verapli
Sign inJoin free
Menu

Guides · social · Verification-gated

Meta Developer Account and App

Register as a Meta developer with your Facebook account, then create an app in the App Dashboard to get an App ID and App Secret. New apps start in Development mode, usable only by people with a role on the app, until App Review approves permissions and the app is switched to Live.

Researched · not yet run liveLast researched 25 October 2026 · Meta · provider site

Researched, not yet run live. Built from the provider’s official pages (linked below). A person hasn’t walked this flow end to end yet, so check each step against the source.
Do this in about 5 minutes with verapliJSON for agents

Who owns what

The developer account is your personal Facebook account with developer registration switched on. Apps are created by a developer and can be connected to a company's business portfolio, which then owns them. People get roles (admin, developer, tester) on each app.

  • Facebook account personal owned by the personMust be the person's own authentic account; the Developer Policies say to develop and manage apps with an authentic account.
  • Meta developer registration developer owned by the person · under Facebook account
  • Meta app (App ID) project owned by the company (once connected to its business portfolio) · under Meta developer registrationA developer can hold a developer or admin role on at most 15 apps not connected to a verified business; archived apps count.
  • Business portfolio organisationoptional owned by the companyRequired if the app accesses data you don't own or manage; can be connected during creation or later.

Add a second admin to every production app so access survives one person leaving or being locked out.

Have ready

  • A personal Facebook account in good standing: Registration happens while logged in to Facebook.
  • meta/business-portfolio: Optional at creation, but needed for apps that access data you don't own or manage, and for business verification.
  • A mobile phone that can receive Meta's confirmation code. · Registration sends confirmation codes to the phone and email you give; they also get important developer notifications. [1]Needed for: Register as a Meta developer
  • A monitored email address for developer notifications and the app's contact email. · Developer alerts, App Review results and Data Use Checkup deadlines go to it. [3]Needed for: Register as a Meta developer, Create the app
  • An app icon without Meta trademarks or logos (meta/app-review asks for 1024x1024). · Required before switching to Live mode. [3]Needed for: Complete Basic Settings
  • A public HTTPS privacy policy explaining what Meta data you process, why, and how users can ask for deletion. · Required by Platform Terms section 4 and shown to users during Meta login. [5]Needed for: Complete Basic Settings
  • A Terms of Service URL, an app category and the app purpose (your own business, or clients). · Required fields before switching to Live mode. [3]Needed for: Complete Basic Settings

Steps

Steps marked “human step” are ones only you can do: verapli never signs in, submits, pays or accepts terms for you.

  1. Register as a Meta developer

    While logged in to Facebook, open the developer registration, agree to the Platform Terms and Developer Policies, enter the codes sent to your phone and email, and choose your occupation.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You accept the terms
    Your time
    about 5 min
    If something goes wrong (1)
    • Confirmation code does not arrive.: Check the phone number and email you entered; these also receive developer notifications, so use ones you monitor. [1]

    Where: https://developers.facebook.com/

  2. Create the app

    Go to the app creation page, enter the app name and a contact email, pick the use cases you need (they can't be removed later), choose a business portfolio (or skip for now), review requirements such as App Review, and open the dashboard.

    • verapli co-pilot
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Register as a Meta developer
    If something goes wrong (2)
    • You can't create another app because you've hit the app limit.: You can hold roles on at most 15 apps not connected to a verified business (archived apps count). Connect eligible apps to a verified business portfolio, remove unused apps, or remove yourself from apps you no longer work on. [2]
    • Picked the wrong use case.: Use cases can't be removed once added. Create a new app with the right use cases. [2]

    Where: https://developers.facebook.com/apps/creation/

  3. Copy the App ID and App Secret

    In App Dashboard > Settings > Basic, copy the App ID and reveal the App Secret. Keep the secret on your server only.

    • verapli co-pilot
    • Human step: You sign in
    • After: Create the app

    verapli captures META_APP_SECRET here by plain code: encrypted in your browser, never shown to AI.

    If something goes wrong (1)
    • The App Secret was exposed (committed to a repo, shipped in a client).: Reset it in Basic Settings straight away; it can't be rotated programmatically, and update your server config. [3]

    Where: https://developers.facebook.com/apps/

  4. Complete Basic Settings

    Fill in display name, contact email, privacy policy URL, terms of service URL, user data deletion instructions, app icon, category and app purpose. These are needed before Live mode and App Review.

    • verapli co-pilot
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Create the app
    If something goes wrong (1)
    • Display name rejected.: Remove Facebook, FB, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus or look-alikes such as Face or Book, and anything implying Meta partnership. [3]

    Where: https://developers.facebook.com/apps/

  5. Connect the app to your business portfoliooptional

    In Settings > Basic > Verification, connect the app to the company's business portfolio (needed if the app touches data you don't own and for advanced access).

