Whether you can apply a TikTok ad credit to a specific campaign depends on the credit type you have. Free credits automatically apply to all eligible campaigns with no setup required. Assignable credits must be manually linked to campaigns before they activate. Conditional credits apply only when your campaigns meet specific requirements.
Understanding which type you have is the key step before doing anything else. Assigning a credit that is already free is unnecessary. Leaving an assignable credit unassigned means it will never be consumed, and if the expiry passes, it is lost.
Step 1: Check Your Credit Type
- Log in to TikTok Ads Manager
- Hover over the Tools tab at the top
- Click Payments under the Settings column
- Click the Promotions tab on the left
In the Available tab, look at the Credit type column next to each credit:
- Free credit: Auto-applies to eligible campaigns. No assignment needed. Skip to the section below on how free credits work.
- Assignable credit: Must be manually linked to at least one campaign before it activates. Follow the assignment steps below.
- Conditional credit: Only applies when specific conditions are met, such as a spend threshold, targeting rule, or required cash balance. Check the Usage requirements column for the exact conditions.
You can also check the Restrictions column. If restrictions are listed, those define which ad products, countries, or campaigns the credit is eligible for.
How Free Credits Work (No Assignment Needed)
Free credits that are not assignable to a campaign are consumed automatically before any available cash balance. Once a free credit is in your account, you do not need to do anything. It will be applied to your next eligible campaign spend automatically.
To confirm a free credit is active and working, verify in the Promotions page that:
- It appears in the Available tab
- The Unused amount is greater than zero
- The Valid dates have not expired
If all three conditions are true, the credit is being applied automatically.
How to Assign an Assignable Credit to a Specific Campaign
Assignable credits will not be consumed until you link them to at least one campaign. They sit in your account unused until that connection is made.
Method 1: Using the Promotions Page (Recommended)
- Log in to TikTok Ads Manager
- Go to Tools, then Payments under Settings
- Click the Promotions tab on the left
- Click Account setup under the Settings column
- Click the Payment tab on the left side
- Click the Promotions page underneath the Payment tab
- In the Available tab, locate the assignable coupon you want to apply
- Click View/Assign in the Actions column
- Click Assign campaign
- Select the campaigns you want to link the credit to
- Click Confirm
The credit will now be deducted automatically from the ad spend of those assigned campaigns.
Method 2: Using the Coupon Icon (If Available)
Some accounts show a ticket icon in the upper-right corner of the Ads Manager dashboard.
- Click the coupon icon in the upper-right corner
- In the coupon card that opens, you can assign the credit directly to a campaign from that interface
This method is not available on all accounts. If the icon is not visible, use Method 1 via the Promotions page.
Campaign Assignment Limits and Requirements
Before assigning, be aware of the limits and account requirements that apply:
- Assignable credits are issued within 1–7 business days after meeting the minimum threshold. Higher-tier accounts receive credits immediately.
- Credits expire 30 days after the issue date.
- You must hold admin permission on the ad account to assign or unassign credits. If the pencil or assign option is greyed out, your account role does not have the required permissions. Contact your TikTok sales representative if you need access.
- Your ad account must maintain a positive cash balance for ads to run and for the credit to be consumed, depending on regional or product restrictions for your specific credit type
How to Unassign a Credit From a Campaign
If you need to remove a credit from a campaign and reassign it elsewhere:
- Go to the Promotions page via Tools, Payments, Promotions
- Find the credit in the Available tab
- Click View/Assign
- Locate the campaign you want to unassign the credit from
- Remove the assignment and click Confirm
You can then reassign the credit to a different campaign within the campaign limit for that credit.
How to Review Assignment History
Before making any changes, it is useful to check the history of which campaigns a credit has been assigned to and when. This helps avoid accidental reassignment or duplication.
To view assignment history:
- Go to the Promotions page
- In the Available tab, find the credit you want to review
- Click the clipboard icon next to the View/Assign button (labeled Assignment log)
The log shows a timestamped record of all campaign assignments for that credit.
What Happens After You Assign a Credit
Once a credit is assigned to a campaign:
- The credit is deducted automatically from your ad spend on that campaign
- You do not need to do anything further for the credit to apply
- The Used amount and Unused amount columns on the Promotions page will update as the credit is consumed
- Spend covered by the credit does not count as out-of-pocket spend for purposes of earn-threshold calculations on other promotions
If the credit expires or runs out while the campaign is still active, billing automatically shifts to your next available payment source (cash balance or payment card). Your campaign will not pause unless your overall account balance runs out.
Notes for Business Center-Managed Accounts
If your ad account receives credits allocated from a Business Center, those credits are treated differently:
- They are not assignable to specific campaigns
- They are consumed automatically before any available cash or credit balance
- Once issued from the Business Center to an ad account, they cannot be returned to the Business Center
For credits that originate inside the ad account itself (issued by TikTok directly to the Ads Manager account), the standard free or assignable credit rules apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the View/Assign option greyed out for my credit?
The assign option is only active for users with admin permissions on the ad account. If the option appears greyed out or the pencil icon is inactive, your account role does not have the required access. Ask your account admin or TikTok sales representative to assign the credit or to grant you the necessary permissions.
Does assigning a credit to a campaign guarantee it will be used?
No. The credit is consumed only when the campaign actually runs and incurs ad spend. If the campaign is paused, has a zero budget, or is otherwise not delivering, the credit will not be consumed. It will remain in your account until either it is spent or it expires.
Can I assign one credit to multiple campaigns at the same time?
Yes. You can assign a single assignable credit to multiple campaigns within the campaign limit (10 campaigns for older credits, 30 for credits issued after July 31, 2024). The credit is shared across all assigned campaigns and drawn down as each campaign delivers.
What if my campaign is not showing in the assignment list?
Campaigns must be in an active or scheduled state to appear in the assignment list. Draft campaigns and archived campaigns may not appear. Also, confirm that the campaign is using an eligible ad product, as some credits are restricted to specific ad products listed in the Usage requirements column.
How do I know how much of my assigned credit has been spent on a specific campaign?
Go to Tools, Payments, then Transactions in the left-hand menu. Filter by Ad Credit transaction type to see a record of each billing event where ad credit was used as a payment source, including the date and amount.
Source: How to Allocate Assignable Coupons to Campaigns | About Ad Credit Types | How to Use the Promotions Page in TikTok Ads Manager | About Coupons
