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. To turn comments on, go to YouTube Studio, find the video you want to edit, click Details, scroll to the Comment settings section, and select Allow comments. The change takes effect immediately — viewers can start commenting right away.
You can also enable comments for videos you uploaded in the past. The process is the same: open YouTube Studio, select the video, go to Details, and toggle comments on. If you want to change the default for all future uploads, you can set that in your channel settings so you do not have to adjust each video individually.
Key Takeaways
- Comments are turned off by default when you upload a video, so you must manually enable them in the Details tab of YouTube Studio.
- You can change the comment setting for any video at any time, whether it was uploaded yesterday or years ago.
- YouTube Studio is the only place to manage comment settings — you cannot do it from the video page itself.
- You can set comments to allow all comments, hold them for review before they appear, or turn them off completely.
- If you want comments on by default for all future videos, change your channel settings instead of adjusting each upload individually.
How to enable comments in YouTube Studio
Open YouTube Studio by going to youtube.com and clicking your profile icon in the top right, then selecting YouTube Studio. On the left menu, click Content to see all your uploads. Find the video you want to edit and click on it to open the details page.
Once the video details page opens, click the Details tab if it is not already selected. Scroll down until you see Comment settings. You will see three options: Allow all comments, Hold all comments for review, or Disable comments. Select Allow all comments to turn comments on immediately, or Hold all comments for review if you want to approve each comment before it appears. Click Save at the bottom of the page.
Setting comments as the default for new uploads
If you upload videos regularly and want comments on by default, you can change your channel settings so you do not have to adjust each video. Go to YouTube Studio and click Settings on the left menu. Select Channel, then Basic info.
Scroll down to Default for new uploads and look for the comment settings option. Choose whether you want comments allowed, held for review, or disabled for all future videos. Save your changes. From that point forward, every new video you upload will use that setting automatically. You can still override it for individual videos by changing the Details tab as described above.
The difference between allowing and holding comments for review
Allow all comments means viewers can post comments and they appear immediately without your approval. Anyone watching the video will see new comments within seconds. This is the fastest way for your audience to engage, but you have less control over what appears on your video.
Hold all comments for review means every comment waits in a queue until you approve it. You will see pending comments in YouTube Studio under the Comments tab. You can read each one and decide whether to publish it, delete it, or mark it as spam. This takes more time on your part but gives you full control over the conversation. Many creators use this setting for videos on sensitive topics or when they expect spam or harassment.
Managing comments after you enable them
Once comments are on, you can manage them from the Comments tab in YouTube Studio. You will see all comments posted to your videos, sorted by newest first. You can pin a comment to the top of the list, reply to comments, delete comments, or mark them as spam.
If you change your mind and want to turn comments off for a specific video, go back to the Details tab and select Disable comments. Any existing comments will be hidden, but they are not deleted — if you turn comments back on later, they will reappear. You can also block specific users from commenting on your channel by going to Settings and selecting Community, then Blocked users.
Why comments might not appear even when enabled
If you have turned comments on but do not see any appearing, the video may be too new. YouTube sometimes takes a few minutes to fully process a video after upload, and the comment section may not be active during that time. Wait 10 to 15 minutes and refresh the page.
If comments are still not showing after that, check that you are signed in to the account that owns the video. You can only see and manage comments on videos you uploaded. Also verify that you did not accidentally set comments to Hold all comments for review — if you did, comments will not appear until you approve them individually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn comments on for videos I uploaded years ago?
Yes. Go to YouTube Studio, find the video in your Content library, click Details, and change the comment setting. The change takes effect immediately. Any comments that were posted before you disabled them will reappear if you turn comments back on.
What happens to comments if I turn them off?
Comments are hidden from viewers but not deleted. If you turn comments back on later, all the old comments will reappear in their original order. If you want to permanently remove comments, you must delete them individually from the Comments tab in YouTube Studio.
Can viewers comment on my video if I have not enabled comments yet?
No. If comments are disabled, the comment box will not appear on the video page at all. Viewers will see a message saying comments are turned off. You must enable comments in the Details tab before anyone can post.
Do I have to approve every comment if I choose "hold for review"?
Yes. When you select Hold all comments for review, every single comment waits in your queue until you approve it. You can approve multiple comments at once by selecting them and clicking Approve, but you must take action on each one before it appears publicly.