Open the video’s watch page and scroll below the player and description. In the YouTube app, tap Comments under a regular video; on a Short, tap Comments on the right side. If no comments appear, the creator’s settings, Restricted Mode, the video’s audience designation, privacy, or your account may be responsible.
Where to find comments on YouTube
On a computer
- Open YouTube in a browser.
- Open the video’s watch page by selecting its title or opening the video directly.
- Scroll below the player and video details.
The comments belong to the watch page—not a search-results page, channel homepage, or thumbnail preview. Depending on the layout, description details, sponsorship information, transcript, or recommendations may appear before comments. YouTube’s watch-page guidance is available at YouTube Help.
In the Android or iPhone app
- Open the YouTube app and start the video.
- Tap Comments beneath the video.
- Scroll through comments or tap a reply count to expand a thread.
Labels and placement can vary by app version and screen size; use the Comments control rather than looking for a fixed icon position. See YouTube’s mobile instructions.
On a YouTube Short
Open the Short and tap Comments on the right side of the screen. This opens the comments panel, rather than the below-video section used by a standard watch page. YouTube documents the Short placement at YouTube Help.
#1 Best Overall
On YouTube Music or while watching on TV
YouTube says comments can be viewed and interacted with in YouTube Music. For a video playing on a television, the exact TV interface is not universal; YouTube’s help describes loading the video’s comments in the YouTube mobile app for interaction. Details are in YouTube’s comment help.
Why comments are missing
Use the scope of the problem to narrow the cause.
Comments are missing on every video
- Check Restricted Mode first. It hides comments on videos you watch. On desktop, sign in, select your profile picture, choose Restricted Mode, and turn off Activate Restricted Mode. The documented path is YouTube’s Restricted Mode guide.
- If the switch is locked, a school, library, employer, administrator, mobile carrier, DNS filter, network, device profile, or supervised account may control it. Local browser changes will not necessarily remove a network-level restriction. YouTube explains these restrictions at this support page.
- Check whether you are using a supervised account or age/parental controls that limit comments.
Comments are missing on only one video
- Comments are off or paused. When a creator turns comments off, the visible discussion disappears. Turning them back on makes existing comments reappear, according to YouTube’s comment-setting guidance.
- Made for kids. YouTube says comments are turned off on videos designated as made for kids, and the creator cannot change that control while the audience setting applies.
- Private or access-limited video. YouTube lists private videos among cases where ordinary comment settings cannot be changed.
- Supervised experience. YouTube also lists supervised accounts among cases with unavailable comment controls.
These audience, privacy, and account limitations are described at YouTube Help.
Rank #2
You can read comments but cannot post
- Sign in: signed-out viewers may read comments but generally cannot post, reply, or otherwise interact.
- The creator may allow comments only from subscribers or channel members.
- A minimum subscription period may apply: one hour, one day, or one week.
- Your account or the video may have a separate commenting restriction.
See the participation and eligibility details at YouTube’s viewing guide and comment-setting guide.
How to find one missing comment
An absent comment does not prove that the entire section is broken. YouTube’s Top comments view ranks and filters discussion; it is not a complete chronological list.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
- Open the comments panel.
- Select Sort by.
- Choose Newest first.
- Look for your post, a reply, or the comment linked from a notification. Use comment search when the interface offers it.
If the comment is still absent, it may be held for moderation, hidden by the creator, removed by the creator or YouTube, or filtered as spam or a policy violation. YouTube identifies triggers such as posting many comments quickly, repeating text, sharing links, or using excessive emoji or unusual characters. Its explanation of ranking and filtering is at YouTube Help.
How creators restore comments
Review comments in YouTube Studio
- On desktop, sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Open Community from the left menu.
- Select Published for public comments or Held for comments awaiting review, then use the filters.
In the YouTube Studio mobile app, open Community from the bottom menu, select View all, and review available filters. The workflows are documented for desktop and Android.
Change a video’s comment setting
- In YouTube Studio, select Content.
- Select the video’s thumbnail.
- Scroll to Show more.
- Find Comments and ratings.
- Choose the appropriate setting and select Save.
Creators can turn comments on, pause them, or turn them off. Pause preserves existing comments while stopping new ones; Off removes the visible discussion until comments are restored. The controls and exceptions are covered at YouTube Help and YouTube’s comment-settings page. Made-for-kids, private-video, and supervised contexts may not offer the ordinary controls.
A practical recovery checklist
- Confirm you opened the actual watch page, not a search or channel page.
- For a regular video, look below the details; for a Short, tap Comments on the right.
- Try another video to determine whether the problem is video-specific.
- Check Restricted Mode and whether an administrator or network controls it.
- Sign in if you need to post or reply.
- Try the browser instead of the app, or the app instead of the browser, recognizing that layouts differ.
- For a single missing comment, use Sort by → Newest first.
- If you own the video, inspect YouTube Studio → Community and Comments and ratings.
- If comments disappeared everywhere without an identifiable setting, treat a temporary YouTube service or interface problem as possible rather than assuming a specific technical cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see YouTube comments without signing in?
Often yes. Signed-out viewers may read comments, but signing in is generally required to post, reply, like, or otherwise interact.
Why do I see comments but not the comment box?
You may be signed out, or the creator may restrict commenting to subscribers or members and require a minimum subscription period of one hour, one day, or one week.
Why is my comment missing?
Switch from Top comments to Newest first. If it remains absent, it may be held, filtered as spam, hidden by the creator, or removed for a policy reason.
Do old comments return when comments are turned back on?
YouTube says existing comments reappear when comments are turned back on.
Why are comments unavailable on a made-for-kids video?
YouTube turns comments off for videos designated as made for kids, so the normal creator control is unavailable while that designation applies.
Why will Restricted Mode not turn off?
A school, workplace, library, administrator, supervised account, device profile, mobile carrier, DNS service, or network filter may control it. The account holder may not be able to change it locally.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
