If you’re having trouble connecting your Microsoft Advertising account to Cometly, this article explains why this happens and how to fix it.
Why Microsoft Sometimes Asks for Admin Approval
Microsoft Advertising uses Microsoft’s internal identity and security system.
Because of this, some organizations require one-time approval from an IT or Microsoft admin before allowing third-party tools like Cometly to connect.
This requirement is set by Microsoft, not Cometly.
Common Situations You Might See
“Need admin approval” message
If you see a message saying that admin approval is required, it means:
You’re signing in with a work email
Your company restricts third-party app access
A Microsoft admin must approve Cometly once
Being a Super Admin in Microsoft Advertising is not enough to approve this.
Rather, at the Microsoft Entra ID level (from within the Azure Portal), Global Administrator or Application Administrator permission is needed
The account admin can edit user permissions at: https://entra.microsoft.com/
A Global Admin or Application Admin will then need to click into the "App Registrations" service:
From the App Registrations service page, the admin should be able to find the Cometly app and approve it:
It works with Gmail or Outlook.com accounts
If your Microsoft Advertising account is connected to:
Gmail
Outlook.com
Hotmail
You may be able to connect immediately.
These accounts don’t have the same restrictions as company-managed Microsoft accounts.
You’re a Microsoft Ads Super Admin but still blocked
Microsoft Advertising permissions and Microsoft admin permissions are different.
Even if you manage campaigns, users, and billing in Microsoft Ads, Microsoft may still require approval from an IT admin.
What Access Cometly Requests
When you connect Microsoft Advertising, Cometly requests permission to:
Keep the connection active securely
Read and sync your Microsoft Advertising data for reporting and attribution
Cometly only accesses the data needed to provide analytics and reporting.
It cannot make changes to your ads or billing.
How to Resolve the Issue
If you see the admin approval message, the solution is simple:
Ask someone on your team who manages Microsoft or IT access to approve Cometly
This approval only needs to happen once
After approval, anyone on your team can connect Microsoft Advertising without issues
If you’re not sure who this person is, it’s usually someone who:
Manages Microsoft accounts
Handles IT or security
Sets up company email or Microsoft tools