Fix Meta Ads publishing errors: session, limits

A publishing run can stop halfway. Runads names the reason and keeps what is already made. This guide lists the cases and what to do in each.

The session ended

The token and the model key live one hour in an encrypted cookie. When the hour ends, the builder says The session ended and stops the work that needs Meta.

Paste the token again and click Connect.
Connect the model again.

The draft, the files, the texts and your choices stay in the tab. A warning appears when less than 15 minutes are left: connect again before a long video upload.

Meta refused an object

The run stops at the refused step. The log marks it and shows the explanation Meta gives.

Fix the cause in the draft.
Click Continue from the failed step. In the simple mode the button is on the review screen: click Publish paused to open it.
Confirm. Only the missing objects are created, in the same campaigns.

Two cases:

You edited a part that is already made, for example the name of a created ad set. The run stops and marks that part. Undo the edit and continue.
You changed the campaign, or added or removed a file, an ad set or an ad. Continuing is off, and a warning says that publishing now makes new campaigns. If you publish, delete the paused leftovers of the first run in Ads Manager.

Meta did not answer

Sometimes a create request gets no answer: the connection breaks, or Meta fails on its side. The object may exist or not, and the builder cannot know. It does not send such a request again by itself.

Before it continues, the builder warns that the object may already exist. Open Ads Manager and look at the campaign. If the object exists and you continue, Meta gets a second one, paused: delete the extra one.

A limit is reached

Request limit of the service. The run waits the stated number of seconds and continues by itself. After 30 such waits it stops.
Meta asks to slow down. The run stops. Try again in a minute with Continue from the failed step. A new Meta app has the Limited access tier, which Meta rate-limits heavily: see create a Meta app.
Meta is still processing the video. The builder waits up to 10 minutes for a video. Continue a few minutes later.

The ad account cannot publish

Disabled, pending closure or closed. The builder blocks publishing and names the status. Choose another ad account.
Another status that is not active. The builder warns and lets you try.
No payment method. The builder warns. Meta creates the campaigns and ad sets and refuses the ads. Add a payment method, then continue from the failed step.

Problems the builder finds before the run

Budgets in another currency. A draft keeps the currency of its budgets. After a switch to an ad account with another currency, the numbers stay and the amounts change. Publishing is blocked until you check every budget and confirm the new currency in the campaign.
An interest that Meta does not have. It blocks the launch: without it the ad set would reach more people than the draft says. Remove it or type another.

Next: publish paused.