Let me be upfront with you: Meta has changed a lot in the past couple of years, and most of the “how to create a Meta account” guides floating around are still describing a process from 2022 or 2023. They’re outdated. If you follow them, you’re going to run into walls.

I’ve set up a lot of Meta accounts — personal ones, ad accounts, Business Managers, the whole thing — and the flow in 2026 is genuinely different. This guide is going to walk you through exactly what the process looks like right now, including the stuff that trips people up.

Whether you’re here because you want to run ads, manage an Instagram or Facebook page, or just use WhatsApp on a new device — this is the starting point.

First, Let’s Talk About What a “Meta Account” Actually Is Now

This is where most guides skip over something important, so let’s clear it up.

A Meta account is no longer the same thing as a Facebook account. Since Meta rolled out the Accounts Center as the unified identity layer across all their products, your Meta account is the core identity that sits underneath everything — Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp, and even the Quest headsets if you’re into that.

Think of it like this: your Meta account is the root. Facebook, Instagram, and everything else are branches that hang off it.

This matters because:

  • You can now create a Meta account without creating a Facebook profile
  • Logging into Instagram can use your Meta account credentials directly
  • Your advertising access (Meta Ads Manager, Business Portfolio) is tied to your Meta account, not a specific Facebook page

If you’ve been in digital advertising for a while, this shift took some getting used to. But honestly? It’s cleaner now. One login, all the surfaces.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Don’t skip this section. Meta’s verification requirements have tightened significantly, and going in unprepared will slow you down.

Here’s what you actually need:

1. A phone number you control This is non-negotiable in 2026. Meta requires a mobile number for two-factor authentication setup during the account creation flow — it’s no longer optional at the end. Have your phone nearby.

2. A valid email address Fresh and ideally not already associated with another Meta account. If you’re setting up a business account, use a business email. It looks more legitimate and Meta’s trust systems respond to it.

3. Government-issued ID (may be required) Meta has been rolling out identity verification requirements more broadly. Depending on your country and what you want to do with the account — especially if you plan to run ads — you may be asked to verify your identity with a passport, driver’s license, or national ID. Have a scan or clear photo ready.

4. Your actual name Meta enforces real-name policies. This isn’t the place for a username or a business name — your personal Meta account should be your legal name. Your business’s presence lives in a separate Business Portfolio.

Step-by-Step: Creating Your Meta Account

Step 1 — Go to accounts.meta.com

Open a browser and head to accounts.meta.com. This is Meta’s Accounts Center hub and the right starting point for creating a Meta account in 2026. Don’t start with facebook.com or instagram.com unless you already have an account — those flows will redirect you back here anyway, but it adds extra steps.

Click “Create new account”.

Step 2 — Enter Your Basic Info

You’ll be asked for:

  • First and last name — use your real name
  • Date of birth — you must be 13 or older, and 18+ for advertising features
  • Email address or phone number — either works here, but I’d recommend using email as the primary and phone for 2FA

A note on the date of birth: Meta now cross-references this against your ID if you go through verification later. Don’t be creative with it.

Step 3 — Create a Password

Pick something strong and unique. I know, I know — everyone says that. But Meta accounts are a high-value target because they gate access to ad spend. If your account gets compromised and someone runs $10,000 in ads on your payment method, recovering that is a nightmare. Use a password manager and generate something random.

Step 4 — Verify Your Email (or Phone)

Meta will send a confirmation code to whichever contact method you used. Enter it to confirm you own the account. Straightforward.

Step 5 — Set Up Two-Factor Authentication

Here’s where 2026 is different from a few years ago: Meta now pushes you through 2FA setup during account creation, not as an optional add-on later. You’ll be prompted to choose between:

  • Authentication app (Google Authenticator, Authy, etc.) — recommended
  • SMS text message — easier, but weaker security
  • WhatsApp — if you have a Meta account connected to WhatsApp already (which you won’t on a brand new account)

Go with an authentication app if you can. SMS 2FA is convenient but vulnerable to SIM swapping. For any account that’s going to touch advertising budgets, that’s a real risk.