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Create the app

    Where: https://developers.facebook.com/apps/

  6. Add teammates and testersoptional

    Give colleagues admin, developer or tester roles. In Development mode only people with a role can use the app.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Create the app

  7. Switch to Live mode after App Reviewoptional

    Once App Review approves what you need, an app admin flips the mode toggle in the dashboard toolbar. Test data made in Development mode becomes visible to everyone.

    • Guided by hand
    • Human step: You press submit
    • After: Complete Basic Settings
    If something goes wrong (1)
    • Toggle to Live is blocked by the Data Use Checkup.: An app admin must complete the Data Use Checkup before an app can move from Development to Live. [8]

Terms and gotchas

Plain-English summary, not legal advice. Each card links its source.

Can get you bannedThe rules say

Never sell or buy Platform Data

Platform Terms 3.a forbid selling, licensing or purchasing Platform Data, building profiles without consent, re-identifying data, and using it for eligibility decisions (housing, jobs, credit, insurance) or surveillance. [5]

Can get you bannedThe rules say

Meta can suspend at any time

Meta may suspend or remove your app or account, require deletion of Platform Data, or end the agreement, at any time and with or without notice, if it suspects a breach or you don't respond to audit requests. [5]

Can get you bannedThe rules say

Authentic account and honest behaviour

Develop and manage your app with an authentic account, get consent before acting for people, and don't deceive, mislead or spam anyone. [6]

Can cost moneyThe rules say

Privacy policy and deletion are required

Keep a public privacy policy URL in the dashboard explaining what you process and how users request deletion, and delete Platform Data promptly when users or Meta ask or when you no longer need it. [5]

Can cost moneyThe rules say

Material changes need fresh review

Material changes to app functionality or to the scope of data processing need re-submission through App Review. [5]

Worth knowingThe rules say

Unused permissions can be removed

Meta may end access to APIs, permissions or features you haven't used for 28 days. [5]

What you end up with

Env varSecretFormatWhat it is
META_APP_IDnot secret1234567890123456Public App ID, included in every Graph API call and in client SDK config.
META_APP_SECRETsecretapp secret string, e.g. 0123abcd…App Secret used to generate app access tokens; server-side only.

Renewals

  • Data Use Checkup for apps that are Live with a use case or hold advanced access. Notice 60 days before the due date, reminders at 30, 10 and 3 days; a missed deadline deactivates the app with no extensions.: every 1 year [7]

Pricing

  • No developer registration or app fee is mentioned in the registration or app creation docs.

Source [1]

For agents

The same entry as JSON: /api/v1/entries/meta/developer-app · requirements /api/v1/requirements/meta/developer-app · terms /api/v1/terms/meta/developer-app.

Remote MCP (read-only, no auth)
claude mcp add --transport http verapli https://verapli.com/mcp

> "What do I need for Meta Developer Account and App, and how long will it take?"
  → tools/call requirements { "provider_id": "meta/developer-app" }

Sources

  1. Register as a Meta Developer (Meta for Developers) Needs a Facebook account; agree to Platform Terms and Developer Policies; confirmation codes to phone and email; choose occupation; contact details get developer notifications. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  2. Create an App (Meta for Developers) Creation URL; app name and contact email; use cases can be added but not removed; app without a use case; business portfolio choice and when one is required; App Review when non-role users use the app; limit of 15 apps per developer when not connected to a verified business, archived apps count. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  3. Basic Settings (Meta for Developers) App ID and App Secret in Basic Settings; keep secret server-side; reset if compromised; cannot be rotated programmatically; fields required for Live mode; display name trademark rules; contact email receives notifications. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  4. App Modes (Meta for Developers) Development vs Live mode behaviour; new apps start in Development; admins switch with the toolbar toggle after App Review; test data becomes public on Live. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  5. Meta Platform Terms Prohibited practices (selling/licensing/purchasing Platform Data, profiles without consent, eligibility decisions, surveillance); deletion duties; privacy policy requirement; audits; enforcement at any time; unused permissions removable after 28 days. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  6. Meta Developer Policies Build and manage your app with an authentic account; obtain consent before acting for people; don't deceive or mislead; enforcement action for non-compliance. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  7. Data Use Checkup FAQ (Meta for Developers) Annual checkup; notice 60 days before due with reminders at 30, 10 and 3 days; app deactivated if missed, no extensions; any one admin can certify. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official
  8. Data Use Checkup (Meta for Developers) Annual assessment for apps live with a use case or holding advanced access; not needed for standard-access-only or development-mode apps. · accessed 25 October 2026 · official

Provider rules change. This page is generated from verapli registry version 2026.1025.316; spotted something out of date? Tell us. Meta is not affiliated with verapli.