match | Error says no record matched the code | Make the TXT record exactly match Meta’s code |
| HTML file not at the root | Error says the file wasn’t found at the root | Upload the file to your domain’s root directory |
| Redirect on the HTML file | The file URL redirects elsewhere | Remove the redirect; Meta only allows root-to-www redirects and redirects between http and https |
| Meta-tag not readable | Meta’s Sharing Debugger can’t find the tag | Put the tag in the static head of the home page |
Why can’t Meta find my meta-tag?
Meta suggests using its Sharing Debugger. Enter your domain, then click the link for the scraped URL to see exactly what Meta’s crawler saw, and search for a meta tag named facebook-domain-verification. Meta lists four common causes:
- The tag wasn’t added, or wasn’t added correctly.
- The crawler failed to run; if the scraped page looks blank, click Scrape again and check once more.
- Expired domain certificates stop the crawler; the debugger lists them under warnings that should be fixed.
- The tag is added by JavaScript after the page loads. Meta’s crawler doesn’t run JavaScript, so the tag must be part of the static page.
How do you retry verification?
- Go to Domains in the Brand safety section of Meta Business Suite settings.
- Enter the root domain without prefixes, for example
website.com, notwww.website.com. - Choose one method: a meta-tag, an HTML file or a DNS TXT record.
- Copy the code or file exactly as Meta provides it, without editing it.
- Publish the change and confirm it is live on your site or in DNS.
- Click Verify domain.
FAQ
Can I verify a subdomain on its own?
Only in one case. Meta says you can’t verify a subdomain or subdirectory, and the only time you need to verify a subdomain is when selling on Facebook commerce. You also can’t verify a subdomain to configure events for Aggregated Event Measurement. Verifying the root domain gives you control of all its subdomains.
The previous owner verified my domain. What now?
Meta says this error can appear when a domain changes owners and the old owners verified it in their business account. Meta’s guidance is to contact businesses that might have access and ask them to share the domain with you, and to contact support if the issue continues.
Can I remove the meta-tag or TXT record after verifying?
Yes. Meta says that once your domain is verified, you can remove the meta-tags, DNS TXT records and HTML files you added, and it won’t affect your verification status. Removing them is optional, so you can also leave them in place.
Sources
- Troubleshoot why you can't verify your domain (Meta, checked 2 Oct 2026)
- Verify your domain from your business portfolio (Meta, checked 2 Oct 2026)
Drafted with AI and checked claim by claim against the pages linked under Sources. Found a mistake? Tell us via the corrections policy.