Step 6 — The Accounts Center Setup

After your account is created, you’ll land in Meta Accounts Center. This is where it gets interesting.

The Accounts Center lets you:

  • Connect Facebook and Instagram to your Meta account (or create new profiles)
  • Manage connected experiences — sharing stories across apps, linked logins, etc.
  • Set your payment methods in one place
  • View and manage your privacy settings across all Meta surfaces

You don’t have to connect everything right now. If you just want Instagram, connect that. If you want Facebook too, add it. Each connection is independent.

Step 7 — Identity Verification (If Prompted)

Depending on your use case, Meta may ask you to verify your identity before unlocking certain features. This is most common when:

  • You want to run ads in sensitive categories (housing, credit, employment, political)
  • Your account is flagged as new and you’re immediately trying to create ads
  • You’re in a region where Meta has stricter compliance requirements

The verification flow asks you to upload a photo of your ID and, sometimes, a selfie. It usually processes within a few hours, occasionally longer.

If you’re not prompted, don’t worry about it — you can always verify later in Settings > Identity Verification.

If You’re Setting This Up for Advertising

This is probably why you’re here, right? A few extra things to know:

Personal account first, Business Portfolio second. Meta Ads Manager and Business Portfolio are built on top of your personal Meta account. You can’t have a Business Portfolio without a personal account beneath it.

Create your Business Portfolio from business.facebook.com once your personal account is set up. The interface has been largely unified into Meta Business Suite, but the setup URL still works.

Add a payment method early. Meta sometimes restricts new accounts from advertising until a payment method is on file and verified. Adding your card or bank account shortly after creation — before you need it — avoids scrambling when you’re ready to launch.

Don’t rush the trust score. New Meta accounts have a low trust score by default. Meta’s systems treat fresh accounts with suspicion when they immediately try to run ads. Spend a few days interacting with your account normally — connect your page, fill out your business info, browse Ads Manager — before launching your first campaign.

Common Mistakes I’ve Seen (So You Can Skip Them)

Using a temporary email. Meta will ask you to re-verify periodically. If your email is a throwaway, you’ll lose access. Use something permanent.

Skipping 2FA. Even if Meta doesn’t force it, enable it. Account recovery from a hacked Meta account is genuinely painful and slow.

Creating a business account on the personal profile. Your personal profile is not your business page. Don’t use your personal Meta account’s name/profile as your brand. Create a Facebook Page or Instagram Professional Account linked to your Meta account.

Mismatching your name with your ID. If you go through identity verification later and your account name doesn’t match your ID, Meta will require you to correct it. Start with your real name.

Multiple personal accounts. Meta’s terms still prohibit multiple personal Meta accounts per person. Business Portfolios can have multiple assets — pages, ad accounts, pixels — but there should be one personal identity underneath.

Quick Reference: The 2026 Account Creation Flow

Step What Happens
1 Visit accounts.meta.com → “Create new account”
2 Enter name, birthday, email/phone
3 Create a strong password
4 Confirm email or phone with verification code
5 Set up 2FA (use an auth app)
6 Configure Accounts Center — connect Facebook, Instagram, etc.
7 Identity verification if prompted
8 Add payment method if running ads

Wrapping Up

Creating a Meta account in 2026 takes maybe 10–15 minutes if you have everything ready. The real time sink is usually waiting for email verification or, occasionally, identity verification.

The biggest shift from previous years is the Accounts Center as the central hub — once you understand that your Meta account is the root and everything else connects to it, the whole structure makes more sense.

If you’re setting this up to run ads, take the extra few minutes to set up 2FA properly, connect your business assets in Business Portfolio, and don’t skip adding a payment method early. It saves you from avoidable delays when you actually want to go live.

Have questions about the setup, or running into something specific? The fastiads.com team deals with this stuff daily — reach out.

Last updated: February 2026. Meta’s interface and policies update frequently — if something looks different from what’s described here, their Help Center is the authoritative source for the latest flow.