How to Turn On Photo Comments on a Facebook Page

Noticing the comment section on one of your Facebook Page photos has been disabled can be frustrating, especially when engagement is your goal. Whether it was an accidental click or a setting you can't quite remember, getting that conversation started again is simple once you know where to look. This tutorial will guide you through the exact steps to turn photo comments back on and provide some essential tips for managing them effectively to grow your community.

Why Are Comments Turned Off on My Facebook Photo Anyway?

Before jumping into the solution, it helps to understand why this happens. Unlike a massive, page-wide setting you might have enabled, comments are controlled on a post-by-post basis. If you find them disabled on a specific photo, it's almost always for one of two reasons.

• It Was Turned Off Manually: This is the most common reason. An Admin, Editor, or anyone with sufficient permissions on your Page simply clicked the "Turn off commenting" option on that specific post. This can easily happen by mistake, especially when navigating the settings menu to edit the caption or date. A misplaced click is all it takes.
• You've Restricted Who Can Comment: A similar but slightly different issue is restricting the post's audience. You haven't turned comments off entirely, but you have limited who can leave one. For example, if you change a post's "Who can comment?" setting from "Public" to "Profiles and Pages you follow," you effectively disable comments for anyone outside that group. This isn't technically an 'off' switch, but it has the same effect for most of your audience.

While extremely rare, temporary Facebook glitches can sometimes affect post settings. But in nearly every case, the solution lies within that specific post's setting menu. There isn't a master button in your Page settings that disables comments for all existing photos at once, the control is granular, right on the post itself.

How to Turn On Comments for a Specific Photo on Your Facebook Page (Step-by-Step)

Getting your comments flowing again takes less than a minute. The process is straightforward and very similar whether you're on a desktop computer or using the mobile app. Here’s how to do it on both platforms.

On a Desktop Computer:

If you primarily manage your Facebook Page from a laptop or desktop, this is the quickest method.

1. Navigate to Your Facebook Page: First, log into Facebook and go to the Page that contains the photo in question.
2. Locate the Photo Post: Scroll down your Page's timeline to find the photo post where comments are disabled. If it’s an older photo, it might be easier to click on the "Photos" tab on your Page's menu and find it there.
3. Open the Post Options Menu: In the top-right corner of the post itself, you'll see a three-dot icon (...). This is the menu for that individual post. Click on it.
4. Select "Turn on commenting": A dropdown menu will appear with several options like "Edit post" or "Pin to top of page." Look through the list for the option that says "Turn on commenting." Simply click it, and the comment section will reappear instantly.

If you don't see "Turn on commenting," look for an option called "Who can comment on your post?" and make sure it's set to "Public" to allow anyone to join the discussion.

On the Facebook Mobile App (iOS and Android):

The steps are nearly identical when using your phone.

1. Go to Your Page in the App: Open the Facebook app, tap your menu icon, and navigate to the business Page you manage.
2. Find the Photo Post: Just like on desktop, scroll through your feed or go to your Photos library to find the specific image post.
3. Tap the Three-Dot Menu: In the top-right corner of that post's container, you'll find the same three-dot icon (...). Tap it to open the post's settings.
4. Tap "Turn on commenting": In the menu that pops up, tap the "Turn on commenting" option. The post will refresh, and the ability to comment will be immediately restored.

Once you’ve done this, the comment field will become visible to your audience, and they can once again engage with your photo.

Beyond Simply Enabling Comments: Best Practices for Managing Engagement

Leaving comments on is just the first step. To build a thriving brand and community, you need to manage the conversation that unfolds. Ignoring comments is a missed opportunity for connection, feedback, and signaling to Facebook's algorithm that your content is valuable.

Proactively Moderate to Foster a Positive Community

The fear of spam or negativity causes many Page admins to lock down their comments, but proactive moderation is a much better strategy. Facebook provides tools to help you maintain a constructive environment.

• Comment hiding vs. deleting: Hiding a comment makes it invisible to everyone except the person who posted it and their friends. This is useful for dealing with spam or rude comments without escalating a situation. Deleting a comment removes it entirely. Reserve deleting for comments that are completely off-topic, contain hate speech, or violate clear community guidelines.
• Keyword & profanity filters: You can automatically hide comments that contain specific keywords. Go to your Page's Professional Dashboard > Moderation Assist. Here you can add criteria to automatically hide comments that include links, profanity, or words from a blocklist you create (like competitor names or common spam terms). This is a fantastic way to automate the most tedious parts of moderation.

By using these native tools, you can keep conversations positive without having to manually watch every single comment that comes through.

Turn Comments into Meaningful Conversations

Every comment is a priceless opportunity. Someone took time out of their day to engage with your content - reward them for it! This simple act fosters loyalty and dramatically boosts your post's organic reach.

• Respond personally: Avoid generic replies. Use the commenter’s name and address their statement directly. For example, instead of just "Thanks!", try, "So glad you love the new design, Sarah! It's one of our favorites, too."
• Answer questions thoughtfully: When someone asks for more information, provide a complete answer right there in the comments. Not only does this help the original commenter, but it also serves as a mini-FAQ for everyone else reading the thread.
• Handle criticism with grace: Not every comment will be positive. Thank the user in public for their feedback and offer to resolve their issue privately via direct message. This shows other followers that you take concerns seriously. Example: "Hi Mark, we're sorry to hear about your experience. Please send us a DM so we can follow up with you on this."

Use Pinned Comments to Guide the Conversation

Did you know you can "pin" one comment to the top of the comment thread? This is an underutilized but powerful feature. To do it, simply hover over (or long-press on mobile) a comment, click the three dots, and select "Pin comment."

Here are a few strategic ways to use pinned comments on your photos:

• Add a Link: If your photo showcases a product, pin a comment with a direct link to the product page on your website.
• Answer an FAQ: If people keep asking the same question ("What are your hours?" "Is this available in size XL?"), you can post the answer and pin it.
• Highlight a Great Testimonial: If a customer leaves an amazing comment about your product or service, pin it! It's powerful social proof for everyone else who sees the post.

Troubleshooting: Still Having Issues with Comments?

If you've tried the steps above and still can't get comments to turn on, here are a few other things to check:

1. Check Your Page Role: Not all roles have the same permissions. You need to be an Admin or an Editor on the page to change post-level settings like comments. Moderators cannot do this. To check your role, go to your Page, click "Manage," and then select "Page Access."
2. Review Your Page-Level Commenting Settings: While it won't affect existing photos retrospectively, it's wise to check your general audience settings for future posts. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy > Public Posts. Here, you can define who is allowed to comment on your future public posts by default (e.g., Everyone, Friends of Friends). Setting this to "Public" ensures maximum reach.
3. Is It A Bug? Try Refreshing: Sometimes, things just get stuck. Before you get too frustrated, try the old standbys: refresh the page, clear your browser's cache, or try accessing the post from a different device (like your phone instead of your laptop). This often resolves temporary visual glitches.

Final Thoughts

Turning on comments for a Facebook photo is typically just a quick fix within the post's settings menu. However, successful social media isn't just about switching settings on, it’s about nurturing the resulting conversations to build an authentic and engaged community around your brand and content.

Juggling all of the comments, questions, and messages that come in across different social platforms can be draining. To help brands handle this, we built Postbase with a unified social inbox that pulls all your engagements from Facebook, Instagram, and more into one simple feed. Instead of wasting time swapping between apps, you can reply directly, tag conversations for your team, and stay on top of your community engagement from a single, organized place.