Where to find the comment settings on Facebook
You can disable comments on individual posts or change your default settings so new posts don't accept comments at all. Facebook gives you this control in two places: when you create a post, and in your privacy settings for posts you've already published.
The fastest way is to disable comments right when you post. After you write your post but before you hit Share, look for the audience icon (it shows a person or people symbol). Tap or click it, and you'll see options including "Friends," "Public," or "Only Me." Below that, you'll see a comment icon with a dropdown arrow next to it. That's where you turn comments off for that single post.
Key Takeaways
- You can disable comments on a post before you share it by clicking the comment icon in the audience settings and selecting "Off."
- To turn off comments on a post you've already shared, go to the three dots on that post, select "Edit Post," and change the comment setting from there.
- You cannot set a blanket rule that turns off comments on all future posts at once—you have to change the setting for each post individually.
- Disabling comments doesn't delete existing comments; it just stops new ones from being added, so you may want to delete old comments first.
- Friends and family can still message you privately even if you turn off public comments.
How to disable comments on posts you've already shared
If you posted something and now want to turn off comments, you don't have to delete the post. Open the post, tap or click the three dots in the upper right corner, and select "Edit Post." The comment settings will appear—change the dropdown from "On" to "Off," then save your changes.
When you do this, no new comments can be added, but any comments already there will stay visible. If you want those old comments gone too, you'll need to delete them individually. Tap or click each comment, select the three dots next to it, and choose "Delete." This takes longer than disabling comments, but it's the only way to remove what's already there.
Removing comments that are already on your posts
Facebook doesn't have a "delete all comments" button, so you have to remove them one at a time. Go to the comment, tap or click the three dots next to it, and select "Delete." You can do this for your own comments on other people's posts the same way.
If someone else left a comment on your post and you want it gone, you have the same option—tap the three dots and delete it. You own your posts, so you can remove any comment on them, whether it's from a friend, a stranger, or someone you've blocked. This is different from commenting on someone else's post; there, you can only delete your own comment, not theirs.
Why you might want to disable comments
People disable comments for different reasons. Some do it to avoid arguments in the comments section. Others turn off comments on sensitive posts—like announcements about health issues, family changes, or political topics—where they want to share information but don't want to manage a conversation.
Disabling comments is also useful if you're posting something you know will attract spam or unwanted attention. You can still share the post with your audience, but you control whether people can respond publicly. This is different from making a post private; the post is still visible to whoever you set it to be visible to, they just can't comment on it.
The difference between disabling comments and limiting who sees your post
Turning off comments and changing who can see a post are two separate things. If you disable comments but leave the post visible to "Friends," your friends can still see it—they just can't comment. If you change the post to "Only Me," nobody but you can see it at all, whether comments are on or off.
You might disable comments but keep the post visible to Friends if you want to share something without inviting feedback. You might make a post visible to "Only Me" if you want to save it privately or share it another way later. These settings work together, so think about both: who you want to see the post, and whether you want them to be able to comment.
What happens to messages when you disable comments
Disabling comments on a post doesn't affect private messages. People can still send you a message directly through Facebook Messenger, even if you've turned off comments everywhere. Your message requests will still come through, and you can choose whether to read them.
This is actually useful if you're trying to avoid public arguments. You can disable comments on a post but still let people reach you privately if they have something important to say. You control whether you respond to those messages, and the conversation stays between you and them instead of playing out in your post's comment section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off comments on all my future posts at once?
No. Facebook doesn't have a default setting that disables comments on every new post you make. You have to change the comment setting for each post individually, either before you share it or by editing it afterward. This is one of the more tedious parts of managing comments on Facebook.
If I disable comments, will people know I did it?
Yes. When comments are turned off, people will see a message saying "Comments are off" instead of a comment box. They'll know you disabled them, but they won't get a notification about it. They'll only see it if they go to the post and look for the comment section.
Can I turn comments back on after I've turned them off?
Yes. Go back to the post, tap the three dots, select "Edit Post," and change the comment setting from "Off" back to "On." Any comments that were there before you turned them off will reappear, and new comments can be added again.
What if someone comments before I disable comments?
Their comment will stay on the post even after you turn off comments. Disabling comments stops new ones from being added, but it doesn't delete the ones that are already there. You have to delete those manually if you want them gone.
Can I disable comments on photos and videos the same way?
Yes. Photos, videos, and text posts all use the same comment settings. Find the three dots on the photo or video, select "Edit," and turn off comments the same way you would for a text post.