How Do You Disable Comments on YouTube?

Disabling comments on your YouTube videos is a common practice for creators seeking to manage their online presence, avoid negativity, or simply maintain focus. The process is straightforward, although options vary depending on whether you’re dealing with a single video or want to apply a blanket rule across your entire channel. Here’s a comprehensive guide:

You can disable comments on YouTube in two primary ways: individually for each video or globally for your entire channel. For a single video, navigate to the video’s edit page in YouTube Studio. In the “Details” section, scroll down and click “Show more”. Under “Comments and ratings,” you’ll find a dropdown menu. Select “Disable comments” from this menu and save your changes. To disable comments for all future uploads, go to YouTube Studio, then “Settings”, then “Community”, then “Defaults”. Here you can set “Disable comments” as the default setting for new videos.

Disabling Comments for a Single YouTube Video

This method is ideal if you want to selectively control which videos allow comments.

1. Log in to YouTube Studio: Open your web browser and navigate to studio.youtube.com. Sign in with the Google account associated with your YouTube channel.
2. Navigate to the “Content” section: On the left-hand sidebar, click on “Content.” This will display a list of all your uploaded videos.
3. Select the Video: Find the video you want to modify. You can either click directly on the video thumbnail or click the pencil icon to open the video’s details.
4. Access the “Details” Section: Ensure you are in the “Details” section. This is typically the default view when you open a video for editing.
5. Show More Options: Scroll down the page until you see the “Show more” button. Click this button to reveal additional settings.
6. Locate “Comments and Ratings”: Continue scrolling until you find the “Comments and ratings” section. This section controls your comment settings.
7. Disable Comments: Click the dropdown menu under “Comments”. From the options presented, select “Disable comments.”
8. Save Changes: In the upper right corner of the screen, click the “Save” button. This will apply the changes to your video.

Disabling Comments for All Future YouTube Videos (Defaults)

This method saves time and effort by automatically disabling comments on all new uploads.

1. Access YouTube Studio: As before, go to studio.youtube.com and log in.
2. Navigate to “Settings”: On the left-hand sidebar, click on “Settings.” A popup window will appear with various settings options.
3. Go to “Community”: In the settings window, select “Community” from the left-hand menu.
4. Click “Defaults”: Choose the “Defaults” tab within the Community settings.
5. Set Default Comment Setting: Under “Comments on your new videos” click the dropdown menu and select “Disable comments”.
6. Save Settings: Click the “Save” button to apply these settings. Now, all future video uploads will have comments disabled by default.

Other Comment Management Options

Beyond simply disabling comments, YouTube offers a range of moderation tools:

• Holding Potentially Inappropriate Comments for Review: This option automatically flags comments that may violate community guidelines. You can then manually approve or reject these comments.
• Holding All Comments for Review: This gives you complete control over which comments are displayed. No comments will appear until you approve them.
• Allowing All Comments: This is the default setting, where all comments are visible unless flagged or blocked.
• Blocking Specific Words: This is in the “Community” tab, where you can add words or phrases that will automatically be removed or held for review if used in comments.
• Blocking Users: Prevent specific users from commenting on your videos by blocking them.

By understanding these options, you can tailor your comment moderation strategy to fit your specific needs and maintain a healthy and productive community.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 12 frequently asked questions to further illuminate comment disabling and management on YouTube:

1. What happens when I disable comments on a YouTube video?

When you disable comments on a YouTube video, viewers will no longer be able to post new comments. Existing comments are typically hidden from view, although they may remain stored in YouTube’s database. The comment section will display a message indicating that comments have been turned off. Viewers can’t engage in any new discussion under your video.

2. Can I re-enable comments after disabling them?

Yes, you can re-enable comments on a video at any time. Simply follow the same steps you took to disable them, but instead of selecting “Disable comments,” choose a different option like “Allow all comments” or “Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review”. Remember to save the changes!

3. Will disabling comments affect my video’s ranking or viewership?

There’s no definitive evidence that disabling comments directly affects a video’s ranking in YouTube’s search algorithm. However, engagement is a significant ranking factor. If comments were generating substantial engagement (positive or negative), disabling them could indirectly impact your video’s visibility. Some viewers might also be less inclined to watch or share a video if they can’t express their opinions in the comments.

4. Can I disable comments on live streams?

Yes, you can disable comments during a live stream setup. Before starting the stream, go to the “Customization” tab in the live stream settings. There, you’ll find options to manage comments, including the ability to disable them entirely. You can also moderate comments during the stream.

5. Is it possible to disable comments on shorts?

Yes, the process for disabling comments on YouTube Shorts is identical to disabling them on regular videos. Follow the steps outlined earlier for disabling comments on a single video within YouTube Studio.

6. If I disable comments on all future uploads, can I still enable them on individual videos?

Yes, the default comment setting only applies to new videos. You can always override the default setting for individual videos by editing their comment settings in YouTube Studio. This provides maximum flexibility.

7. Can I disable comments on someone else’s YouTube video?

No, you cannot disable comments on videos that are not yours. Only the video uploader has the ability to manage the comments section of their videos.

8. What’s the difference between “Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review” and “Hold all comments for review”?

“Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review” uses YouTube’s automated system to identify comments that might violate community guidelines (e.g., hate speech, harassment, spam). You then review these flagged comments and decide whether to approve or remove them. “Hold all comments for review” means that every comment posted on your video is held for your manual approval before it becomes visible to other viewers.

9. How do I block a specific user from commenting on my videos?

To block a user, go to their comment on one of your videos (or find them on YouTube). Click the three vertical dots next to their name, and select “Hide user from channel”. This will prevent them from commenting on any of your videos in the future.

10. Can I export or download comments before disabling them?

YouTube doesn’t offer a direct feature to download all comments on a video. However, third-party tools and browser extensions might exist that can extract comment data, although their reliability and security should be carefully considered. Be cautious when using third-party tools and always prioritize your account security.

11. Does disabling comments affect my ability to respond to existing comments?

If you disable comments, viewers can no longer add new comments. Whether you can respond to existing comments before they’re hidden depends. In most cases, disabling comments also hides the existing comments, making it impossible to respond to them. However, if you simply choose to hold all comments for review, you can still see and respond to pending comments.

12. If I change my default comment settings, will it affect my already uploaded videos?

No, changing the default comment settings only applies to new video uploads. Existing videos will retain their current comment settings. To change comment settings on existing videos, you must edit them individually or use the bulk edit feature in YouTube Studio (if available). This is useful for updating a large number of videos at once.