Comments are off by default for new uploads, but you can turn them on in your video settings
When you upload a video to YouTube, comments are disabled until you change the setting. This means viewers can watch your video but cannot leave comments underneath it. To let people comment, you need to go into that video's settings and flip the comments switch to on. The process takes less than a minute and works the same way whether you uploaded the video today or months ago.
You can also set a default so that comments are automatically on for every video you upload going forward, instead of turning them on one video at a time. This saves time if you plan to allow comments on most of your uploads.
Key Takeaways
- Comments are turned off by default on every new YouTube video you upload.
- You can enable comments for a single video by going to YouTube Studio, selecting the video, and switching the comments toggle to on.
- You can set comments to be on by default for all future uploads in your channel settings under Community.
- If you turn comments on but later want to turn them off, you can do so at any time using the same settings.
- Turning comments on does not mean you have to read or respond to every comment — you can delete or hide comments that break your rules.
Enable comments on a single video
Open YouTube Studio on a computer or phone. On a computer, go to youtube.com, click your profile icon in the top right corner, and select YouTube Studio. On a phone, open the YouTube app, tap your profile icon, and tap Create, then YouTube Studio.
In YouTube Studio, click or tap Content on the left side menu. You will see a list of all your videos. Find the video where you want to turn comments on and click or tap it. This opens the video details page.
Scroll down until you see the Comments and ratings section. You will see a toggle switch next to "Allow comments". Click or tap the toggle to turn it on. The switch will turn blue and move to the right, showing that comments are now enabled for that video. Click Save at the top right of the page to save your changes.
The change takes effect immediately. Viewers can now leave comments on your video. If you change your mind later, you can come back to this same screen and turn the toggle off to disable comments again.
Set comments to be on by default for all future videos
If you want comments turned on automatically for every video you upload, you can change your channel settings so you do not have to enable them one at a time. Open YouTube Studio and click Settings in the left menu (the gear icon).
Click Community in the settings menu. Under the "Comments" section, you will see options for how you want comments to work on your channel. Look for the setting that says "Allow comments on new videos" or similar wording — the exact label varies depending on your YouTube version.
Make sure this setting is turned on. Once you do, every video you upload from that point forward will have comments enabled by default. You can still turn comments off for individual videos later if you want to — this setting just changes what happens when you first upload.
What to do if you cannot find the comments setting
If you are looking at your video details page and do not see a "Comments and ratings" section, scroll down further. On some videos, this section appears below other settings like descriptions and tags. If you still cannot find it, refresh the page and try again.
On a phone, the layout is sometimes different. Tap the three dots (menu icon) at the top right of the video details page and look for an option that says "Comments" or "Manage comments". This will open the comments settings for that video.
If the comments toggle is greyed out and you cannot click it, your account may have restrictions. This sometimes happens if your channel is brand new or if YouTube has flagged your account for policy violations. In that case, you may need to wait a few days or contact YouTube Support for help.
Managing comments after you turn them on
Turning comments on does not mean you have to approve every comment before it appears. By default, comments go live immediately when someone posts them. However, you can set up filters and rules so that certain comments are held for your review before they show up on your video.
In YouTube Studio, go to Settings and click Community. Under "Comments", you will see options to hold comments for review, block certain words, or hide comments from users who do not have a verified phone number. You can also manually delete or hide individual comments on any of your videos.
If you decide later that you want to turn comments off completely, go back to that video's settings and toggle comments off. Any existing comments will be hidden from viewers, but they are not deleted — if you turn comments back on, they will reappear.
Comments on live streams and community posts
If you stream live on YouTube, comments work differently. Live chat appears during the stream and disappears after the stream ends, unless you save the stream as a video. Once a live stream is saved as a video, you can manage comments on that video the same way you would any other upload.
Community posts (text, images, or polls you post to your channel) have their own comment settings separate from your videos. You can turn comments on or off for community posts in the same Community settings area, but the toggle is separate from video comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn comments on for old videos I uploaded years ago?
Yes. Go to YouTube Studio, find the video in your Content list, and turn comments on using the same steps as a new video. The video does not have to be recent — you can enable comments on any video you have uploaded, no matter how old it is.
What happens to comments if I turn them off after they are already posted?
The comments disappear from view on your video, but they are not deleted. If you turn comments back on later, all the old comments will reappear in the same order they were posted. Viewers will not be notified that comments have been turned back on.
Can I turn comments on for some videos but not others?
Yes. You control comments separately for each video. You can have comments on for one video and off for another on the same channel. This gives you flexibility to allow comments only on certain types of content if you prefer.
Do I have to respond to every comment if I turn comments on?
No. Turning comments on does not require you to respond to anything. You can read comments, ignore them, delete them, or pin your favorites — it is entirely up to you. You can also use filters to hide comments that do not meet your community guidelines.
Why are comments turned off by default?
YouTube turns comments off by default to give you control over your channel. This prevents spam and unwanted comments from appearing on your videos automatically. You decide whether to allow comments based on the type of content you create and how much moderation you want to do.