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How To Turn On Comments on YouTube: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’re ready to hear what the world thinks about your video? Fantastic! Enabling comments on YouTube is generally straightforward, but the process can vary depending on whether you’re dealing with a new upload, an existing video, or a live stream. Let’s dive in.

To enable comments on a YouTube video, you essentially have to make sure they are not being disabled by a previous setting or by YouTube’s algorithms. Here is the breakdown:

For New Uploads: During the upload process, in the “Details” tab, scroll down to the “Show more” section and expand it. Then, scroll to the “Comments and Ratings” section. In the “Comments” dropdown menu, select “Allow all comments”.
For Existing Videos: Go to YouTube Studio. In the left menu, select “Content”. Click the thumbnail of the video you want to edit. Scroll down to “Show More”. Locate the “Comments and Ratings” section and select “Allow all comments” from the dropdown menu. Click “Save” in the top right corner.
For YouTube Shorts: Open the YouTube app and navigate to the Shorts feed. Find the Short you want to edit. Tap the three dots (More options) icon. Select “Edit”. Locate the “Comments” setting and ensure it’s toggled on.
For Live Streams: Before starting a live stream, go to YouTube Studio. Schedule a new live stream or edit an existing one. In the “Customization” tab, make sure the “Comments” toggle is switched on.

If you follow these steps and comments are still disabled, there might be specific settings that prevent it such as your channel’s default settings or that your content is marked as “made for kids”, which automatically disables comments due to child safety regulations.

Understanding YouTube’s Comment System

YouTube’s comment system is the lifeblood of viewer interaction. It’s where debates rage, memes are born, and creators connect with their audience. But it’s also a potential minefield of spam, negativity, and outright toxicity. Understanding how to control your comment section is paramount. Let’s explore the nuances of turning comments on and managing them effectively.

Why Are My Comments Turned Off? Common Culprits

Before you can turn on comments, you need to know why they might be disabled in the first place. Here are the most frequent reasons:

“Made for Kids” Designation: If your video is marked as “Made for Kids,” YouTube automatically disables comments to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). This is non-negotiable.
Channel-Level Settings: You may have accidentally set a default to disable comments on all new uploads. We’ll show you how to check this.
Community Guidelines Violations: If your video violates YouTube’s Community Guidelines, YouTube may disable comments as a punitive measure.
Algorithm Flags: YouTube’s algorithms sometimes incorrectly flag content, leading to comment disabling.
Previous Manual Disabling: You (or someone with access to your account) may have manually disabled comments on a specific video in the past.

Strategies for Managing Your Comments

Once you’ve turned on comments, the real work begins. Here are some strategies to maintain a healthy and productive comment section:

Moderation is Key: Designate a moderator (or become one yourself) to regularly review and remove inappropriate comments.
Use YouTube’s Moderation Tools: YouTube provides tools like comment filtering, user hiding, and reporting to help manage your comment section.
Encourage Positive Interaction: Respond to comments, ask questions, and foster a sense of community among your viewers.
Set the Tone: Your own behavior in the comment section sets the tone for everyone else. Lead by example.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about managing comments on YouTube, addressing common issues and providing practical solutions.

1. How do I turn on comments for all my future videos by default?

Go to YouTube Studio. Click “Settings” in the left sidebar. Select “Upload defaults”. Go to the “Advanced settings” tab. Under “Comments”, select “Allow all comments” from the dropdown menu. Click “Save”. This ensures all future uploads will have comments enabled by default, unless you manually change it for a specific video.

2. Can I turn on comments on a YouTube Short?

Yes, you can! Open the YouTube app and navigate to the Shorts feed. Find the Short you want to edit. Tap the three dots (More options) icon. Select “Edit”. Locate the “Comments” setting and ensure it’s toggled on. Keep in mind if the Short is marked as “Made for Kids,” comments will automatically be disabled, and this setting will be greyed out.

3. What if I accidentally marked my video as “Made for Kids”?

If you mistakenly marked your video as “Made for Kids,” you can change it in YouTube Studio. However, understand the implications: if your content is genuinely targeted at children, you must designate it as such to comply with COPPA. If it’s not, change the setting to “No, it’s not made for kids.” Once you update the setting, comments should become available, though it might take a short time for the change to propagate.

4. How do I moderate comments on my YouTube videos?

Navigate to YouTube Studio. Click “Comments” in the left sidebar. You’ll see three tabs: “Published,” “Held for review,” and “Likely spam.” The “Held for review” tab is where YouTube’s algorithms flag potentially inappropriate comments. You can approve, remove, or report these comments. You can also manually hold comments from specific users for review.

5. How can I hide a user from commenting on my channel?

In YouTube Studio, find a comment from the user you want to hide. Click the three dots next to their comment. Select “Hide user from channel.” This prevents them from commenting on any of your videos. They won’t be notified that they’ve been hidden.

6. What is the difference between “Allow all comments,” “Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review,” and “Disable comments”?

“Allow all comments” means every comment is immediately visible to everyone.
“Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review” means YouTube’s algorithms will filter out comments it deems potentially offensive, abusive, or spammy, and hold them for your approval.
“Disable comments” completely turns off the comment section for that video.

7. Can I turn on comments for a live stream after it has started?

Yes, typically you can. Go to YouTube Studio while the live stream is active. Find the live stream in the “Content” section. Click “Edit” and navigate to the “Customization” tab. Ensure the “Comments” toggle is switched on. Save the changes. It might take a few moments for the changes to reflect on the live stream page.

8. Why is the “Comments” option greyed out?

The “Comments” option is usually greyed out because the video is marked as “Made for Kids”. YouTube automatically disables comments on such videos to comply with COPPA regulations. If you believe your video was incorrectly flagged, you can change the audience setting in YouTube Studio.

9. How do I report abusive comments on YouTube?

Click the three dots next to the abusive comment. Select “Report.” Choose the reason for reporting from the dropdown menu (e.g., hate speech, harassment, spam). YouTube will review the reported comment and take action if it violates their Community Guidelines.

10. Can I pin a comment to the top of my comment section?

Yes, you can. Find the comment you want to pin. Click the three dots next to the comment. Select “Pin.” This will highlight the comment and keep it at the top of the comment section, making it the first thing viewers see. This is a great way to highlight insightful comments, answer common questions, or promote your channel.

11. Is it possible to automatically delete comments containing specific words?

Yes. Go to YouTube Studio. Click “Settings” in the left sidebar. Select “Community”. In the “Moderators” tab, you can add approved users as Moderators to your channel. In the “Blocked words” tab, you can add words that you do not want to show on your videos. Any comment containing these words will be held for review or removed, based on the settings you selected.

12. How do I prevent spam comments on my YouTube videos?

YouTube has built-in spam detection algorithms, but here are additional steps you can take:

Enable “Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review.” This allows YouTube to filter potentially spammy comments.
Add moderators to your channel. Moderators can help you identify and remove spam comments more quickly.
Block specific words or phrases. Create a list of common spam keywords and add them to the “Blocked words” list in your YouTube Studio settings.
Encourage viewers to report spam. This helps YouTube identify and remove spam accounts.