How TikTok Agency Access Works
Agency access means sharing specific permissions, not handing over your TikTok account.
Is this your situation?
You are about to let an agency manage your TikTok presence and want to know what that actually gives them. You are wondering whether sharing access means losing control of the account itself.
What it is
A partner is another business you work with to manage and build TikTok campaigns. Sharing a TikTok account through Business Center allows an admin to authorize partners to manage advertising campaigns. This grants partners specific permissions for advertising activities without compromising full ownership and control of the TikTok account. A Business Center can only grant partners permissions to a TikTok account that the Business Center itself already has. An admin can monitor partner activity and manage permissions on a shared TikTok account at any time.
How TikTok handles this
- A member must have Admin access to the Business Center to share a TikTok account with partners.
- The partner must already be added to the Business Center before sharing a TikTok account with them.
- After confirmation, partners receive access with the permissions assigned to them.
- Partners can use a shared TikTok account for advertising such as running Spark Ads based on the access level given.
- A system notification is automatically sent to the account owner in the TikTok mobile app.
Side by side
| Action | Who can do it | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Share a TikTok account | Admin with the partner already added | Partner gets assigned permissions |
| Grant permission not yet held | Business Center | Must edit its permissions to the TikTok account to obtain it first |
| Monitor activity | Admin | Can manage permissions at any time |
| Revoke access | Admin | Active campaigns run by that partner using the account identity pause |
| Add a partner | Admin | Partner views shared assets and accounts after accepting |
Common mistakes
- Assuming sharing means giving up the account Sharing grants partners specific permissions for advertising without compromising full ownership and control of the account.Why it happens: 'Sharing' sounds like a transfer of the whole account.Already happened: See who owns a TikTok account How to Recover Access to a TikTok Business Center
- Revoking access without warning the partner Revoking TikTok account access will pause any active ad campaigns run by that partner.Why it happens: Access is removed before coordinating a transition.Already happened: Remove an agency's access
- Expecting a permission that was never granted A Business Center can only grant partners permissions it already has.Why it happens: The Business Center never obtained that permission from the account user.
If this changes who is in control
Sharing a TikTok account grants permissions for advertising activities without compromising full ownership and control of the account. Review who holds access regularly using the agency access checklist.
Quick reference
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who can share a TikTok account? | A member with Admin access to the Business Center |
| Does sharing give full control? | No, it grants specific permissions without compromising ownership |
| Can an admin monitor partner activity? | Yes, at any time |
| What happens when revoking access? | Active ad campaigns by that partner pause as a result |
| Does the owner get notified when sharing? | Yes, a system notification is sent to the account owner |
| Can partners use the account for Spark Ads? | Yes, based on the access level provided |
| Must the partner already be added before sharing? | Yes, the partner must already be added to the Business Center |
Frequently asked questions
Does giving an agency access mean they own my account?
No, sharing grants partners specific permissions for advertising activities without compromising full ownership and control.
Can I see what the agency is doing with my account?
An admin can monitor partner activity and manage permissions on a shared TikTok account at any time.
What happens to campaigns if I revoke access?
Revoking TikTok account access will pause any active ad campaigns run by that partner.
Keeping track of who has access
Confusion about who holds which permission builds as more partners and agencies get added over time. Delvia gives you one place to see what every partner can actually do with your TikTok account.
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