“Why can’t I see comments on YouTube?” has become an important question since both YouTube creators and viewers rely on the ‘Comments’ section to evaluate how their videos have been received and discuss what they see, respectively.
Well, the cause of this sporadic problem can be anything from improper channel settings to a bad internet connection.
Keep on reading as we look at all the reasons and their solutions!
Why Can’t I See Comments on YouTube Videos?
YouTube comments provide valuable information to those who make and publish the videos and the viewers who require further clarification on what they have seen. After all, YouTube is a massive community that relies on user interaction to continue thriving.
Therefore, a serious bug such as missing YouTube comments should be resolved as fast as possible to retain the platform’s full functionality. And if that ever happens to you, the usual culprits are YouTube’s servers or your own internet connection.
However, you may also encounter rare bugs and glitches related to:
- Outdated app files (if using the YouTube app),
- Conflicts with your browser ad blockers,
- Corrupted data or cache files,
- Offensive language in specific comments, etc.
That said, clearing the cache or reloading the page usually fixes the problem. If it doesn’t, keep on reading to review all potential causes and their fixes!
How to See Comments on YouTube Again?
If you can’t see comments on YouTube, go through the following list, which covers the most common solutions to this problem. However, while most of these fixes are for both creators and viewers, some can only be used by video makers.
1. Check the ‘Comments’ Option
As a content creator, ensure that your channel ‘Comments’ option is toggled on unless you have to post a rather controversial and polarizing video and want to keep things civil.
You can enable comments on YouTube in two ways: enabling comments by default for all videos and turning on or off commenting on individual videos.
To enable comments across all your videos, follow these steps:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio;
- From the left menu, select ‘Settings’;
- Click on ‘Community’ → ‘Defaults’;
- Tick ‘Allow all comments’;
- a) You can also hold inappropriate comments for review.
- Click on Save.
To enable comments only on one particular video, here’s how to go for it:
- Click on ‘Content’ on the left-hand side of your YT Studio page;
- Select one of your published videos;
- Scroll down, and click on ‘Show More’;
- At the bottom of the page, select ‘Allow all comments’.
- Click on Save.
| ๐Note When using the channel-wide option, your existing videos will not be affected, and you will have to change their ‘Comments’ sections manually. |
2. Ensure You Are Online
One overlooked cause of YouTube comments not loading is problems with your internet setup. ะขะพ eliminate your connection as a potential cause for your issues, restart your modem and router, and ensure your cables are connected properly.
You can also check your internet speed and stability before and after doing the above steps to see whether or not the issues you may be having are on your end. If they persist, ask your ISP to check whether or not you are getting a stable signal.
3. Reload the YouTube Page
The main issue may also be as harmless as an improperly loaded page. Therefore, you only have to reload your YouTube page to see if the comments appear. If you are on a desktop browser, you only have to click the reload button or press ‘F5’ on your keyboard, and if you are on mobile, just close the video and open it anew.
4. Update or Reinstall Your YouTube App
If you are using YouTube’s mobile app, having the most up-to-date version is an important step to ensure you are using the best and most bug-free experience available.
You can do that via your corresponding app store in a couple of steps: type in ‘YouTube’ in the search bar and click on ‘Update’ once you find it.
However, if you have already upgraded your application to the latest version, you can try resolving the issue by reinstalling it. To perform that action, you must uninstall YouTube before completing the above steps.
| ๐ Further reading How to Download YouTube Videos |
5. Disable Your Ad Blocker
Casual YouTube users who do not subscribe to the platform’s ‘Premium’ offering often install ad blockers to have a hassle-free experience with no interruptions.
However, these browser additions may also interfere with YouTube’s normal functioning, which includes loading the video’s comments.
If this solution doesn’t resolve your issue, you should also disable your remaining browser extensions to be on the safe side. If YouTube starts loading your comments correctly after that, turn on your extensions one by one until to find the culprit.
6. Clear Your Cookies and Cache
Cookies and cached data are used by websites and applications to take into account your previous preferences and settings and load faster during subsequent visits.
However, this data can increase substantially and get corrupted, which may lead to specific issues when loading a site or using its services.
Therefore, you should attempt to fix the issue by clearing your browser’s or your mobile app’s cached data. The only downside is: you have to log back in and re-enter your credentials—a minor inconvenience.
For instance, to clear your cached data on Android, complete these steps:
- Navigate to ‘Apps’ found under ‘Settings’;
- Find ‘YouTube’ and press on it;
- Click on ‘Storage’ → ‘Clear cache’.
On the other hand, if you are using a desktop browser, you will find the cookies and site data for specific domains under your specific browser’s relevant ‘cookies’ section. Once there, search for ‘YouTube’ and clear the data.
7. Use Incognito Mode
Before clearing your cached data and disabling your browser add-ons, you can always try opening YouTube in ‘incognito mode’ to see whether or not any cached data or plugins are causing the issue since it does not use any of them.
You can quickly open a new incognito tab in most modern browsers by pressing the ‘Ctrl+Shift+N’ shortcut on your keyboard. Then, if the issue is non-existent, you can apply the fixes outlined above.
| ๐ Further reading: How to Download Music From YouTube |
8. Disable the ‘Made for Kids’ Option
The last solution you can try is disabling the ‘Made for Kids’ channel, as it automatically disables your video’s comments to comply with the COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) guidelines.
To globally disable this option, you must navigate to the ‘Settings’ section of YouTube Studio, click on ‘Channel’, and press ‘Advanced settings’. Once there, simply tick “No, set this channel as not made for kids…”.
๐Note
You can also adjust this setting on a per-video basis from your ‘Content’ tab.
Bottom Line
Being unable to see the comments on a YouTube video is a recurring problem caused by various factors, ranging from an unstable internet connection to ad blockers, outdated mobile apps, or even an innocuous YouTube Studio setting. Thankfully, there are many effective solutions that you can try to fix the issue and resume watching your videos.
FAQs
Did YouTube turn off all comments?
No, YouTube did not deactivate its ‘Comments’ feature, but it did remove a large number of them in Q2 of 2022 after implementing a stricter policy against guidelines violations.
Why can’t I see some replies to my YouTube comment?
YouTube typically hides offensive, spammy, or otherwise inappropriate comments from your videos, but you can unhide them manually at your discretion.
Why do YouTube comments disappear when I’m logged out?
Unless your video comments have become quite popular, you will not see them on top of everybody else’s comments when logged out of YouTube.
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Muninder Adavelli is a core team member and Digital Growth Strategist at Techjury. With a strong background in marketing and a deep understanding of technology's role in digital marketing, he brings immense value to the TechJury team.