Meta Ads MCP

Overview Schema Source Related Servers Discussions Admin

update_ad_creative

Update an existing ad creative's name or optimization settings in Meta Ads. Since the Meta API blocks content edits, focus on renaming or adjusting asset_feed_spec and Advantage+ features.

Instructions

Update an existing ad creative's name or optimization settings.

IMPORTANT — Meta API limitation: The Meta API does NOT allow updating content
fields (message, headline, description, CTA, image, video, URL) on existing
creatives. Only the creative `name` and optimization settings (asset_feed_spec)
can be changed. To change ad content, create a new creative with the desired
content and update the ad to reference the new creative via `update_ad`.

Args:
    creative_id: Meta Ads creative ID to update
    access_token: Meta API access token (optional - will use cached token if not provided)
    name: New creative name (this is the most reliable update)
    message: New ad copy/text — NOTE: Meta API may reject this on existing creatives
    messages: List of primary text variants — NOTE: Meta API may reject this on existing creatives
    headline: Single headline — NOTE: Meta API may reject this on existing creatives
    headlines: New list of headlines — NOTE: Meta API may reject this on existing creatives
    description: Single description — NOTE: Meta API may reject this on existing creatives
    descriptions: New list of descriptions — NOTE: Meta API may reject this on existing creatives
    optimization_type: Set to "DEGREES_OF_FREEDOM" for FLEX (Advantage+) creatives
    dynamic_creative_spec: New dynamic creative optimization settings
    call_to_action_type: New call to action button type — NOTE: Meta API may reject this on existing creatives
    lead_gen_form_id: Lead generation form ID for lead generation campaigns
    ad_formats: List of ad format strings for asset_feed_spec (e.g., ["AUTOMATIC_FORMAT"] for
               Flexible ads, ["SINGLE_IMAGE"] for single image)
    creative_features_spec: Dict of Advantage+ Creative feature opt-ins/opt-outs.
               Each key is a feature name, value is {"enroll_status": "OPT_IN"|"OPT_OUT"}.
               Sent as a top-level field (not inside degrees_of_freedom_spec).

Returns:
    JSON response with updated creative details

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`name`	No
`message`	No
`headline`	No
`messages`	No
`headlines`	No
`ad_formats`	No
`creative_id`	Yes
`description`	No
`access_token`	No
`descriptions`	No
`lead_gen_form_id`	No
`optimization_type`	No
`call_to_action_type`	No
`dynamic_creative_spec`	No
`creative_features_spec`	No

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Addedv1.0.112May 27, 2026
Removedv1.0.109May 21, 2026
Addedv1.0.105May 19, 2026
Removedv1.0.103May 15, 2026

Changed3 schema fields changedv1.0.94May 4, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / descriptions / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "items": {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    "type": "array"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "additionalProperties": true,
+          "type": "object"
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

changedInput schema / properties / headlines / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "items": {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    "type": "array"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "additionalProperties": true,
+          "type": "object"
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

changedInput schema / properties / messages / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "items": {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    "type": "array"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "additionalProperties": true,
+          "type": "object"
+        }
+      ]
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

Changed5 schema fields changedv0.4.8Apr 30, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / ad_formats

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "title": "Ad Formats"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / creative_features_spec

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "additionalProperties": true,
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "title": "Creative Features Spec"
+}

changedInput schema / properties / lead_gen_form_id / anyOf

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "integer"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

addedInput schema / properties / messages

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "title": "Messages"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / optimization_type

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "title": "Optimization Type"
+}

Changed24 schema fields changedv1.0.0Jan 3, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / access_token / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / access_token / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```

addedInput schema / properties / call_to_action_type / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / call_to_action_type / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```
removedInput schema / properties / creative_id / default
```
Removed value: -null
```

addedInput schema / properties / description / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / description / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```

addedInput schema / properties / descriptions / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / descriptions / items
```
Removed value: -{
-  "type": "string"
-}
```
removedInput schema / properties / descriptions / type
```
Removed value: -"array"
```
removedInput schema / properties / dynamic_creative_spec / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -true
```

addedInput schema / properties / dynamic_creative_spec / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "additionalProperties": true,
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / dynamic_creative_spec / type
```
Removed value: -"object"
```

addedInput schema / properties / headline / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / headline / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```

addedInput schema / properties / headlines / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / headlines / items
```
Removed value: -{
-  "type": "string"
-}
```
removedInput schema / properties / headlines / type
```
Removed value: -"array"
```

addedInput schema / properties / lead_gen_form_id

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "title": "Lead Gen Form Id"
+}

addedInput schema / properties / message / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / message / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```

addedInput schema / properties / name / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / name / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```
addedInput schema / required
```
Added value: +[
+  "creative_id"
+]
```

First observedAug 18, 2025

TDQS

A4.7/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden. It discloses the critical API limitation on content fields and notes that many parameters may be rejected. However, it omits potential behaviors like rate limits or authentication requirements beyond the optional access token, which could be relevant for agents.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is well-structured with a clear title, an important note, and an organized Args list. However, it is lengthy and could be more concise by grouping some content fields under a single note to reduce repetition without losing clarity.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's complexity (15 parameters, 1 required, no enums), the description covers the key limitations, parameter behaviors, and provides a Returns section. It fully compensates for the lack of schema descriptions and gives enough context for an agent to use the tool correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Since the input schema has no descriptions (0% coverage), the description's Args section provides essential meaning for all 15 parameters. It distinguishes between single and plural variants, notes which ones are likely to be rejected, and explains the usage of ad_formats and creative_features_spec. This goes well beyond the schema's scope.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool updates an existing ad creative's name or optimization settings, specifying the verb 'update' and the resource 'ad creative'. It distinguishes itself by noting the limitation on content fields, which differentiates it from other tools like create_ad_creative or update_ad.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly states that the Meta API does not allow updating content fields, so this tool should only be used for name and optimization settings. It provides an alternative workflow: create a new creative and update the ad reference via update_ad. This gives clear when-to-use and when-not-to-use guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.