You can disable comments on a single post or on all posts you make going forward
Facebook lets you control who can comment on each post individually. You can turn comments off after you've posted something, or set new posts to have comments disabled from the start. The setting is different from making a post private — the post stays visible, but people cannot add comments or replies underneath it.
Disabling comments is useful when you want to share something without inviting debate, when a post is attracting unwanted responses, or when you simply prefer not to moderate a conversation. You can re-enable comments later if you change your mind.
Key Takeaways
- You can disable comments on an existing post by clicking the three dots in the top right corner of the post and selecting "Turn off commenting".
- To disable comments on new posts before you publish, click the audience selector (where it says "Friends" or "Public") and choose "Who can comment on this?" then select "Off".
- Disabling comments does not delete existing comments — they remain visible unless you delete them separately.
- Only you can disable comments on your own posts; Facebook does not allow you to disable comments on other people's posts.
- On mobile, the process is the same: tap the three dots on the post and look for the commenting option.
How to turn off comments on a post you've already published
Open the post on your Facebook feed or timeline. Look for the three dots (called the "more" menu) in the top right corner of the post, next to your name and the timestamp. Tap or click those three dots.
A menu will appear with several options. Look for "Turn off commenting" or "Disable comments" — the exact wording varies slightly depending on whether you're on mobile or desktop, but the option is always there. Click it. Comments will be disabled immediately, and anyone viewing the post will no longer see a comment box.
If you change your mind, you can re-enable comments the same way: three dots, then "Turn on commenting". Existing comments will reappear.
How to disable comments before you post something new
When you're writing a new post, before you hit "Post", look at the audience selector. On desktop, this is usually a button that says "Friends", "Public", or "Only Me" — it appears just above the "Post" button. On mobile, it's in the same location. Click or tap that button.
A menu opens showing privacy options. Look for a section labeled "Who can comment on this?" or similar wording. You'll see options like "All friends", "Friends except...", or "Off". Select "Off" to disable comments entirely on this post before you publish it.
Once you've set comments to "Off", finish writing your post and click "Post" as normal. The post will go live without a comment section.
What happens to existing comments when you disable commenting
Disabling comments does not automatically delete comments that are already on the post. They stay visible to anyone viewing the post, but no one can add new comments or reply to existing ones. If you want those comments gone, you need to delete them separately.
To delete individual comments, hover over or tap a comment, and a trash icon or "delete" option will appear. Click it to remove that comment. You can delete comments one at a time, or you can delete all of them before disabling comments if you prefer a clean slate.
Disabling comments on photos and videos
The process is identical for photos and videos. Find the three dots on the post, tap or click them, and select "Turn off commenting". This works the same way whether the post contains an image, a video, or just text.
For videos specifically, some people disable comments to prevent spam or unwanted feedback. You can also adjust who can see the video itself using the audience selector, which is separate from the commenting setting.
When you might want to disable comments
Disabling comments is useful in several situations. If you're sharing a personal announcement and don't want to field questions or debate, turning off comments keeps the post clean. If a post is attracting spam or hostile responses, disabling comments stops new ones from appearing while keeping the post itself visible.
Some people disable comments on posts about sensitive topics, or on posts that are meant to be informational rather than conversational. You might also disable comments if you're not available to moderate a discussion and want to avoid the post becoming a place for arguments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I disable comments on someone else's post?
No. Only the person who created the post can disable comments on it. If you want to avoid seeing a post or its comments, you can unfollow the person, mute them, or hide the individual post.
If I disable comments, can people still share my post?
Yes. Disabling comments only prevents people from commenting directly on the post. They can still share it to their own timeline or send it to others in messages.
Will people be notified if I turn off comments on a post?
No notification is sent. People will simply notice they can no longer comment when they try to interact with the post.
Can I disable comments on old posts from years ago?
Yes. The three-dot menu works on any post you've made, regardless of how old it is. You can disable comments on posts from any time in your history.
What's the difference between disabling comments and making a post private?
Disabling comments keeps the post visible to your chosen audience but prevents commenting. Making a post private (changing the audience to "Only Me") hides it from everyone except you. They are separate settings.