How to Turn Off Commenting on Facebook Post (2025 Complete Guide)

There she was, staring at her phone screen at 11 PM, watching comment after comment roll in on what was supposed to be a simple family photo. Some stranger had shared the post, and suddenly people she’d never met were leaving opinions about her kids, her home, even her outfit. That’s when she realized something had to change. Learning how to turn off commenting on Facebook post became less of a convenience and more of a necessity.

This story plays out thousands of times every day across Facebook. Whether someone runs a business page dealing with a PR situation, manages a family account being targeted by spam, or simply posted something sensitive that doesn’t need outside opinions, the need to control comments is real. The good news? Facebook actually gives users this power. The process just isn’t as obvious as it should be.

This guide walks through every method to disable comments on personal profiles, business pages, and groups. Whether someone uses an iPhone, Android, or computer, they’ll find their solution here. Plus, there are some clever alternatives for when turning comments completely off feels too drastic. From understanding psychology behind online behavior to practical button-by-button instructions, this has everything covered.

Why You Might Want to Turn Off Facebook Comments (And When It Makes Sense)

Before diving into the how-to steps, it helps to understand why millions of people search for this feature every month. The reasons go beyond simple annoyance.

The Reality of Online Harassment: What the Numbers Show

According to research from the Pew Research Center, approximately 41% of Americans have experienced some form of online harassment. That number has been climbing steadily, with severe harassment cases jumping from 18% to 25% between 2017 and 2020. Three out of four harassment incidents happen on social media platforms like Facebook.

These aren’t just statistics. They represent real people dealing with real stress. A grandparent who posts about their garden and gets mocked. A small business owner whose competitor sends fake customers to leave negative comments. A teenager who shares artwork and receives cruel criticism from classmates.

A Personal Story: When Comment Control Became Essential

There was a moment a few years back when this became painfully clear. A woman had posted about her daughter’s graduation, nothing fancy, just a proud mom moment. Within hours, someone she hadn’t spoken to since high school started leaving passive-aggressive comments about how “some parents make such a big deal out of everything.” Then their friends joined in.

What should have been a celebration turned into an anxiety spiral. She deleted the post entirely, which felt like letting the negativity win. That’s when she learned about Facebook’s comment settings. Now she knows exactly when to use them, and more importantly, when not to bother engaging with people who just want to argue.

Not every post needs to become a discussion forum. Sometimes people just want to share something with the world without inviting the world’s opinions. Understanding how different generations use social media reveals just how much expectations around commenting have shifted over time.

Important: Understanding Facebook’s Comment Settings (Before You Start)

Here’s where most tutorials fail. They skip straight to the steps without explaining the most important requirement. This section saves headaches later.

The Visibility Requirement You Need to Know

Facebook only allows users to turn off comments on PUBLIC posts. This catches many people off guard.

If a post is set to “Friends Only” or any other privacy setting besides Public, the option to disable comments simply won’t appear. This makes sense from Facebook’s perspective. They figure if someone is only sharing with friends, they should just unfriend anyone causing problems.

So step one, before anything else: check the post’s audience setting. That little globe icon means public. A person icon with two figures means Friends Only. Only the globe will work for what comes next.

What Happens to Existing Comments When You Turn Them Off

Good news for anyone worried about losing comment history. When comments get turned off on a post, existing comments are hidden, not deleted. They’re still there, just invisible.

This means two things. First, if those comments contain important information or memories, they’re safe. Second, if someone turns commenting back on later, all those previous comments will reappear exactly as they were.

Think of it like putting comments in a box rather than throwing them away.

How to Turn Off Comments on a Personal Facebook Post (Step-by-Step)

Personal profile posts work differently than business pages or groups. The option isn’t called “Turn off commenting” which confuses a lot of people. Here’s how it actually works.

Method 1: On Mobile (iPhone and Android)

The steps are identical whether someone uses an iPhone or Android device. Facebook’s mobile app looks the same on both.

That last part is the secret. By setting comments to “Profiles and Pages you mention” and then mentioning no one in the post, effectively no one can comment. It’s a workaround rather than a direct off switch, but it works perfectly.

Method 2: On Desktop/Computer

The process on a computer follows the same logic.

1. Navigate to Facebook.com and find the post
2. Click the three dots in the upper right corner of the post
3. Click “Who can comment on your post?”
4. Select “Profiles and Pages you mention”
5. The post now has comments effectively disabled

Remember: this only works on posts already set to Public. If the option doesn’t appear, check that visibility setting first.

