To run ads on Instagram, switch to a professional account, open the post you want to promote, tap Boost, choose whether to pay with or without a Facebook ad account, then set your goal, audience, daily budget and duration and tap Create ad. Meta reviews the ad against its ad policies before it starts running.
Every step and rule on this page comes from Meta's own Help Center pages, read as of October 2026. Wording on the buttons can differ slightly by phone and country.
The detail that catches people out comes before the first tap. Instagram now asks how you want to pay: With a Facebook ad account or Without a Facebook ad account. Start without one and later switch to a Meta ad account, and Meta says you lose access to the ads you made the old way and can't pause any that are still running. So make that choice once, on purpose.
Before you start: switch to a professional account
Personal Instagram accounts can't run ads. Switching is free and takes a minute.
- Go to your profile and tap More to open Settings and activity.
- Below For professionals, tap Account type and tools.
- Tap Switch to professional account and choose a category. Meta notes the category you pick doesn't decide whether you become a business or creator account.
- Choose Business or Creator, add contact details if you want them on your profile, and optionally log in to Facebook to connect a Page.
Two side effects to know about. A private account becomes public when you switch, and any pending follow requests are accepted automatically. Meta also recommends connecting your Facebook Page, which makes it easier to share posts to Facebook and use ads and shopping tools. You can switch back to personal at any time, but Meta says you then lose access to ads and any connected Facebook Page is disconnected.
How to boost a post on Instagram, step by step
- On the Instagram app, go to your profile and tap the post you'd like to promote.
- Below the post's image, tap Boost.
- Choose With a Facebook ad account or Without a Facebook ad account.
- If you chose a Facebook ad account, log in to the Facebook account that has admin access to it. Tap Change Facebook ad account if the one shown isn't right, then Continue.
- Set your Goal (the result you want), Audience (who should see it), Budget (how much to spend daily) and Duration (how long it runs), then tap Next.
- Tap Create ad below Review. Meta checks the ad against its ad policies and it begins running once approved.
With or without a Facebook ad account?
| Without a Facebook ad account | With a Facebook ad account | |
|---|---|---|
| Set-up | Fastest: everything happens inside Instagram | Log in to Facebook once and pick the ad account |
| Ad account features | Meta says you miss some beneficial features and settings of an ad account | Payment method and ad settings come from your ad account, and you can confirm or change payment each time you boost |
| Growing later | Switching later means losing access to ads made this way | The same account works in Meta Business Suite and Meta Ads Manager |
| Best for | A one-off test from your phone | Any business that expects to advertise again |
My advice for any business, however small: pick With a Facebook ad account from day one. You'll need one the moment you want more than a boost, and it saves you the stranded-ads problem.
Boosting from an iPhone: the Apple fee
Meta's Help Center warns that in most regions Apple may take a service fee on the funds you add to your ad account inside the Instagram iOS app, before taxes and local fees. Meta says the fee is kept by Apple, not by Instagram or Meta. It applies to money added through the iPhone app, so the habit I'd build is adding funds from a computer rather than from inside the iPhone app.
How to pause or edit a running ad
- Tap Professional dashboard on your profile.
- Under Your tools, tap Ad tools.
- Tap Edit on the ad that's running, then pause it or change the details.
Do this before you ever switch payment routes. Meta's instruction is to pause anything made without a Meta ad account first, because once you switch you can't reach those ads to stop them.
When boosting isn't enough
Boosting promotes one existing post to one audience. It can't run several ad sets, an A/B test, a retargeting campaign aimed at past customers or a Shops ad. Meta Business Suite sits in between: it handles posts, messages and insights and offers a streamlined ad set-up, so it's a gentle next step if Ads Manager looks daunting. The bigger jobs live in Meta Ads Manager, which also lets you choose exact placements, such as Instagram Reels only. See how to run ads on Instagram Reels when you're ready for that, and check what Instagram ads cost before you set a budget.
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My verdict: boost your best organic post first. If people already liked, saved and shared it, you're paying to show something proven rather than guessing. Set a first budget you'd be comfortable losing while you learn, and judge the result on enquiries or sales rather than likes. Once you know which goal and audience bring enquiries, move that winning set-up into Ads Manager and test it there.
Related guides live in the Instagram Help: 81 Guides to Followers, Hashtags, Money, Accounts and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run Instagram ads without a Facebook account?
Yes. When you tap Boost, choose Without a Facebook ad account. Meta says you'll miss some ad account features, and switching later means losing access to those ads.
Why can't I see the Boost button on Instagram?
Boost only appears on professional accounts. Switch to a business or creator account under Account type and tools in Settings.
How long does an Instagram ad take to start?
Meta reviews every ad against its ad policies first, and the ad begins running once it's approved.
How do I stop an Instagram ad?
Go to Professional dashboard, then Ad tools under Your tools, tap Edit on the running ad and pause it.
Is there an extra fee for boosting on iPhone?
Meta says Apple may charge a service fee in most regions on funds added in the Instagram iOS app. Add funds another way to avoid it.
