Look, managing a Facebook page alone is like trying to cook Thanksgiving dinner solo - possible but kinda miserable. I learned this the hard way when my bakery page blew up after a viral croissant post. Suddenly I was drowning in messages at 2 AM while the oven timer beeped. That's when I realized I desperately needed help figuring out how to add admin on a FB page. If you're here, you probably get it too.
Facebook's interface feels like it changes every Tuesday, right? Just last month I watched a client panic because the "Add Admin" button pulled a Houdini after an update. We'll cover mobile/android too since 80% of users access FB that way according to their reports. Got my coffee? Let's do this.
Why Bother Adding Page Admins Anyway?
Back when I ran my sister's boutique page, I made the rookie mistake of giving everyone full admin access. Bad move. Her intern accidentally published a draft post about "50% off everything" that was supposed to be saved for Black Friday. Chaos followed. Different roles exist for good reasons.
| Role | What They Can Do | What They Can't Do | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admin | Everything (delete page, add/remove people, post as page) | Nothing - total control | Business owners/partners |
| Editor | Create posts, respond to comments, see insights | Change settings or manage roles | Marketing team members |
| Moderator | Respond to comments, send messages, create ads | Create posts or see all insights | Customer service reps |
| Advertiser | Create ads and view insights | Post organic content or respond | Ad specialists |
| Analyst | View insights only | Anything else | Data team/reporting |
Pro Tip: Facebook quietly limits pages to 50 total people with roles. Hit that ceiling helping a non-profit last year - had to clean house.
Getting Your Hands Dirty: Adding Admins Step-by-Step
Facebook moved things around again last month. Here's exactly where everything lives as of August 2023. I'll show you both desktop and mobile since I've seen people struggle with mobile:
On Desktop (Windows/Mac)
1 Go to your Facebook Page (not your personal profile)
2 Left sidebar → Page Settings (bottom option)
3 Left menu → Page Roles
4 Under "Add Person to Page", type the person's exact name or email
5 Select role from dropdown (Admin, Editor, etc.)
6 Click Add and enter your password
On Mobile (iPhone/Android App)
1 Open Facebook app → Tap hamburger menu (≡)
2 Tap Pages → Select your Page
3 Tap Manage Page → Scroll to Page Settings
4 Tap Page Roles
5 Tap Add Person to Page
6 Enter name/email → Select role → Tap Add
Watch Out: If they don't accept within 7 days, the invite expires. Happened to my cousin last week - had to resend.
Where Things Usually Go Wrong (And How to Fix Them)
When Sarah from my mastermind group couldn't add her VA as admin, she nearly threw her laptop. Turns out she missed three critical checks:
- Are they friends with you? Facebook sometimes blocks non-friends
- Did they like your Page? Surprisingly still required in 2023
- Two-factor enabled? Can trigger security blocks
Common error messages I've wrestled with:
| Error Message | What Causes It | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| "User not found" | Typo in name/email or privacy settings | Confirm spelling → Have them check Privacy Settings → Who can send you friend requests? |
| "Page role limit reached" | You've hit 50-person ceiling | Remove inactive users under Page Roles → Existing Roles |
| "You don't have permission" | You're not actually an admin | Check your role status under Page Roles → Existing Roles |
Still stuck? Facebook's Page support is notoriously useless. Try these in order:
- Clear browser cache/cookies (annoying but works 60% of time)
- Use different browser (Chrome usually plays nicest with FB)
- Try desktop if mobile failed or vice versa
- Wait 24 hours (Facebook glitches often resolve themselves)
Admin Management Pro Tactics
After managing 30+ brand pages, here's my battle-tested advice:
Security Must-Dos
- Require 2FA for all admins (found under Settings → Security)
- Quarterly role audits - remove interns/ex-employees immediately
- Never use shared logins (violates FB policy)
Permission Philosophy
My agency follows the "least privilege" rule:
- Social media manager? → Editor
- Customer support agent? → Moderator
- Ad buyer? → Advertiser
- CEO? → Admin (but ideally just you and one other)
True Story: We once recovered a hacked jewelry brand page because only two people had admin access. Others had lower roles. Saved months of work.
Burning Questions Answered
Can someone see if I add them as admin?
Yep. They'll get a notification and must accept the invite. Sneaky adding isn't possible.
Can I add someone without being friends?
Technically yes, but 4/5 times it fails. Add them as friends first, then assign the role.
What if my admin goes rogue?
Nightmare scenario. Options:
- If you have another admin: Remove them immediately
- If you're the only admin: Report to Facebook via Help Center → Report a Problem (slow process)
Can I assign roles to non-human accounts?
Nope. Facebook requires real personal profiles. Business accounts can't be admins.
Do admins need Page notifications on?
Not required, but highly recommended under Settings → Notifications. Otherwise they might miss important updates.
Parting Wisdom from My Failures
When I first learned how to add admin on a fb page, I treated it like a set-it-and-forget-it task. Big mistake. Facebook changes permission structures constantly - what worked in 2020 got overhauled in 2022. Now I do quarterly permission audits for all clients.
Remember: Always have at least two admins (but no more than essential). When my cousin got locked out of her catering page during a wedding season crisis, her secondary admin saved $12k in bookings. Seriously.
The most overlooked step? Training new admins. I create a simple Loom video walking through critical actions for every person I add. Saves dozens of "How do I..." messages later.
Still nervous? Test roles first. Add your personal account as Editor or Moderator before trusting someone with full keys to the kingdom. Better safe than sorry when learning how to add admin on a facebook page.
Got war stories or questions about adding managers? Hit me up on my bakery page - still recovering from that 2 AM croissant frenzy.
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