Instagram account permissions explained
Instagram separates who owns an account from who is allowed to act on it.
Is this your situation?
You want to let someone post, boost or manage your Instagram account without confusion over what they can actually do. You are trying to work out what each kind of permission level actually grants.
What it is
There are three ways to give someone appropriate permissions to boost an Instagram business account. One way is editing Page roles, which gives someone permission to post or boost an Instagram business account. If you own the Page connected to your business's Instagram account, you can give other people that permission. Another way is adding people to your ad account, which gives them appropriate permissions related to boosting. Adding people to your ad account does not give them permission to log in as you.
How Instagram handles this
- Shared access lets an account owner invite people they trust to access their Instagram account.
- Shared access may not be available to everyone.
- Adding people to your ad account does not let them see things on your profile you haven't shared.
- If you use Business Manager to manage Page roles, you need to assign roles there.
Side by side
| Method | What it grants | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Page roles | Permission to post or boost, if you own the connected Page. | Tied to Page ownership. |
| Business Manager | Adding people assigns roles for managing Page roles. | Needed if you use Business Manager to manage Page roles. |
| Ad account | Appropriate permissions related to boosting. | No login access as you. |
| Shared access | Invite trusted people to access your account. | Not available to everyone. |
Common mistakes
- Assuming ad account access means login access Adding people to your ad account does not give them permissions to log in as you.Why it happens: You expect ad account access to cover login.Already happened: If access may already be lost — Instagram Sole Admin Recovery
- Expecting ad access to reveal unshared content Adding people to your advertising account does not let them see things on your profile you haven't shared.Why it happens: You assume ad access works like full profile access.
- Managing Page roles without assigning Business Manager roles If you use Business Manager to manage Page roles, you need to assign roles there.Why it happens: You expect Page roles to carry over automatically.
If this changes who is in control
You may be unsure whether a shared access invite or a permission grant is what gave someone their current access. If you are unsure who currently holds access, organize team access to your Instagram.
Quick reference
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Boost permissions | Three ways to give appropriate permissions to boost a business account. |
| Page roles | One way to give permission to post or boost. |
| Page ownership | Lets you give others permission to post or boost via Page roles. |
| Business Manager | Adding people there assigns roles for managing Page roles. |
| Ad account addition | Gives appropriate permissions related to boosting. |
| Ad account limit | Does not give permission to log in as you. |
| Ad account content limit | Does not reveal things on your profile you haven't shared. |
| Shared access | May not be available to everyone. |
Frequently asked questions
Does adding someone to my ad account let them log into my account?
Adding people to your advertising account does not give them permissions to log in as you.
Can someone with ad account access see everything on my profile?
Adding people to your advertising account does not let them see things on your profile that you haven't shared with them.
What is shared access?
Shared access allows people to invite trusted people to access their Instagram account.
Who can edit Page roles to give posting permission?
Someone who owns the Page connected to the business's Instagram account can give others permission to post or boost.
Keeping track of who has access
Confusion about who holds which permission builds as you connect more people, Pages and ad accounts to one account. Delvia keeps a clear record of who has which permission, so none of it goes unnoticed.
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