Facebook publishing authorization refers to the permission settings that determine who can post content to a Facebook Page or Facebook Profile. Page admins can choose whether to require publishing authorization for posts, restrict posting to admins only, or allow all users to publish content.
Why would a Page require publishing authorization?
There are a few key reasons why a Facebook Page may require publishing authorization:
- To maintain consistent messaging and branding – Requiring review and authorization for posts helps ensure content aligns with the Page’s strategy and brand voice.
- To prevent inappropriate or irrelevant content – Authorization can prevent spam, offensive posts, or content that doesn’t fit the Page.
- To control volume of posting – Pages may limit posting access to prevent too much content flooding the feed.
- To comply with legal or regulatory policies – Some regulated businesses require review processes for social media content.
How does Facebook publishing authorization work?
There are three main publishing permission settings for Facebook Pages:
- Admins only – Only authorized admin roles can publish content. Editors can create draft posts but need approval to publish.
- Admins and editors – Admins and editors can both create and publish posts without approval.
- Anyone – All users who are allowed to post as the Page can publish posts without review.
In addition, Pages with publishing authorization enabled can choose:
- Which admin roles require authorization to publish posts
- Whether editors need authorization or can publish freely
- Whether user posts require admin approval before publishing
Pages can switch between these settings at any time. Admins and editors may see an extra step to get authorized when they create new posts.
How does authorization work for admins?
For admin roles that require authorization, the publishing process includes these steps:
- Admin creates a new post in Facebook or using a third-party publishing tool
- If needed, admin submits the post for authorization
- Authorized admin reviews the pending post and approves or rejects it
- Once authorized, the post will publish to the Page feed
Admins can also create draft posts to get approved later. Authorization requests will appear in the Page notifications to streamline approvals.
Can Pages allow user posts without approval?
Yes, Pages can enable an “Allow users to post” option. This allows people who are not admins to publish posts directly to the Page. These user posts skip authorization and publish immediately.
Allowing user posts can increase engagement, but may require more moderation. Admins can restrict user posting to control volume. Posts with profanity or violating Facebook policies can be reported and removed after publication.
How do you set up publishing authorization for a Page?
To configure publishing authorization settings:
- Go to your Facebook Page and click “Settings”
- Select the “Publishing Authorization” tab
- Choose the authorization setting you want: Admins only, Admins and editors, or Anyone.
Then, choose which admin roles require authorization before posting. Editor authorization is optional. Finally, toggle user posting on or off.
The new settings apply immediately. Admins may need to get authorized before their next post.
Where can you approve pending posts for a Page?
Admins can authorize pending posts:
- In Facebook notifications – Authorization requests will appear in notifications.
- In the Page Publishing Tools – Select “Published Posts” then “Awaiting Approval.”
- In Creator Studio – The Approvals tab lists pending posts.
- In third-party publishing apps – Some apps include approval workflows.
Select the posts you want to approve or reject. Add a note on rejections to notify the admin.
Can you publish on behalf of a Page without being an admin?
Regular users cannot publish as a Page without being granted an admin or editor role. However, there are a couple ways users can still post content to a Page without direct access:
- Posting as the Page from their personal profile – Pages can allow users to post as the Page from their own account.
- Submitting content to admins – Users can send ideas or draft posts to Page admins for review and publishing.
- Commenting on public posts – Users can engage and share feedback by commenting on public Page posts.
While these options allow user contributions, only authorized admins and editors can actually publish content directly to a Page.
Can you automatically approve posts from certain accounts?
Unfortunately Facebook does not currently have an option to automatically approve posts from specified accounts. All posts submitted for authorization have to be manually reviewed and approved by an authorized Page admin.
A few workarounds:
- Make the authorized accounts Page admins – Then they can publish directly without approval.
- Use a third-party social media scheduler – Some tools allow creating rules to auto-approve certain posts.
- Tag authorized admins in authorization requests – To notify them to urgently review posts.
Hopefully Facebook adds auto-approval capabilities in the future to streamline authorized publishing. For now, admins need to closely monitor notifications and pending posts.
What happens if an unauthorized post gets published?
If an unauthorized or unapproved post somehow gets published to the Page, here are some steps admins can take:
- Delete the post – Immediately remove it from the Page feed.
- Adjust authorization settings – Make sure the right roles are set up to require authorization.
- Revoke posting access – Temporarily remove posting ability if needed.
- Review third-party publishing – Make sure unapproved scheduling or automated posting isn’t occurring.
- Contact the poster – Determine how the issue occurred and prevent it going forward.
While mistakes happen, repeated unauthorized posts may warrant removing someone’s admin or editor access. Tight publishing controls help protect the Page’s brand.
Can publish authorization be required for Facebook Groups?
Unlike Facebook Pages, there is no built-in publishing authorization setting for Facebook Groups. All admins and moderators can approve pending posts and publish directly without approval.
Group admins have a couple options to control publishing:
- Restrict posting to admins/mods only
- Require admin approval for all member posts
- Appoint limited “moderator” roles to help review posts
The main authorization workaround for Groups is having senior admins review and re-post content from members or junior mods. This allows approving content before publishing to the full group.
Can you schedule posts without publish authorization?
It depends on the scheduling tool. For Facebook’s native scheduling in Creator Studio, scheduled posts still require approval if the admin needs authorization. Scheduling just queues the posts for later publication.
However, some third-party tools allow admins to schedule posts that will publish automatically without requiring authorization at the time of posting. This workaround should be used carefully to avoid unapproved content.
Best practice is to only allow schedulers that still require authorization, or thoroughly review upcoming scheduled posts. Use scheduling mainly for convenience rather than avoiding oversight.
Is publishing authorization required for all location and business Pages?
Facebook only requires publishing authorization for Pages representing:
- Financial services (banking, insurance, investing)
- Housing services (property rentals, real estate)
- Moderate user posts after publishing – Delete excessively long or frequent posts
- Disable user posting – Only re-enable for short periods to control volume
- Have users submit content via email or messaging – Allows screening posts before publishing
Pages for other types of local businesses do not need authorization by default, but any Page can choose to enable it. Location and business Pages without authorization should still properly train admins on posting guidelines. Authorization provides an added control for regulated industries.
Can you limit user post length or frequency?
Unfortunately there is no built-in way to limit the length or number of user posts per day. Some potential workarounds:
Ideally Facebook would add options to limit user post length and frequency. For now, admins should convey posting guidelines and enforce them through moderation. Don’t hesitate to remove or block abusive user contributors.
What are the character limits for different post types?
Here are the maximum character counts for different types of Facebook posts:
| Post Type | Character Limit |
| Status update | 63,206 characters |
| Photo caption | 2,200 characters |
| Link description | 500 characters |
| Comment | 8,000 characters |
| Note | 63,206 characters |
| Message | 10,000 characters |
| Offer description | 5,000 characters |
| Event description | 6,000 characters |
Keep in mind longer posts may be truncated with a “See More” link. Aim for clear, concise content that gets the message across within the limits.
Conclusion
Facebook publishing authorization provides Pages an added layer of control and oversight for their content strategy. While optional for most, regulated Pages and those managing multiple contributors may benefit from requiring approval for posts. Proper use of authorization and contributor settings can help Pages maintain brand consistency without limiting engagement.