# How to see a competitor's Instagram ads

> See any brand's live Instagram ads for free in the Meta Ad Library, filtered to Instagram only. The steps, what you can learn and what stays hidden.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-10-22
- **Category**: Competitor research
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-see-competitor-ads-on-instagram

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Instagram ads are listed in the Meta Ad Library, the same free library as Facebook ads. Search the brand, then filter the platform to Instagram. You will see every ad it is running there now.

## Steps

1. Open the [Meta Ad Library](https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/).
2. Choose your country, then set **Ad category** to **All ads**.
3. Type the brand's name and pick it under **Advertisers**.
4. Open **Filters** and set **Platform** to Instagram.
5. Set **Active status** to **Active ads**.

Each ad shows its start date, the text, the image or video and the platforms it runs on.

## What you can learn

- Which offers they push, and for how long
- The hooks and formats they use on Instagram, such as Reels vs feed images
- Which ads have run for months, a sign they work

## What you cannot see

- Spend, reach or results, except for ads about social issues, elections or politics and ads shown in the EU or UK
- Who the ads target, except for ads shown in the EU or UK
- Ads that have stopped running, except political ads and ads shown in the EU or UK (checked 2026-10-20)

## A worked example

You run a jewellery brand. You check a rival and filter to Instagram. It has 22 active ads. Eleven are Reels, and all eleven open on a close-up of the product being worn. Its static ads are newer and change weekly. The pattern suggests Reels with on-body close-ups are the format it backs most.

## FAQ

### Do I need a Facebook account?

No. Anyone can search the Ad Library with or without an account. Reporting an ad or viewing adult content needs you to be logged in.

### Can I download the ads?

Not the ad files. The menu on each ad offers only Report ad and Copy Ad Link (checked 2026-10-20). Logged-in users can download their search results, and teams save the creative with a screenshot or a browser extension.

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