How Do I Turn On Comments on YouTube?

To turn on comments on a YouTube video, open YouTube Studio, choose Content, and click the video's thumbnail. Open Show more, find Comments and ratings, choose On, and save. If that setting is unavailable, check the video's audience and visibility before changing anything else.

For a business channel, this is worth fixing. Someone watching your service video might have a question before they're ready to call. A working comment section gives them a place to ask it. But the right fix depends on what you're seeing, so start with one affected video.

How do I check the comment setting on an existing video?

Use the Studio steps above while signed into the channel that owns the upload. YouTube's comment settings instructions cover the desktop and mobile controls. Check the specific video first. Changing a default won't update older uploads.

Write down the setting you found before you change it. Then save and reopen the same video to confirm the change stuck. If several people manage your business channel, tell the person responsible for replies what changed. Otherwise, it's easy to fix the setting and still leave customer questions unanswered.

Why is the option to turn on comments unavailable?

YouTube doesn't allow comments on private videos or videos designated made for kids. Supervised accounts also have restrictions. Those are different situations from accidentally turning a toggle off.

Check whether the audience designation actually describes your content. Don't change it just to get comments back. YouTube explains how channel and individual video settings interact in its audience settings guide. It can also set an audience designation itself, and some decisions require an appeal to review.

If you intentionally uploaded a private video, decide whether comments are worth changing how you share it. Unlisted videos can allow comments, but anyone with the link can pass it along. Keep confidential customer footage private instead of changing visibility to solve a comment problem.

What if YouTube turned the comments off?

The uploader isn't always responsible. YouTube says it may disable comments as a safety measure, including on content involving minors. Its guide to disabled comments lists other reasons, including certain automatically generated music uploads.

Read any notice attached to the video before repeatedly changing settings. If YouTube applied a restriction, ordinary comment controls may not resolve it. Keep the video URL and the exact notice together if you need to ask for support. A screenshot of the message is more useful than reporting that comments are broken.

Are comments turned off, paused, or waiting for review?

These settings behave differently. Pause stops new comments while leaving existing ones visible. Off hides the comment section. With comments On, moderation can still hold submissions for review.

Before assuming nobody responded, check your held comments. YouTube's comment moderation guide explains the available review levels and controls that limit commenting to subscribers or members. A viewer who can't reply may be running into one of those controls.

For a small business, start with a setting you can actually monitor. Give one person responsibility for the review queue. If every comment needs approval and nobody checks it, customers can spend time writing questions that other viewers never see. Turning everything loose isn't the only option.

Why are comments missing only on my device?

If other people can see the discussion but you can't, check Restricted Mode. It hides comments on videos you watch. The setting can differ by browser or device, and a school, workplace, or parent may manage it. Ask the account or network administrator about an enforced restriction.

A supervised account can behave differently too. YouTube says some supervised child accounts can read comments but can't write them. Changing the creator's settings won't remove that account restriction.

Compare the same video URL, rather than two different uploads. Note whether the issue is a missing section, a missing reply box, or a submitted comment that isn't visible. That small detail helps you avoid changing the whole channel to fix a problem affecting one viewer.

What should a business do once comments work again?

Answer the questions that help someone decide whether your service fits. If a viewer asks whether you serve their town, give them a clear answer. If a question needs private details, move that conversation to an appropriate contact channel instead of asking them to post personal information publicly.

Keep a short note of questions that come up again. Those can become useful follow-up videos. You already know someone needed the answer.

If keeping up with publishing and replies has slipped, our marketing services for local businesses can help you plan the work around your business. And if the bigger problem is that nobody is finding the video, start with our guide to why a YouTube video gets no views.

Common questions

Can I turn on comments from my phone?

Yes. In the YouTube app, open your own video, tap Comments, then Settings. Look for Comments under For this video.

Will changing my defaults fix older videos?

No. Default comment settings apply to new uploads and posts. Update existing videos separately.

Why can I see comments but cannot add one?

The creator may have paused comments or limited who can comment. Some supervised accounts can read comments but cannot write them.

Does turning comments off delete the old comments?

Turning comments off hides existing comments. YouTube says they reappear when you turn comments back on.

Should a business allow every comment without review?

Choose a moderation setting you can manage. Assign someone to check held comments and answer useful customer questions regularly.

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