- Facebook comment controls: profile, Page and group compared
- Limit who can comment on one post on your Facebook profile
- Change who can comment on all your public Facebook posts
- Turn off commenting on a Facebook group post
- Managing comments on a Facebook business Page
- When a person is the problem, not the Facebook post
- Hiding, deleting or turning off comments on Facebook: which fits?
- Timing your Facebook comment changes
- If you can't find who can comment on Facebook
- Frequently asked questions
To turn off comments on a Facebook post, open the three dots on the post. In a group, admins can choose Turn off commenting. On your profile, set the post to Public, choose Who can comment on your post and pick Profiles and Pages you mention. Existing comments stay visible either way.
Sometimes a post attracts the wrong crowd. A personal announcement fills up with strangers' opinions, a business post turns into a complaints thread, or a group post goes off the rails at midnight. Facebook gives you comment controls, but they work differently on a personal profile, a Page and a group, and that's why so many people can't find a simple off switch.
Facebook's help pages don't load in full outside the app, so the steps here follow summaries of Facebook's help content and the post menus as widely described. Menus vary by app version, so if a label looks different, look for wording about who can comment.
Facebook comment controls: profile, Page and group compared
| Where | What you can do | Full off switch? |
|---|---|---|
| Your personal profile | Limit who can comment on a public post | Not a full switch, but you can limit it to people you mention |
| Your profile settings | Set who can comment on all your public posts | No, it sets a default |
| A Facebook group | Admins can turn off commenting on a post | Yes |
| A Facebook Page | Limit or moderate comments, menus vary | Depends on your Page and app version |
Limit who can comment on one post on your Facebook profile
- Make sure the post's audience is set to Public. The comment control usually only appears on public posts.
- Tap the three dots in the top right of the post.
- Choose Who can comment on your post.
- Pick an option such as Public, Friends or Profiles and Pages you mention.
Choosing Profiles and Pages you mention is the closest thing to switching comments off on a personal post. If you don't mention anyone in the post, nobody new can comment.
Change who can comment on all your public Facebook posts
- Tap your profile picture and choose Settings and privacy, then Settings.
- Look for Public posts (sometimes under Audience and visibility).
- Find Who can comment on your public posts.
- Choose Public, Friends of friends or Friends.
This sets the default for future public posts. You can still change it on a single post with the steps above.
Turn off commenting on a Facebook group post
This is the one place with a true off switch, and it belongs to admins and moderators.
- Open the group and find the post.
- Tap the three dots on the post.
- Choose Turn off commenting.
To bring comments back, follow the same steps and choose Turn on commenting. Existing comments stay visible when you turn commenting off; it only stops new ones. If you'd like members to know the rules before things flare up, my guide on where members find a Facebook group's rules is worth a read.
Managing comments on a Facebook business Page
Pages have moderation tools rather than one simple switch, and the options depend on your Page setup and app version. Here's what I'd do as a small business:
- Hide individual comments that are spam or abusive. Hiding keeps the comment visible to the person who wrote it and their friends, which avoids a row.
- Delete comments that break your rules, and say in your Page's About section what isn't welcome.
- Look in your Page's settings for moderation options, such as filtering certain words.
- Respond calmly to real complaints in public, then take the detail to private messages.
Switching off every comment on a business Page rarely helps. Comments are a big part of how people judge whether you're trustworthy, so moderate rather than mute where you can.
When a person is the problem, not the Facebook post
If one or two people keep leaving nasty comments, turning comments off punishes everyone else. Facebook has gentler tools for individuals. You can add someone to your Restricted list so they only see your public posts, or block them outright. My guide to blocking someone on Facebook explains what that changes. If a comment is threatening, report it to the platform and, if you're in danger, contact the police.
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Hiding, deleting or turning off comments on Facebook: which fits?
| Tool | What happens | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Hide a comment | The comment's hidden from most people but the writer and their friends may still see it | Spam or one-off rudeness on a Page |
| Delete a comment | The comment's removed from the post | It breaks your rules or shares private details |
| Limit who can comment | Only the audience you choose can add comments | A public profile post getting attention from strangers |
| Turn off commenting | No new comments at all | A group post that's run its course |
I'd start with the lightest tool that solves the problem. Turning comments off is a blunt instrument, and on a business post it can look like you've got something to hide.
Timing your Facebook comment changes
If a thread's getting heated, act early. It's much easier to limit who can comment while a post is still new than to tidy up dozens of replies later. Before you switch commenting off on a busy group post, it's worth leaving a short comment of your own explaining why, for example that the question's been answered or that the discussion has run its course. Members are far more relaxed about a closed thread when they know the reason.
If you can't find who can comment on Facebook
- Change the post's audience to Public first. The option often doesn't show on friends-only posts.
- Update the app, because menus move between versions.
- Check you're the person who made the post, or an admin in the group.
- On a Page, make sure you've switched into the Page.
- Try a computer if the phone app hides the option.
Frequently asked questions
Can I completely turn off comments on my Facebook profile post?
There isn't a full off switch for profile posts. Setting who can comment to Profiles and Pages you mention, and mentioning nobody, is the closest option.
Does turning off comments delete existing ones?
No. Existing comments stay visible. Turning commenting off only stops new comments.
Who can turn off comments in a Facebook group?
Group admins and moderators, using Turn off commenting in the post's three dots menu.
Why can't I see who can comment on my post?
The option usually only appears on public posts. Change the audience to Public and check again.
Can I stop one person commenting on my Facebook posts?
Yes. Restrict them so they only see public posts, or block them. Menus vary by app version.
