You can disable comments in two ways: on individual posts or across your whole account
Instagram gives you two separate controls for comments. You can turn off comments on a single post after you publish it, or you can disable comments on all new posts going forward by changing your account settings. The first option takes 30 seconds per post. The second option is a one-time change that affects everything you share from that point on.
Which one you choose depends on what you're trying to do. If you want to stop comments on a specific post because of spam or harassment, disable comments on that post alone. If you're tired of managing comments across your account, or you want a break from interaction, disable comments in your settings instead.
Key Takeaways
- You can disable comments on individual posts by opening the post, tapping the three dots, and selecting "Turn off commenting."
- To disable comments on all future posts, go to Settings, tap Accounts, then toggle off "Allow Comments" under the Comments section.
- Disabling comments on a post removes the ability for anyone to comment, but the post itself stays visible on your profile.
- You can re-enable comments on a post or your account at any time using the same steps in reverse.
- Disabling comments does not delete existing comments — it only stops new ones from being added.
How to disable comments on a single Instagram post
Open the post you want to disable comments on. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the post. A menu will appear with several options. Select "Turn off commenting." Instagram will confirm that commenting is now off for that post.
The post stays on your profile and remains visible to everyone. People can still like it, share it, and save it — they just cannot leave comments. If you change your mind later, open the same post, tap the three dots again, and select "Turn on commenting."
This method works on photos, videos, Reels, and carousel posts. You can disable comments on posts you made years ago or posts you just published. There is no time limit.
How to disable comments on all your future Instagram posts
Open Instagram and go to your profile. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner. Scroll down and tap "Settings and privacy." Tap "Settings." Scroll to the "How others can interact with you" section and tap "Comments."
You will see a toggle next to "Allow comments." Tap it to turn it off. From this moment on, all new posts you share will have comments disabled automatically. Existing posts that already have comments will keep those comments, but no new comments can be added to any of your posts.
This setting applies to your entire account. It does not affect comments on your Stories, Direct Messages, or Reels you share to Explore. If you want to allow comments again, return to this same menu and toggle "Allow comments" back on.
What happens to existing comments when you disable commenting
Disabling comments on a post does not delete the comments that are already there. People can still see all the comments that were left before you turned off commenting. You can delete individual comments manually if you want to remove specific ones.
If you disable comments on your entire account using the settings method, the same rule applies. All comments that exist on your old posts stay visible. Only new comments are blocked. This is useful if you want to preserve the conversation history but stop new interaction going forward.
When to disable comments on individual posts versus your whole account
Disable comments on a single post when you are dealing with spam, harassment, or unwanted replies on that specific post. This keeps the post live and visible while stopping the problem at its source. It is also useful if you posted something controversial and want to end the conversation without deleting the post itself.
Disable comments on your entire account when you need a break from interaction, when you are going through a difficult time, or when you want to use Instagram purely to share without engaging with replies. Some people also disable comments when they are on vacation or taking a social media break. You can turn it back on whenever you are ready.
You can also use Instagram's other comment controls alongside disabling comments. You can filter comments by keywords, hide comments from specific people, or restrict accounts so their comments go to a hidden folder. These options give you more flexibility if you want to keep comments on but manage what appears.
How to re-enable comments after you have disabled them
To turn comments back on for a single post, open the post, tap the three dots, and select "Turn on commenting." The post will immediately accept new comments again.
To turn comments back on for your entire account, go to Settings and privacy, tap Settings, scroll to Comments, and toggle "Allow comments" back on. All new posts will have comments enabled from that point forward. Old posts that had comments disabled will still have comments disabled unless you manually turn them on for each post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can people still see my post if I disable comments on it?
Yes. Disabling comments only stops people from leaving new replies. The post itself remains fully visible on your profile, in your followers' feeds, and in search results. People can still like, share, and save the post.
If I disable comments on my whole account, can I turn them back on for just one post?
Yes. Disabling comments account-wide only affects new posts. You can manually turn comments on for individual posts by opening each post, tapping the three dots, and selecting "Turn on commenting." This overrides the account-wide setting for that specific post.
Do people get notified when I disable comments on a post?
No. People do not receive a notification that you turned off comments. They will only notice if they try to comment and see the message that commenting is disabled.
Will disabling comments delete the comments that are already there?
No. Existing comments stay visible. Disabling comments only prevents new ones from being added. If you want to remove specific comments, you can delete them one at a time by tapping and holding the comment.
Can I disable comments on Stories or Reels?
For Stories, you can control who can reply by going to Settings, tapping Story, and adjusting who can reply to your Stories. For Reels, you can disable comments the same way you do for regular posts — tap the three dots and select "Turn off commenting."