---
title: How do I connect Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) to codus?
question: connect meta ads
area: integrations
order: 10
surface: desktop
audience: beginner
keywords: [meta ads, facebook ads, instagram ads, connect meta, business manager, system user token, ad accounts, campaigns, ad sets, creatives, insights, marketing api, advertising, meta, facebook]
related: [integrations-overview, connect-google, connect-stripe-and-xero]
updated: 2026-07-21
---

# How do I connect Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) to codus?

Open **Integrations** in settings, find the **Meta Ads** card under **Advertising**, and click **Connect**. Meta connects with a long-lived **System User token** that you make in Meta Business Manager, then paste in. Once connected, codus has full Marketing API access to your Facebook and Instagram ad accounts: create and manage campaigns, ad sets, ads and creatives, upload image and video creative, and read performance and conversion insights. Because launching or editing ads spends real money, codus always confirms with you before anything goes live.

## Before you start

- You need a **Meta Business Manager** account and at least one ad account in it.
- You also need a Meta **app**. If you do not have one, create a free app of type **Business** at developers.facebook.com/apps first, then come back.
- A System User token is the secure server-to-server token that does not expire, which is why codus asks for that rather than a short-lived one. Meta shows the token once, so keep codus open to paste it back.

## Steps

1. Open the gear (**⚙**), click **See all settings →**, then click **Integrations**, and find the **Meta Ads** card.
2. Click **Open Meta Business Settings**. Your browser opens business.facebook.com/settings/system-users.
3. On that page (**Users → System Users**), click **Add**, name it **codus**, give it the **Admin** role, and create it.
4. Click **Add Assets**. Under **Apps**, select your app and turn on **Full control**. This step is required: without an app role the token has no permissions to grant. Then under **Ad accounts**, pick the account or accounts you want codus to manage and turn on **Manage campaigns**. Save.
5. Click **Generate new token**, pick your app, set expiration to **Never**, and tick the permissions **ads_management**, **ads_read**, and **business_management**.
6. Click **Generate token** and copy it. Meta shows it once, so copy it now.
7. Come back to codus, paste the token into the box on the card, and click **Connect**.

## How do I know it worked?

The card shows a green **Connected** label with how many ad accounts it can see, for example "Connected · 2 ad accounts". If it sees more than one, a dropdown appears so you can choose the default account codus works in. That count is read from Meta, so it confirms the token works.

## Common problems

- **Connected, but zero ad accounts.** You did not add the ad account as an asset, or the System User has no app role. Go back to **Add Assets**, turn on **Full control** for your app, add the ad account, and turn on **Manage campaigns**, then generate a new token.
- **The token was rejected.** codus checks the token against Meta's Graph API when you connect. Make sure you ticked **ads_management**, **ads_read**, and **business_management**, and set expiration to **Never**, then paste a fresh token.
- **I do not have a Meta app.** Create one at developers.facebook.com/apps (type **Business**) before making the System User token. The token needs an app to hang its permissions on.
- **Will it launch ads without asking?** No. Launching or editing ads spends real money and passes Meta ad review, so codus confirms with you before anything goes live.
- **I want to disconnect.** Click **Disconnect** and confirm. codus forgets the token; reconnect any time with a new one.