How to create a Microsoft Advertising account
This guide walks you through opening a Microsoft Advertising account, choosing whether to import from Google Ads, setting up billing correctly, giving the right people access, and completing advertiser identity verification.
Microsoft Advertising runs search ads on Bing, Yahoo, AOL, and syndicated partner sites, and its eligible ads can also appear in Microsoft Copilot. Many advertisers already running Google Ads use it as a second search channel because campaigns can be imported.
Each Microsoft Advertising account has one currency, one time zone, and one billing setup. You need a separate account for each payment currency. The first user on an account becomes its Super Admin.
Sign in on the sign-up page
Go to the Microsoft Advertising sign-up page and sign in with a Microsoft account, or create one using your existing business email. You can also sign in with Google account credentials in most countries; Microsoft notes this is not available in China or India and supports card payments only. Use a login the business owns, not a personal one.
Enter your business details
Enter your business website, business country, advertising language, legal business name, email, and phone number. If you have a code, enter it under Promotional offer (optional). Check the box to agree to the Terms and Conditions and select Next. Use the legal name that appears on your business documents, because identity verification compares them.
Choose a fresh start or an import
Microsoft asks how you want to begin. Choose Start with Microsoft Advertising if you have no other ad accounts, or Import from Google Ads or Import from Meta Ads to bring existing campaigns over. Import is the fastest path if your Google Ads account is already well built, and the campaign guide in this series covers what to check afterward.
Create the account without a campaign if you prefer
Next, choose Create campaign and an account or Create an account. The combined option walks you through a Performance Max campaign with ads, audience, budget, and bidding before billing. Choosing Create an account skips the campaign steps so you can set up tracking first and build campaigns deliberately.
TipMicrosoft notes bid strategies only take effect once conversion tracking is set up, which is one more reason to install the UET tag before your first campaign.
Set time zone and currency
On the business information screen, confirm your legal business name and enter your business phone, business address, and VAT number if applicable. Set Preferred time zone to where you run the business and confirm Currency. Microsoft requires a separate account for each payment currency, so choose the currency you will pay in. Select Next.
Set up billing
Select your Billing country/region, then a payment setting and payment method. Postpay bills you on your monthly billing date or when spend reaches your billing threshold, whichever comes first. Prepay deducts charges from funds you add, and the account pauses when funds run out. Then select Submit and go live.
Your billing date is the monthly anniversary of your sign-up date and cannot be changed.
Invite users with the right role
Hover over Settings in the left navigation and select User management, then Invite user. Enter the person’s details, choose an Account role, and select Send. Roles are Super Admin with full control, Standard User for campaigns and some billing, Advertiser Campaign Manager for campaigns without billing management, and Viewer for read-only access. Keep at least two Super Admins inside the business.
Complete advertiser identity verification
Microsoft notifies accounts that must verify, and most new accounts get 30 days. Hover over Settings, select Account verifications, then Become a verified advertiser. Choose Verify as a business or Verify as an individual, complete the steps, and select Submit application. Review takes 3 to 5 business days.
Business verification needs a registration number, D-U-N-S, or tax ID, plus business and domain documents that expire at least two months out.
Watch outIf verification is not completed, the account may stop showing ads in the European Economic Area, and some payment methods require verification before ads serve anywhere.
Before you move on
- The account currency and time zone are the ones you want
- A payment method is added and the payment setting is clear
- At least two people in the business are Super Admins
- Identity verification is submitted or complete
- You wrote down the account creation date
Official resources
- Microsoft Advertising Help: Create an account and campaign
- Microsoft Advertising Help: Advertiser identity verification
- Microsoft Advertising Help: Billing options
- Microsoft Advertising Help: User roles and access
Ad platforms update their tools often. This guide was last reviewed against the official documentation above in October 2026. If your screen looks different, the official help pages have the latest steps.
At a glance
- Level
- Beginner
- Time
- About 30 minutes
- What you need
- A Microsoft account the business controls, or a Google account to sign in with
- Your website URL and legal business name, address, email, and phone number
- A payment method, such as a credit or debit card
- Business documents for identity verification, such as registration papers and proof of domain ownership
- Your Google Ads login, if you plan to import campaigns
Rather have it done for you?
Active Digital Marketing builds and manages Microsoft Advertising accounts for businesses doing $25,000+ a month in revenue.
Apply to work with usOr get an ad account auditWhere DIY setups go wrong
The most common problems with self-built Microsoft Ads setups, and what they cost.
Picking the wrong currency
Each account pays in one currency and Microsoft requires a separate account per payment currency. Fixing a wrong choice means opening a new account and moving campaigns.
Launching the bundled campaign before tracking
The combined flow can put a Performance Max campaign live at submit. Without the UET tag and conversion goals, bidding cannot optimize for sales or leads.
Legal name mismatches
Verification requires the name and location to match your documents exactly. Trading names, old addresses, and expiring documents are common reasons for failure.
Prepay accounts running dry
Prepay accounts pause when funds run out, and bank transfers can take several days to arrive. Campaigns can go dark during your busiest week.
What this guide doesn't cover
An open account is only the setup. Microsoft Advertising rewards the same discipline as Google: clean tracking, structure that fits your offers, and regular search term and placement reviews. It also has its own levers, such as LinkedIn profile targeting and Copilot placements, that work differently from Google.
ADM runs Microsoft Advertising for established brands alongside Google Ads, so imports, tracking, and budgets stay aligned across both.
- Google Ads import settings that do not overwrite Microsoft-specific changes
- UET tag, conversion goals, and enhanced conversions set up correctly
- LinkedIn profile targeting for B2B audiences
- Ad distribution and partner network controls
- Budget split between Google and Microsoft search
Common questions
Do I need a Microsoft email address to sign up?
No. You can create a Microsoft account with your existing work email, or sign in with Google in most countries.
Is there a minimum spend to open an account?
Microsoft does not list a minimum to open an account and suggests starting with a small daily budget. Bid and budget minimums do apply to campaigns and vary by currency.
How long does identity verification take?
Microsoft says review takes 3 to 5 business days, and most new accounts have 30 days to complete it.
Can I change my billing date?
No. The billing date is the monthly anniversary of your sign-up date and cannot be changed.
Keep learning
How to Create a Microsoft Ads Campaign
Import from Google Ads or build a Microsoft Ads Search campaign: goals, locations, keywords, responsive search ads, ad distribution, and going live.
Read the guideHow to Set a Microsoft Ads Budget
How Microsoft Ads daily, shared and lifetime budgets spend, the 30.4 monthly rule, beginner bid strategies, and how to change budgets safely.
Read the guideHow to Install the Microsoft UET Tag
Create and install the Microsoft Ads UET tag, set up conversion goals, add enhanced conversions and consent mode, and test with UET Tag Helper.
Read the guideHow to Create a Meta Ad Account
Set up a Meta business portfolio, create an ad account, add a payment method, and give your team the right access, step by step.
Read the guideHow to Create a Google Ads Account
Step-by-step: sign up for Google Ads without a forced campaign, set billing and time zone, add users, and complete advertiser verification.
Read the guideHow to Create a TikTok Ads Manager Account
Set up TikTok Ads Manager step by step: sign-up, business details, payment method, account approval, Business Center, and team access.
Read the guideRather have it built right the first time?
If your business does $25,000+ a month in revenue, apply and Mitch will review your accounts personally. Earlier than that? An ad account audit gives you a senior-level fix list you can work through yourself.