How to tell if your Facebook ads are actually running
How-to guide · 2 min read · Updated 2026-10-21 · By the Cofoundr team
An ad is running when its status shows Active and the Delivery column says Active, with impressions and spend rising. If it says In review, Learning limited, Scheduled or Not delivering, read the message and follow it.
An ad can be switched on and still not deliver. Review, billing, schedule and audience issues all produce a quiet failure. A short check answers it.
Where to check
- Ads Manager: the toggle shows what you set, and the Delivery column shows what is actually happening.
- Hover or click the delivery message for detail.
- Check spend and impressions for today.
What the statuses mean
- Active: delivering.
- In review: waiting for approval. Delivery waits too.
- Scheduled: set to start later.
- Rejected or limited: a policy problem to fix.
- Learning limited: delivering but with too few results to optimise well.
If it says active but spend is zero
- Check the account status and payment method.
- Check the spending limit.
- Check the ad set schedule and dates.
- Check the audience is large enough.
- Check the campaign budget is not zero or used.
Next steps
The guide on Facebook ads not delivering works through the causes in order.
Check many accounts at once
Opening each account every morning is slow. Cofoundr shows all client accounts together and lists what needs attention. See the daily check routine.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Facebook ad is live?
Both the toggle and the Delivery column should say Active, and spend and impressions should be rising.
Why is my ad active but not spending?
Billing, a spending limit, schedule, audience or review can all stop delivery.
How long does review take?
It varies. Check Meta's help pages for current guidance.
Does Learning limited mean not running?
No. It is delivering, but with limited optimisation.