Launch
Updated: Mar 3, 2026
Copy for LLM
This section covers everything you need to take your Instant Game from development to live on Facebook.
If you have not yet built your game, start with the Build section first. This section assumes you have a working game that is ready to be packaged and submitted.
The Launch Process at a Glance
Launching an Instant Game on Facebook involves several distinct steps. While some of these steps can happen in parallel, the overall process follows this sequence:
- Create your Facebook application on the App Dashboard.
- Set up your game by configuring assets, metadata, and settings.
- Upload your game bundle so Facebook can host and serve it.
- Pass required reviews to ensure your game meets Facebook’s quality and policy standards.
- Launch your game to make it available to all players on the platform.
Plan for the review process to take time. Submitting a polished, complete game with all required assets on your first attempt will significantly reduce back-and-forth and help you launch faster.
In This Section
- Create Application — How to create a new Facebook application for your game on the App Dashboard, including selecting the correct app type, configuring basic settings, and adding the Instant Games product.
- Game Setup — How to configure your game’s metadata, artwork assets, and Instant Games product settings on the App Dashboard. Covers all required assets with their exact specifications, game details, privacy policy requirements, and data deletion callbacks.
- Upload Bundle — How to prepare, package, and upload your game bundle to Facebook. Covers the required ZIP file structure, manual uploads through the App Dashboard, programmatic uploads through the Graph API, version management, and size limits.
- Reviews — An overview of the review processes your game must pass before it can go live, including the Approved Partner Program, App Review, Quality Review (Instant Games Review), and optional IAP Review. Each review has its own detailed sub-page.
- Game Launch — The final steps to push your game to production and make it available to players. Covers the pre-launch checklist, the launch process itself, what to expect after launch, and first-week best practices.
Before You Begin
Make sure you have the following:
- A Facebook account — You need a personal Facebook account to create and manage apps on the App Dashboard. This account will be the administrator of your application.
- Approved Partner Program membership — You must be accepted into the Approved Partner Program before your game can go live. You can apply while developing your game, but approval is required before launch.
- A working game — Your game should be functionally complete, tested, and ready for players. The review process evaluates your game’s quality, performance, and content.
- Required assets — You will need a game icon, cover image, gameplay video, and other artwork. See Game Setup for the full list of required assets and their specifications.
Timeline Expectations
The time from first submission to a live game varies, but here is a general guideline:
| Step | Typical Duration |
|---|---|
Create application and configure settings | 1-2 hours |
Prepare and upload game bundle | 1-2 hours |
Approved Partner Program review | 1-4 weeks |
App Review | 1-5 business days |
Quality Review (Instant Games Review) | 3-10 business days |
IAP Review (if applicable) | 3-10 business days |
These timelines can vary depending on the volume of submissions, the completeness of your application, and whether revisions are needed. Submitting a thorough, high-quality application on your first attempt is the best way to minimize delays.