How to Turn Off Comments on a Facebook Business Page Post

Business pages get a much cleaner experience. Facebook clearly understands that brands need to manage their comment sections during announcements, product launches, or sensitive situations.

For anyone managing a business page, here’s the straightforward process:

1. Go to the Facebook Page (not a personal profile)
2. Find the post that needs comment control
3. Click the three dots menu in the top right of the post
4. Select “Turn off commenting”

That’s it. No workarounds needed. The option says exactly what it does. Someone running a bakery who posts about being closed for a holiday doesn’t need 47 comments asking “are you open today?” This feature solves that problem.

Turning commenting back on follows the same path. Three dots, then “Turn on commenting.” Simple as that.

How to Turn Off Comments in Facebook Groups (Admin/Moderator Only)

Facebook Groups work differently because they involve community management. Only group admins or moderators can disable comments on posts within the group.

If someone has admin or moderator privileges, here’s what to do:

1. Find the post within the group
2. Click the three dots menu
3. Select “Turn off commenting”

Group admins often use this for important announcements that don’t need discussion, rule reminders, or posts that have gotten out of hand. Unlike personal profiles, the option appears straightforwardly for group moderators.

One important note: existing comments stay visible. New comments just can’t be added. This preserves the discussion that already happened while preventing escalation.

How to Manage Who Can Comment on All Your Future Public Posts

For anyone who regularly wants to control commenting, there’s a global setting that saves time. Instead of adjusting each post individually, this applies to all future public posts automatically.

Setting Up Comment Restrictions Globally

Choosing “Friends” means even though a post is technically public and anyone can see it, only friends can comment. This middle ground works well for people who want to share publicly without opening the floodgates.

This setting affects all future public posts, not existing ones. Each existing post would still need individual adjustment.

Alternative Options: How to Hide or Filter Comments Instead

Sometimes completely turning off comments feels too extreme. Maybe the poster still wants engagement but just wants to filter out the junk. Facebook offers some alternatives worth knowing about. Understanding effective digital communication means knowing when to engage and when to step back.

Using Keyword Filters to Auto-Hide Unwanted Comments

Facebook’s profanity filter automatically hides comments containing offensive words. But there’s also a custom option.

In Facebook Settings, under “Manage Preferences” or “Comment Moderation,” users can add specific words or phrases. Any comment containing those words gets automatically hidden. This works great for blocking spam phrases, competitor names, or specific insults someone keeps receiving.

The ‘Hide Comment’ Feature for Individual Comments

Every comment has a three-dot menu of its own. Selecting “Hide comment” makes that comment invisible to everyone except the person who wrote it and their friends. The commenter usually doesn’t realize their comment was hidden.

This tactical approach handles problem commenters without starting drama. They think their comment is visible. Everyone else gets a cleaner experience. Sometimes the best solution involves no confrontation at all.

Common Questions About Turning Off Facebook Comments

Can people still react (like/love) to my post if comments are off?

Yes. Reactions work independently from comments. People can still like, love, laugh, or use any reaction on a post even when commenting is disabled. Only the ability to write a response gets blocked.

Will people know I turned off comments?

Facebook doesn’t send a notification. However, people will notice when they try to comment and can’t. The comment button either disappears or becomes grayed out. There’s no announcement, but observant people will figure it out.

Can I turn comments back on later?

Absolutely. The process is completely reversible. Follow the same steps used to turn comments off, but select the opposite option. All previously hidden comments will reappear.

What about comments from before I disabled them?

Previous comments get hidden but not deleted. Think of it as temporary storage. Those comments, good and bad, will return if commenting gets turned back on. To permanently remove specific comments, each one must be deleted individually before or after disabling the comment feature.

Final Thoughts: Taking Control of Your Facebook Experience

Social media should work for people, not against them. Every user has the right to share moments, announcements, and thoughts without becoming a target for spam, harassment, or unwanted opinions.

The tools exist. Facebook provides comment controls on personal profiles (through the “Profiles you mention” workaround), direct toggle switches on business pages, and admin controls in groups. The global settings option helps anyone who regularly wants more control.

For those who find complete comment shutdown too drastic, filtering keywords and hiding individual comments offers a middle ground. Sometimes the right approach depends on the situation. A sensitive memorial post might need comments completely off. A business announcement might just need the profanity filter active.

What matters is knowing the options exist. Anyone dealing with online negativity deserves to know they don’t have to accept it. Just like learning about managing privacy settings on TikTok or exploring Instagram privacy settings, taking control of Facebook comments is about protecting peace of mind.

For more guides on managing technology and social media privacy, check out the more technology guides section. Every platform has its quirks, and there’s always a way to make the experience better.