Understanding

Instagram permission levels explained

Meta Business Suite offers full control and a set of task-based permissions for an Instagram account. Here is what each level lets a person actually do.

Once your professional Instagram account is an asset in a Meta Business Portfolio, you assign people one of two broad things: full control of the account, or specific task-based permissions. The whole point is to give each person the narrowest access that still covers their job — a community manager does not need the ads tools, and a media buyer does not need the password.

Instagram permission levels

Full control versus the task-based permissions you can assign at the asset level. Pick the lowest level that still covers the work.

RoleWhere it livesCan doCannot do
Business Portfolio — Admin access
Can delegate to others
business.facebook.com → Settings → People
Entire Business Portfolio
  • Manage all assets, people, partners, and billing
  • Grant Admin or Employee access to others
  • Delete the portfolio
Portfolio Admin is the highest privilege — protect this role tightly.
Business Portfolio — Employee access
business.facebook.com → Settings → People
Only assigned assets
  • Work on specific assets they are explicitly granted
  • Access assets they are not assigned to
  • Add new people to the portfolio
Instagram asset — Full control
Can delegate to others
business.facebook.com → Accounts → Instagram accounts → Assign people
Specific Instagram account
  • Manage everything on the Instagram account
  • Reassign or revoke other people on this asset
  • Connect / disconnect from other Meta assets
Instagram — Create content
Asset-level Instagram permissions
Posting and content
  • Create posts, stories, reels
  • Edit drafts
  • Run ads
  • Reassign people
Instagram — Messages & community activity
Asset-level Instagram permissions
Inbox and community
  • Read and reply to DMs, comments, mentions
Instagram — Community activity
Asset-level Instagram permissions
Comments and mentions only
  • Reply to comments and mentions
  • Access DMs
Instagram — Ads
Asset-level + Ad Account permissions
Boosted posts and ad campaigns
  • Run ads tied to this Instagram account
Ad permission typically also requires Ad Account access — a common point of mis-grants.
Instagram — Insights
Asset-level Instagram permissions
Read-only
  • View account insights and content performance

How to pick the right level

Full control suits someone who genuinely runs the account — they can manage everything and reassign other people on that asset, so reserve it for people you trust with access itself. Most teammates do not need it.

Task-based permissions cover the common jobs: creating posts and stories, managing the inbox, handling comments and mentions, running ads, or viewing insights only. Assign just the ones a person needs. One common snag: the ads permission usually also requires separate Ad Account access, so granting "ads" alone is not always enough.

Frequently asked questions

Full control of the Instagram asset — the person can manage everything on the account and reassign or revoke other people on it. Reserve it for people you trust with access itself.

Delvia

Access issues are easier to prevent when roles, owners, and responsibilities are recorded clearly

Most access problems trace back to the same gap — no clear record of who has access, what role they hold, and what should happen when that changes. Delvia helps you keep that record so problems are visible before they become incidents.

Delvia is free on iPhone and Android. Keep a clear record of who has access to your accounts — and what to do when that changes — wherever you are.