How to turn on comments on YouTube

YouTube success is built on positive interactions.

The platform’s algorithm measures the frequency of comments, likes, reshares, and other types of engagement that prove an audience is connecting with a creator’s content. And it's not just the algorithm that takes notice. Followers bond with creators when they open conversations, respond to questions, and forge genuine connections. This relationship makes viewers more likely to like, comment and subscribe.

Whether you’re a full-blown YouTuber or a casual creator, you can deepen your connection to your audience and score points with the algorithm simply by leaving your comment sections open. As long as you feel safe and comfortable, there’s a huge upside to allowing viewers to show a clip some love and chat with other users – including you. Read on to learn how to turn on comments on YouTube and manage the dialogue under your videos.

How comments can affect your success

Keeping comments open gives you a unique opportunity to start a conversation with your followers and better understand how viewers perceive your content. Here’s what you stand to gain from a lively comment section:

• You can make better content: Insights viewers leave in the comments section are invaluable tips for content creation. If your fans dig your hilarious, end-of-day monologues, they’ll let you know in the comments. You can boost the success of your videos by making more of the content that resonates.
• Viewers will keep watching: Fans who feel heard by you will continue to watch and interact with videos. Increased views and interactions lead to better ratings with the YouTube algorithm, which means your content is put in front of more eyes.
• You can improve your CTR: The YouTube algorithm measures the success of content by considering click-through rate (CTR), view duration, and percentage of likes and dislikes. Comments themselves won’t necessarily boost your ranking, but building genuine relationships with followers by responding to their notes may pay out elsewhere. These engaged audience members will click on new videos, view them all the way through, and hit that like button.
• You can humanize your business: If you use YouTube for professional purposes, leaving comments on allows you to speak directly with your clientele, showing the approachable, human face of your company. Commenting also allows you to extend your brand’s feel and voice.
• You never miss a beat: Creators with YouTube comments turned off can miss out on connections and boosts in engagement. If you want to leave the comment section open but are concerned about negative responses, remember that the platform has policies that ban hateful behavior. While not foolproof, these measures help keep you safe.

How to enable comments on YouTube

There are two ways to enable comments on YouTube. You can turn on comments on all videos or adjust the setting on individual uploads – whatever makes you most comfortable.

If your priority is to hear what fans have to say, turning on comments across the board may be wise. Doing so allows you to stoke dialogue under each video, understand what viewers did and didn’t like, and kick off conversations with your followers.

Another option is to leave comments open only when you have time to adequately respond to them and monitor the section for inappropriate activity that doesn’t align with your brand. Video-level control is particularly handy when you wish to limit the potential for negative or contentious comments.

Here’s how to allow comments on YouTube videos both ways:

All videos

1. Open YouTube Studio in your browser and sign in to your account.
2. Select “Settings” from the menu on the left-hand side of the page.
3. Hit “Community.”
4. Select “Defaults” to program your automatic settings.
5. Adjust the settings to your preference and tap “Save” to confirm.

Individual videos

1. Open YouTube Studio and sign in.
2. Select “Content” from the menu on the left-hand side of the page.
3. Click on the thumbnail for the individual video you wish to adjust.
4. Scroll down and select “Show More.”
5. Set your preferences in the “Comments and Ratings” section.
6. Hit “Save” to confirm your choices.

Why can’t you change your comment settings?

If you can’t change the comment settings on your content, it may be because a video’s audience was marked “made for kids,” the clip is private or you’re using a supervised YouTube account.

YouTube asks content creators to label videos “made for kids” when clips contain educational or just-for-fun material directly at younger audiences. Comments are disabled on these videos to protect this demographic’s privacy. Similarly, younger YouTube users with an account supervised by a parent or guardian won’t be able to comment on videos or see what others have written.

Private videos also never have a comment section. Creators can put their videos in front of larger audiences and allow commenting by changing the visibility setting on a particular video to “Public” or “Unlisted.”

Other ways to boost a video’s success

Once you have flourishing comment sections and a loyal audience, the journey isn’t over. Here are three tips to build on your success and create engaging videos:

• Make quality content: You want YouTube viewers to watch videos all the way through, not only because this signals they dig your style, but because your content will perform better with the algorithm. Create high-quality content that will hold your viewers' attention. Film using good equipment, practice your editing skills, and play into your target audience’s interests.
• Be helpful: Looking for new content ideas? Try posting helpful videos that answer questions, solve common issues, or provide useful information. A musician might provide tips on guitar care, while a cooking sensation could demonstrate how to make homemade pasta. This type of content brings in organic views for people searching for this information online and broadens your reach.
• Deliver a clear message: Try to keep videos on one theme to limit confusion and clutter. Even if you’re monologuing about your day in a vlog, give your story a straightforward narrative. Doing so encourages viewers to watch your video to the end, earning you points with the algorithm.

FAQs about YouTube comments

Content creators trying to crack the YouTube code and take off are wise to read up on its features. Here are some answers to common queries about YouTube’s comment sections:

Do comments affect YouTube views?

Comments may indirectly affect your view count, but in general, there’s no obvious causation between the number of comments and the number of views on a video.

However, a healthy debate or lots of praise in the comment section could motivate a person to watch a particular video. And if a creator connects with fans by responding to their comments, it may encourage viewers to continue watching their videos.

Can I see comments I’ve left on others’ videos?

Yes. YouTube allows users to view, organize and delete comments they’ve left on other videos. Here’s how to see your comments on YouTube:

1. Open your Google Comment History.
2. Click on the video you replied to and locate the comment you want to edit or delete.
3. Select “More” next to the comment and make the desired changes.

When might YouTube remove comments?

YouTube removes comments if they violate the platform’s policies. The platform may delete a comment if it contains explicit language or hate speech, constitutes spam, or contains an external link. Data on removed comments in the third quarter of 2022 shows that the platform mainly deleted content that was spam, put minors at risk, or bullied other users.

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