If you’ve ever tried to clean up old Meta Business Manager connections, you already know how messy things can get. Recently, I spent hours trying to remove myself from an old Facebook Business Portfolio only to discover that Meta makes this nearly impossible unless you are a full admin.
The problem?
I only had Partial Access, and the only admin on the account was tied to an email address that no longer exists. The domain itself wasn’t even registered anymore.
Yet Facebook still considered that ghost admin the “owner”… and there was no button for me to simply leave.
This post explains the problem, what doesn’t work, and the surprisingly hidden place where the solution actually exists.
The Problem: “You don’t have access to take this action.”
Inside Business Settings → Users → People, you normally expect to remove yourself the same way you’d remove someone else: click your name → “Remove from business portfolio.”
But because I had only Basic / Partial Access, clicking the menu option resulted in this message:
You don’t have access to take this action.
“Error performing query.”
Meta blocks non-admins from removing themselves, even if:
- the admin account no longer exists
- the admin email is invalid
- you’re stuck inside a dead Business Manager
- you just want to leave
That alone would be frustrating, but attempting to remove myself from the ad account itself triggered another error:
Error performing query.
In other words… Meta offered no way out.
Why This Happens
Facebook Business Manager has a design flaw:
If the last admin disappears, every other user is trapped.
No admin = no one can:
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remove users
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change permissions
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add new admins
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delete the business
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do anything important
The business becomes “admin-orphaned,” and Meta Support is notoriously difficult to reach unless you actively run ads.
The Solution: A Hidden “Leave Business” Button
After digging through old documentation, forum threads, archived layouts, and lots of trial and error, I found out that Meta actually does allow you to remove yourself — but only from a completely different section of the interface.
Here’s the exact URL you need:
Once you’re on that page:
1. Scroll all the way down to the “My info” section
You’ll find it at the very bottom of the Business Info page, under all the normal business details.
2. Look for the button that says:
💼 Leave [Business Name]
3. Click it, and Meta will show this confirmation box:
Remove yourself from [BusinessName]
If you remove yourself, you won’t have access to any of the ad accounts and Pages assigned to you.
[Cancel] [Leave BusinessName]
4. Click “Leave.” Done.
You’ll be instantly removed — even if you only have partial access. No admin required. No support ticket.
This option is completely separate from the “People” screen and works even when all other removal methods are disabled.
Why Meta Hides This Option
It’s unclear whether this is intentional design or accidental UI inconsistency. But the “Leave Business” button is buried so deeply that most users never find it.
Meta probably assumes:
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users won’t need to leave businesses often
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businesses will always have at least one active admin
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permissions will always allow proper removal
In reality, companies shut down, admins change emails, domains expire, and people move on. Facebook’s interface hasn’t kept up with those real-world cases.
Final Thoughts
If you're stuck in a Facebook Business Portfolio with no active admin and only partial access, you’re not alone — this is a widely reported issue, and the interface does nothing to guide users out of the mess.
But thankfully, the hidden “Leave Business” button makes it possible to escape without dealing with Meta Support.
TL;DR – How to Remove Yourself
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Open this URL with your business ID:
https://business.facebook.com/latest/settings/business_info?business_id=XXXX -
Scroll down to My info
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Click Leave [BusinessName]
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Confirm → You're removed instantly
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