How to Disable Comments on YouTube

Comments are important elements of every YouTube profile. They’re often seen as places where there’s an abundance of unfiltered opinions and attitudes that YouTube’s algorithm analyses to rank your videos.

In this article, we’ll tell you all there is to know about disabling YouTube comments and what you need to consider before doing this. Plus, we’ll take you through a quick guide on managing comments on different devices even when your live chat is on.

Disable YouTube Comments using a Browser

If a time comes when you no longer want people to leave comments under your videos, you can disable them in a browser on any device. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open your YouTube account.
   
   
2. On the left side of the screen, choose “Your videos.” Click the “hamburger icon” to expand the options if collapsed.
   
   
3. YouTube Studio automatically opens. Click on “Settings” on the bottom left corner.
   
   
4. In the new pop-up window, choose “Community” and then click on “Defaults.”
   
   
5. Choose “Disable comments.”
   
   
6. To save changes, click “Save” in the lower right corner.
   
   

How to Disable Comments on YouTube Live

Unless you know your audience pretty well when you’re hosting a live stream, chances are that some users will post random things that may be irrelevant or even problematic. To prevent this from happening, sometimes it’s better to turn the chat box off. That way, you’ll not have any inconveniences to deal with and make sure everyone focuses is on the video rather than the comments.

During your event or live stream, you can still turn your Live chat on or off at any time. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open “Live Control Room.”
   
   
2. Go to “Stream and Webcam,” and on the upper right corner, click on “Edit.”
   
   
3. Click on “Customization” and uncheck “Live chat.”
   
   

If your live stream is on and you’ve suddenly decided to turn off your Live chat, YouTube enables you to delete messages, place users in a timeout, or hide problematic users and their messages from your channel. You can do this by merely holding “Alt” on your keyboard to pause the chat and address particular messages.

There’s also a way to hide a viewer if you feel they’re obstructing your Live chat or getting too much attention. Here’s how to do this using YouTube Studio:

1. Open YouTube Studio.
   
2. Click on “Settings” and find “Community.”
   
3. Go to “Automated Filters,” and in that tab, you’ll find “Hidden users,” where you can type the name of anyone you want to hide.
   
4. If you want to unhide someone, you’ll have to click on the “X” next to their name.
   
5. Then, click “Save.”
   

How to Disable YouTube Comments on iPhone and Android App

If you’ve just realized that you want to disable comments on YouTube, and you don’t have your computer with you, don’t worry.

YouTube allows you to access the Advanced Settings on your phone, where you can turn off comments when you decide to. If you’re using the YouTube app on an iPhone or Android, here’s what you need to do:

1. Open your “YouTube Studio” app.
   
2. Under the “Content” section, tap on the “vertical ellipsis” on the right side of the video.
   
3. Choose “Edit video.”
   
4. In the “More options” section, tap on “Tags, category, comments & more.”
   
5. In the “Comments” section, select the dropdown for “Comment Visibilitry” and choose “Disable comments.”
   
6. Touch the “back arrow” in the top left section. This step is required to save the changes since there is no option on this page.
   
7. Tap on “Save” in the upper right corner.
   

How to Disable YouTube Comments on iPad

Managing your YouTube channel from an iPad is very similar to doing so on your phone. If you want to use it to disable comments on your videos, here’s what you can do:

1. Open your YouTube Studio app.
2. Tap on three lines on the upper left corner.
3. Tap on “Videos.”
4. Choose the video where you want to disable the comments.
5. Tap on the pencil icon on the top of the screen to open “Advanced Settings.”
6. Swipe right to get to “Advances Settings.”
7. Scroll down to find “Comments” options.
8. Toggle to turn on or off comments for the video.
9. Click on “Save” in the upper right corner.

How to Change Comment Default View?

Instead of removing comments from your videos, it might be a better option to simply change the default view and put the newest comments up, making them more visible. Or you can decide to put your top comments on display, thus removing the unwanted ones away from the public eye.

If you decide not to disable your comments but only to change their order, you can do this in a few simple steps:

1. Open YouTube and open “YouTube Studio.”
   
   
2. On the left, click on “Videos.”
   
   
3. Click on “Sort By.”
   
   
4. Decide whether you want the newest comments to click on “Newest,” and if you want the most popular one, click on “Top.”
   
   

Additional FAQ

Should You Disable Comments on YouTube?

When you ask experienced YouTubers, they’re quite opinionated on this topic as there’s no definite answer to this question.

On the one hand, comments are a fantastic way to connect with your audience and have instant feedback on what you’re creating. When people know that they can communicate with you openly, they’ll follow you, press the subscribe button more often, and ultimately feel more connected to your content. This is particularly important when you’re just starting to build your online community, and you need as many viewers as possible.

However, if you let just anyone comment on your profile, after a while, you’ll start noticing bots or people who don’t like your content, and they will be determined to write it under every video or mention it in your Live chat. Of course, there’s always going to be someone with bad comments. That’s why YouTube developed several ways to manage comments, like removing and reporting comments and hiding users from your channel.

Why Are YouTube Comments Useful?

Comments are a great way to create a discussion and promote a topic on any social media. Commenting and sharing opinions show you who your audience is and what kind of values these people foster. They can also give you much needed, unfiltered feedback.

Paying attention to what they’re saying might improve your account and give you new ideas of what kind of content you can create. You can address some of the questions or topics that your viewers are asking about. Of course, look for constructive criticism, not the comments that are criticizing everything.

Can Comments Make Your Profile More Visible?

Comments show how engaged your viewers are and increase the time they spend on your channel. When people spend more time watching your videos and reading the comments, that can boost your viewing length and ranking. If you’re a beginner on YouTube, comments are a valuable tool that you should use to your advantage.

Why Did YouTube Disable My Comments?

YouTube recently announced that they’re removing comments from all channels that feature children and minors. In this way, they want to protect children from predatory comments and put their safety first. They’re also removing comments from any channel that posts videos involving minors under 18, as they believe they’re at risk of attracting problematic comments.

YouTube announced the launch of a new algorithm to identify and delete problematic comments automatically. So, if your channel publishes any content that involves kids or minors, you will no longer be able to turn the comments on.

Keep on Commenting

YouTube comments are the right way for brands and bloggers to interact with their followers and create an ongoing dialogue. However, they require a lot of moderation that can quickly turn into a full-time job, especially if your channel starts growing.

Now that you know how to disable comments on YouTube and hide comments, you’re ready to control your channel and create real connections with your audience. Furthermore, you’ll know how to remove, hide, or report offensive content and manage your live stream chatbox.

What’s the worst comment you’ve ever come across on your channel? Do you often comment on other peoples’ videos?

Let us know in the comments section below.