Sometimes ads are approved and active but get few or no impressions. Here are the usual reasons.
Check the basics first
- Is the campaign, ad set and ad all switched on?
- Is the ad approved, or still in review?
- Has the start date arrived?
- Is there a payment problem or spending limit reached?
Common causes
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| Audience too small | Widen location, age or interests |
| Bid or cost cap too low | Raise the cap or use highest volume |
| Budget too low for the goal | Increase budget; plan with our daily budget calculator |
| Audience overlap with your other ad sets | Combine or exclude overlapping ad sets |
| Low-quality or rejected creative | Replace the creative; check copy with our ad copy checker |
| Optimising for a rare event | Choose a more frequent conversion event |
| Account restrictions | Check Account Quality in Business Suite |
Give it time
New ads sometimes take a few hours to start delivering after approval.
Still stuck?
Duplicate the ad set with a broader audience and highest-volume bidding to test whether delivery is the problem.
Read what to do if your ad account is disabled.
Want the full picture? This article is part of Meta ads: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
