How to search the Meta Ad Library

TL;DR: Go to facebook.com/ads/library, pick a country, then search by one of three methods: advertiser name (most reliable — returns all ads from a specific Facebook page), keyword (returns ads mentioning that word), or exact phrase (use quotes). Combine with country, platform (Facebook/Instagram/etc.), ad-type, and active/inactive filters to narrow the results.

The three search methods

Search by advertiser name. Type the competitor’s Facebook page name into the search bar. This is the most reliable method — it returns every ad that specific page is running or has run. It works even if the brand runs ads under multiple product categories.
Search by keyword. Type a word or phrase the ad might contain. Matches text in the ad copy, not the image. Useful for category-wide research (“protein powder,” “meal delivery”), but noisy — you’ll see ads from many brands.
Search by exact phrase. Wrap the phrase in double quotes (“buy one get one free”). Narrows keyword results to only ads containing that exact string. Useful when researching a specific claim or offer structure.

Advertiser-name search works best for monitoring a known competitor. Keyword and exact-phrase search work best for broader category research or finding ads making specific claims.

Combining with filters

Once you have initial results, narrow them with the Ad Library’s filters:

Country — always required. Ads run in different countries don’t cross-appear.
Platform — filter to Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, or Audience Network if you only care about specific placements.
Ad type — Image, Video, Multiple media, Carousel. For reverse-engineering, filter to the ad format you’re researching.
Language — if a brand runs in multiple markets but you only want one.
Active status — “Active ads” returns ads currently running; “Inactive” shows historical. Active is usually more useful for current tactics.
Date range — filter by start date. Lets you focus on recent launches or historical campaigns.

Applying 2–3 filters typically narrows a 500-ad result set to 20–50 ads you can actually review in 15 minutes.

What the results screen shows

Each result card displays:

The creative (image, video preview, or carousel)
The ad’s text
Platforms it runs on
Start date (critical for assessing longevity)
“Ad library ID” — unique identifier, useful for copying into tracking documents
“See ad details” link — expands to show all variations of the same ad concept

Click into each promising result to see full variations. A page running 8 variations of one concept is a strong signal they’ve found a winner.

Search strategy by use case

Monitoring a specific competitor: advertiser-name search + active filter + weekly/daily cadence. Save the URL for reuse.

Discovering new tactics in a category: keyword search + active filter + country filter. Review top 50, note recurring patterns across different brands.

Researching a specific offer or claim: exact-phrase search in quotes + active filter. Useful for understanding how competitors frame discounts, guarantees, or seasonal promotions.

Historical analysis: advertiser-name search + inactive filter + date range. Shows what a brand tested over the past year and which concepts survived.

Key takeaways

Search by advertiser name when you know who you’re watching.
Search by keyword or exact phrase for category-wide research.
Filter aggressively — country, platform, ad type, status — to get a workable set.
Click into each result to see ad variations; variation density signals winners.
Save frequently-used searches as bookmarks; monitoring workflows depend on repeatable searches.

how-to-access-meta-ad-library — the basic access question
how-to-find-winning-ads-meta — signals that an ad is actually performing
meta-ad-library-filters — deeper dive on each filter
competitor-ad-monitoring-workflow — turning search into a recurring workflow
seo/meta-ad-library-mastery — the pillar

Sources

Meta Ad Library help center — official documentation of search behavior.