How to become an admin of a Facebook group
Facebook has no application form for group admins. A current admin chooses you, sends an invite, and you accept. So the real question is how to be the person they pick:
- Be active. Facebook only lets admins promote members who are active in the group, and admins notice who answers questions and reports spam.
- Start as a moderator. Moderators approve posts and members, remove spam and pin posts. Many admins promote moderators they already trust.
- Ask directly. Find the admins in Members (or People), under Admins and moderators, and send one a short message: what you would help with and how much time you have.
- Accept the invite. It arrives as a notification and also shows at the top of the group. You are admin from the moment you accept.
If you run a business Page, the Page can be a group admin too. The Page joins the group, and an admin invites it as admin the same way.
How admins add an admin or moderator
On a computer
- Open the group and click Members or People under the cover photo (it can sit under More).
- Click the three dots (···) next to the person.
- Choose Invite as admin or Invite as moderator.
- Click Send invite.
In the Facebook app
- Open the group and tap Manage, or the group name, then Members.
- Tap the person, or the three dots next to their name.
- Tap Invite as admin or Invite as moderator, then confirm.
Once someone is admin they can remove members and other admins, add new admins and change the group’s settings, so only promote people you trust. Facebook doesn’t publish a limit on the number of admins.
Admin vs moderator: what each can do
| Action | Admin | Moderator |
|---|---|---|
| Make another member admin or moderator | Yes | No |
| Remove an admin or moderator | Yes | No |
| Change name, cover photo, privacy and settings | Yes | No |
| Approve members and posts | Yes | Yes |
| Remove posts and comments | Yes | Yes |
| Remove and ban people | Yes | Yes |
| Pin or unpin a post | Yes | Yes |
That table comes straight from Facebook’s role definitions. The tools behind the right-hand column are covered in our guide to Facebook group moderation tools, and the day-to-day job in how to manage a Facebook group.
What happens when a Facebook group has no admin
Facebook closed the gap that used to leave groups ownerless:
- The only admin leaves, deactivates or deletes their account. Facebook prompts them to invite a new admin. If they don’t, or nobody accepts within seven days, the group is paused automatically.
- The only admin passes away and the account is memorialised: the group is paused within seven days.
- A Page was the only admin: the same rules apply.
So what can a member do?
- Check for moderators. Open Members and look under Admins and moderators. If the group has a moderator but no admin, the moderator can make themself admin. Ask them to.
- Watch for a prompt. Facebook says that when a group has no admins it may suggest that some members become admin, based on its own signals. If the group shows you an option to become admin, that is it; accept it.
- No moderator and no prompt? Facebook offers no public form to claim a group, and messages to support asking for one rarely get an answer. The practical way out is to start a new group, explain why in the old one if you still can, and invite the members across. How to create a Facebook group walks you through it.
Pages and posts that promise to “unlock” an abandoned group for a fee are a scam. Facebook doesn’t sell admin rights.
Paused, disabled or deleted groups
| Status | What it means | Can it come back? |
|---|---|---|
| Paused | No posts, comments or new members; content stays visible | Yes, any admin can click Resume |
| Disabled by Facebook | Taken down for Community Standards violations | An admin can appeal within 30 days: See Details, then Request Review |
| Deleted | Removed by its creator (or an admin if the creator left) | No, deletion is permanent |
In a paused group, members can still delete their own posts and comments and leave. Archiving a group is no longer offered; pausing replaced it. Admins check removals and warnings in Group Status in the admin tools.
Admins also decide whether members can post anonymously or with nicknames; how to post anonymously in a Facebook group covers that setting.
Removed as admin, or your group was taken over
Any admin can remove another admin, including the person who created the group. Facebook doesn’t treat that as a hack, and it won’t reverse it.
- Another admin removed you. Talk to them or to the other admins. Only an admin can invite you back.
- Your account was hacked and someone took the group. Secure your account first at facebook.com/hacked, then report the posts or the account that took over. Once you are back in, check the admin list and remove anyone you don’t know.
- To prevent it: keep two or three admins you trust, turn on two-factor authentication, and don’t make someone admin just because they asked.
How to stop being an admin
Open Members, find your own name under Admins and moderators, click the three dots and choose to remove yourself as admin (or leave the group). If you are the only admin, Facebook first asks you to invite a replacement. Do it, or the group pauses after seven days. Hand it to someone active, and tell the members who the new admin is in a pinned post; how to pin a post shows how.
FAQ
How do I become an admin of a Facebook group?
Only a current admin can make you one. They open the group’s Members list, click the three dots next to your name and choose Invite as admin, and you accept the invite. You need to be an active member, so take part in the group first and then ask an admin directly.
What happens to a Facebook group with no admin?
When the only admin leaves, deactivates or deletes their account, Facebook asks them to invite a new admin. If nobody is chosen or nobody accepts within seven days, the group is paused automatically. Paused groups stay visible, but nobody can post, comment or join.
How do I become admin of a group that has no admin?
If the group has a moderator, the moderator can make themself admin. If it has neither, Facebook has no public form to claim it; it may suggest that some members become admin based on its own signals. If you see that prompt, accept it. Otherwise, start a new group and invite the members.
How do I add an admin to my Facebook group?
Open the group, click Members or People, click the three dots next to the person and choose Invite as admin or Invite as moderator, then Send invite. They become admin when they accept. Add at least one other admin so the group isn’t paused if you leave.
What is the difference between a Facebook group admin and a moderator?
Admins can do everything, including making or removing admins and moderators and changing the group’s name, cover and privacy. Moderators can approve members and posts, remove posts and comments, ban people and pin posts, but they can’t change settings or manage other admins.
Can I recover a deleted Facebook group?
No. A deleted group is gone for good and can’t be restored. A paused group can be resumed by an admin, and a group Facebook disabled can be appealed by an admin within 30 days from the notice in the group, using See Details and Request Review.