Turn off comments before or after you post
You can disable comments on a Facebook post in two ways: before you publish it, or after it is already live. The method is the same either way — you control who can comment through a dropdown menu on the post itself. This is useful when you want to share something without inviting replies, or when a post is drawing unwanted attention.
Facebook calls this feature "comment settings," and it works on posts you create yourself. You cannot disable comments on posts other people tag you in, but you can remove your own comments from those posts, or ask the original poster to turn comments off.
Key Takeaways
- Open the post you want to control, tap or click the three dots in the top right corner, and select "Turn off commenting" to disable all replies.
- You can turn comments back on at any time using the same menu — the setting is not permanent.
- Disabling comments removes the ability for anyone to reply, but does not delete comments that were already posted before you turned the feature off.
- If you want to keep comments but limit who can see them, you can delete individual comments or restrict specific people from commenting on your posts.
How to disable comments on a post you have not yet published
Before you hit the publish button, you can set the comment permission right in the composer. When you are writing your post, look for the audience selector — it usually shows a globe icon, a friends icon, or a lock icon depending on who you are sharing with.
Tap or click on that icon to open the privacy menu. Below the audience options, you will see a line that says "Who can comment on this?" The default is usually set to "Friends" or "Public" depending on your post's audience. Tap or click that line and select "Turn off commenting." Publish your post, and no one will be able to reply to it.
How to disable comments on a post that is already live
If your post is already published and you want to turn off comments now, find the post on your timeline. In the top right corner of the post, you will see three dots arranged vertically (sometimes called a "more" menu). Tap or click those three dots.
A menu will appear with several options. Look for "Turn off commenting" and select it. The post will remain visible to everyone who could see it before, but the comment box will disappear and no one will be able to add new replies. Any comments that were already there will stay visible unless you delete them individually.
How to turn comments back on
Disabling comments is not permanent. If you change your mind, open the post again, tap or click the three dots in the top right corner, and select "Turn on commenting." The comment section will reappear when ready, and people can start replying again.
When you turn comments back on, old comments that were posted before you disabled them will still be there. If you do not want those comments visible, you will need to delete them one at a time by tapping or clicking the three dots on each individual comment and selecting "Delete."
Delete individual comments instead of disabling all of them
If you want to keep comments open but remove specific replies, you do not have to turn off commenting entirely. You can delete individual comments by finding the comment, tapping or clicking the three dots next to it, and selecting "Delete." Only you and the person who wrote the comment will see the delete option — other people cannot delete comments on your posts.
If the same person keeps posting comments you do not want, you can restrict them from commenting on future posts. Tap or click the three dots next to one of their comments, select "Restrict [person's name]," and they will no longer be able to comment on your posts. They will not be notified that you restricted them, but they will notice they cannot comment if they try.
What happens to existing comments when you disable commenting
When you turn off comments on a post, any comments that were already posted will remain visible. Turning off commenting only stops new replies from being added — it does not hide or delete the old ones. If you want those comments gone, you have to delete them individually.
This is important to know because someone might see your post, read the existing comments, and think you are still accepting replies even though the comment box is gone. If you need a clean slate, plan to delete the comments you do not want before or right after you disable commenting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I disable comments on someone else's post?
No. You can only control comments on posts you created yourself. If someone else posted something and tagged you in it, you cannot turn off their comments. You can delete your own comment from that post, or ask the original poster to disable comments.
Will people know I turned off comments?
Yes, they will notice because the comment box will disappear from the post. There is no hidden notification, but anyone trying to comment will see that commenting is not allowed. Some people may wonder why you disabled it, but Facebook does not send them a message explaining your choice.
Can I disable comments on old posts all at once?
No. You have to disable comments on each post individually by opening it and using the three-dot menu. There is no bulk setting that turns off comments on multiple posts at the same time. If you have many posts you want to control, you will need to go through them one by one.
What if I delete a comment and the person reposts it?
If someone keeps posting the same comment after you delete it, you can restrict them from commenting on any of your future posts. Use the three-dot menu next to their comment and select "Restrict [person's name]." They will not be able to comment on your posts going forward, though they can still see them if your privacy settings allow it.
Does disabling comments stop people from sharing my post?
No. Disabling comments only stops replies to the post itself. People can still share your post to their own timeline, send it in messages, or react to it with emoji. If you want to prevent sharing entirely, you would need to make the post visible only to yourself, which defeats the purpose of posting it.