How to Quickly Fix Facebook Ad Statuses: A Complete Guide for Advertisers

Facebook ad status refers to conditions of advertisements or ad set - whether they are running smoothly, under review, facing issues, or have been rejected. There are over 10 different ad status types, each with its own implications. Understanding these statuses allows advertisers to better manage their campaigns and take timely corrective actions if needed.

In this article, we’ll explore the full list of Facebook ad statuses, what each of them means, and how to respond if your ad falls into an unfavorable category.

Overview of All Facebook Ad Statuses

In Meta’s Ads Manager, you can see an icon next to each ad’s status in your campaign reports. Each icon represents a specific state. Here's what each one means:

• Error: The ad has critical issues or errors and cannot be delivered.

• Warning: The ad or ad set has limitations that may affect delivery. Addressing these issues can improve performance.

• Pending: The ad is scheduled to start at a later date or is awaiting review.

• Active: The ad is currently running and being delivered to users.

• Inactive: The ad or ad set is turned off and not delivering. Why facebook ads not delivering.

Common Facebook Ad Statuses Explained

• Rejected: The ad has been disapproved for violating Meta’s Community Standards or Advertising Policies.

• Learning Limited: The ad is stuck in the learning phase and unable to complete it.

• Scheduled: The ad has been scheduled to run in the future.

• In Review: The ad is being reviewed. If it complies with policies, it will be approved and go live.

• Processing: This status appears after an ad has been edited. Meta re-evaluates the ad before resuming delivery.

• Preparing: The ad has passed the review phase and is preparing to launch. Once impressions begin, the status will shift to “Active” or “Learning”.

• Learning: The ad is in the learning phase where Meta's system determines the best way to deliver it.

• No Ads: No ads have been set up in the campaign or ad set.

• Ads Off / Ad Set Off: The ad or ad set has been manually paused.

• Toggle On: The ad has been re-enabled.

• Completed: The ad has finished running as scheduled.

How to Handle Specific Ad Statuses

Rejected

When an ad is rejected, the first step is to review the reason for the disapproval. You have three options:

1. If you believe your ad was wrongly rejected, file an appeal through Meta's review system. Refer how to appeal ad rejected.

2. For minor issues (e.g., content or wording), edit and resubmit the ad for approval.

3. For severe violations, it's best to create a new ad that complies with all policies.

Note: An ad can be rejected even after being previously approved. This may occur if it was reported, hidden, or blocked by users - or if it was randomly re-reviewed by Meta’s system.

Learning Limited

Your ad set will exit the learning phase if it receives more than 50 optimization events within a week after the last significant edit. If your ads can't generate that many events, Facebook will display the status "Learning Limited." If your ads don't make it through this phase, they won't be able to deliver effectively to your target audience.

This Facebook ad status doesn't appear very often. If your ads do show this status, consider the following possible causes:

• The target audience is too narrow

• Too many ad sets are being created

• The bid is set too low

To help your ads exit this phase, try expanding your target audience or adjusting your bid strategy.

In Review

Typically, this review phase lasts around 24 hours, although some ads may be reviewed faster, within 1-2 hours. However, if your ad contains flagged content or certain issues - such as being overly complex or including a suspicious landing page - the review process may take longer.

There are a few methods you can try to help your ads get reviewed faster and start delivering more quickly:

• Avoid frequent edits

• Follow Meta’s advertising policies strictly

• Keep creatives and messaging consistent

Learn how to resolve being stuck in Facebook ad review process.

Processing

This phase usually takes a few minutes to 24 hours, depending on several factors. To reduce wait times:

• Ensure compliance with ad policies

• Use clear, high-quality creatives

• Avoid submitting ads during peak hours

• Use automation tools (e.g., SaveMyLeads) to streamline ad workflows

Learning Phase

The learning phase occurs when you create a new ad or ad set. Additionally, any significant edit to your ads will trigger this phase again. While this is a normal and necessary stage for your ads, you can try the following methods to shorten learning phase:

Limit your number of significant changes or batch them for a more consolidated learning phase time.

• Aim to have 50 or more conversion events in a seven-day period.

• Avoid pausing campaigns or ad sets for longer than seven days.

• Have large enough target audiences to achieve the conversion goals.

• Make sure you have enough budget to achieve your conversion goals.

Why Ads May Be Rejected After Approval

Your ad may go through another review process and could be rejected if any of the following situations occur:

• Unusual engagement patterns

• Being reported, blocked, or hidden by users

• Random manual checks by Meta to validate automated reviews (Learn more reasons why Facebook ad rejected)

Additionally, Facebook may randomly review ads to ensure the accuracy of its automated review system. This is why an ad that was already running may suddenly get rejected. What to do when Facebook ads not working.

Key Things Advertisers Should Note When Monitoring Ad Status

When running Facebook ads, tracking the ad status is essential to ensure your campaigns run smoothly. Here are several important considerations that help advertisers manage their campaigns more effectively:

Understand the Different Ad Statuses

Facebook provides various ad statuses such as Active, Inactive, Rejected, In Review, Paused, and Limited. Knowing what each status means allows you to quickly identify issues when your ad isn’t showing or performing well.

Pay Attention to Warnings and Notifications from Meta

Meta often sends alerts if your ad violates a policy or if your account shows unusual activity. Advertisers should regularly check the Account Quality section and Ad Manager to respond promptly to any warnings and prevent ad delivery interruptions.

Don’t Assume 'Active' Means Your Ad is Performing Well

Just because your ad is marked "Active" doesn’t mean it’s delivering results. It may still be getting little to no impressions due to poor targeting, low budget, unengaging content, or a very narrow audience. That’s why you should also monitor performance metrics such as CPM, CTR, CPC, and ROAS to get the full picture.

Watch for Prolonged Review Times

If your ads often stay in "In Review" status for too long (over 24 hours), it could mean your account is being reviewed more strictly. In this case, review your ad content, account history, or contact Meta support for assistance.

Monitor Ad Delivery Timing

Some advertisers overlook the importance of delivery timing, which can lead to ads running during ineffective hours or distributing slowly due to poorly optimized daily budgets. Tracking when your ads are shown and adjusting budgets according to time slots can significantly improve performance. 

Conclusion

Understanding Facebook ad statuses is more than just knowing whether your ad is active or paused - it’s about gaining insight into how your campaigns are performing and identifying issues before they impact your results. By familiarizing yourself with each status type and knowing how to respond, advertisers can maintain smoother operations, avoid costly delays, and ensure their ads are always optimized for delivery and performance.

Whether your ad is stuck in the review phase, flagged as “Learning Limited,” or unexpectedly rejected, proactive monitoring and proper adjustments are key to success. 

As Facebook's advertising system continues to evolve, staying informed and responsive will help you keep your campaigns efficient, compliant, and profitable.

Need help managing your Facebook ad campaigns more effectively?
Our team of Facebook advertising specialists can help you audit and optimize your campaigns. Contact us today for a free consultation.