In Ads Manager, select the ad, ad set or campaign, choose Duplicate, and tick Show existing reactions, comments and shares on new ads so the copy keeps its engagement. Do it once per ad and expect the copy to restart learning if you duplicate an ad set.
TL;DR
- You can duplicate at three levels: campaign, ad set or ad.
- The checkbox for existing reactions, comments and shares is what keeps social proof.
- Ads with creative customized per placement can carry engagement over only once.
- A duplicated ad set is a new ad set, so it starts learning from scratch.
- Edit instead of duplicating when you only need a small change.
- For many copies, set the number of copies once and review the result before you publish.
What can you duplicate, and where do the copies go?
Meta lets you duplicate campaigns, ad sets and ads to reuse settings that already worked. For ads, there are two ways: duplicate from the Campaigns table, or copy and paste.
| Level | What you copy | Where the copy can go | Use it to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campaign | The campaign with its ad sets and ads | A new campaign | Rebuild a structure that worked |
| Ad set | The audience, budget and placement settings, plus its ads | The original, an existing or a new campaign | Test a new audience with the same ads |
| Ad | One creative with its copy | The original, an existing or a new campaign | Put a winning ad in front of another audience |
For an ad set or ad, Meta asks you to choose Original campaign, Existing campaign or New campaign, and to set the number of copies you want.
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Try for Free ($0 Trial)How do you keep the likes, comments and shares?
Social proof is the visible engagement on an ad, and our glossary entry on social proof explains why it matters. To carry it to a copy:
- Select the ad in the Campaigns table and choose Duplicate.
- Pick the destination and the number of copies.
- Tick the checkbox named Show existing reactions, comments and shares on new ads.
- Publish and open the copy. You should see the same engagement count on the copy as on the original.
One limit matters here. If the ad's creative is customized per placement, Meta says you cannot carry the engagement over more than once. Duplicate the original each time, not a copy of a copy, and expect a custom-placement ad to carry over a single time.
When should you duplicate, and when should you edit?
Duplicate when you want the same ad in a second place: a new audience, a new campaign or a separate budget. Edit the original when the change is small and you do not need a second version running.
- Duplicate to test an audience, a budget level or a placement against the first version.
- Edit to fix a typo, swap a link or pause a weak ad.
- Start from scratch when the old ad is tired. Our glossary entry on ad fatigue explains what to look for.
A copy of a tired ad inherits its engagement, but it does not remove the reason people stopped responding.
What does a copy do to delivery and the learning phase?
Meta says the learning phase starts when you create a new ad or ad set, or make a significant edit to an existing one. A duplicated ad set is a new ad set, so expect it to enter learning. During learning, ad sets are less stable and usually have a higher cost per result, and they usually exit after about 50 results in the week after the last significant edit.
Three habits keep copies from hurting delivery:
- Do not edit the copy right after launch. Each significant edit can send it back into learning.
- Avoid frequent budget changes. Meta lists these as a cause of re-entering learning.
- Duplicate fewer ads than you think you need. Meta notes that when you create many ads and ad sets, the delivery system learns less about each one.
The Delivery column shows "Learning" or "Learning limited" so you can check each copy. Our glossary entry on the how the learning phase works covers the terms.
What changes when you duplicate Advantage+ campaigns?
Meta states that campaigns duplicated as Advantage+ keep Advantage+ settings turned on, including campaigns that were originally created with manual settings. If you want the copy to behave like the original manual setup, check its settings before you publish.
How do you duplicate many ads at once?
Set the number of copies in the duplicate window to make several in one step. Meta's copy and paste works inside one ad account, in one browser window, at one time, and the clipboard clears when you refresh the tab, switch accounts or copy a new selection. Finish a paste before you change tabs.
For a larger set, plan the batch first: which ad, which audiences, how many copies per ad set. Then review every copy before it goes live.
Where Madgicx fits
Ad Launcher and the bulk actions in Ads Manager 2.0 help you launch and manage many ad copies faster. Copilot can duplicate ad sets and change budgets in chat, and each change waits for your approval. A bulk launcher in beta builds many ads from a sheet or CSV, with edits staged and reviewed before they reach Meta. It's in beta; contact our support team to get beta access.
FAQ
Does duplicating a Facebook ad keep the likes and comments?
Yes, if you tick the checkbox for existing reactions, comments and shares when you duplicate. Without it, the copy starts with no engagement.
Can I carry the engagement over more than once?
Not for ads with creative customized per placement. Meta says those ads can carry engagement over only once.
Does a duplicated ad set restart the learning phase?
Expect it to, because a duplicated ad set is a new ad set and Meta starts learning when you create one. It usually exits after about 50 results.
Can I duplicate an ad into a different campaign?
Yes. When you duplicate an ad or ad set you can choose the original campaign, an existing one or a new one.
Can I paste ads between ad accounts?
No. Meta's clipboard is limited to one ad account, in one browser window, at one time.
Related
- Answers: Campaigns, ad sets and ads compared
- Answers: Best ad creatives
- Answers: How to test ad creative
- Glossary: Social proof
Go deeper
Our post on Facebook ads social proof goes further into using reviews, comments and shares in your ads.
Sources
- Duplicate campaigns, ad sets and ads in Meta Ads Manager, Meta Business Help Center
- About the learning phase, Meta Business Help Center
