# What is the LinkedIn Ad Library?

> The LinkedIn Ad Library is LinkedIn's public database of ads. What you can search, how long ads stay in it and how to use it to study competitors.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-23
- **Category**: Platforms
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/linkedin-ad-library

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The LinkedIn Ad Library is LinkedIn's public database of ads that have run on LinkedIn. You can search it by advertiser, keyword, country and date ([LinkedIn Help](https://www.linkedin.com/help/lms/answer/a1517918), checked 2026-10-20).

## What you can search

- Company or advertiser name
- Payer name
- Keyword
- Country
- Date range

## What each result shows

- The ad preview and ad format
- The advertiser name and payer name
- Whether the ad is restricted. Restricted ads hide the preview, advertiser name and payer name.

For ads that targeted the EU, LinkedIn also shows impression ranges, targeting details and the dates the ad ran. The help page lists no spend or click figures.

## How far back it goes

The library holds ads that ran after 1 June 2023. Ads stay in it for one year after their last impression on LinkedIn (checked 2026-10-20). So you can study what a rival ran this year, but not what they ran in 2022.

## A worked example

Say you sell HR software in India and a rival runs LinkedIn ads. You search their name and filter by country. You find 12 ads:

| Offer in the ad | Ads |
|---|---|
| Free trial | 8 |
| Book a demo | 3 |
| Download a report | 1 |

The numbers are made up. Eight of 12 push a free trial, so that is likely their main offer. You note the formats, the hooks in the first line and how often they swap ads. Then you test your own angle against theirs.

## How to use it well

1. Search your top three rivals, then two brands outside your category.
2. Save the ads that repeat in different forms. A repeat can show a message the advertiser likes. It does not prove it works.
3. Group ads by offer, format and hook.

Marxx has a browser extension that adds a Save button to the LinkedIn Ad Library. For the steps, read [how to see competitor ads on LinkedIn](/guides/how-to-see-competitor-ads-on-linkedin). For other libraries, see [ad library](/glossary/ad-library) and the [Meta Ad Library](/glossary/meta-ad-library).

## FAQ

### Does the LinkedIn Ad Library show ad spend?

LinkedIn's help page lists impression ranges for EU-targeted ads only. It does not list spend.

### Can I see ads older than a year?

Not after they leave. LinkedIn says ads stay for one year after their last impression (checked 2026-10-20).

### Is it the same as the Meta Ad Library?

No. They are separate tools with different filters and data. See [Meta Ad Library](/glossary/meta-ad-library).

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