Instant Guide: Photos to Powerful YouTube Channel Thumbnails in a Flash

There is a saying that first impressions last, and this is proven true, especially when it comes to YouTube video viewership. For sure, you have experienced watching a video out of curiosity because of its thumbnail. That is why content creators take time to resize YouTube thumbnails or use a YouTube thumbnail size converter to customize the preview images that represent their videos.

This technique not only attract viewers to watch your video, but it also gives a glimpse of your content. In this article, we will provide you with a quick tutorial on how to resize a YouTube thumbnail and suggest handy tools you can use to create the perfect YouTube video thumbnail!

Best YouTube Thumbnail Size

According to YouTube’s help center, there are some things to remember when creating a thumbnail for your YouTube videos.

• First, make sure that the thumbnail size is 1280 pixels by 720 pixels and 640 pixels wide. It is the best YouTube thumbnail size.
• When it comes to the thumbnail dimension, make sure to use an aspect ratio of 16:9.
• Also, your YouTube thumbnail image should not exceed 2MB and is in either JPG, GIF or PNG format.

How To Resize Your YouTube Thumbnail

The primary reason for changing the YouTube thumbnail size is to gain more audience. If you are a content creator, your main goal is to introduce your content to a wider range of viewers, right? So you have to pay attention to even the smallest detail, such as YouTube thumbnails to increase viewership and top YouTube SEO.

In fact, YouTube recommends this technique to get more viewers. Also, resizing your YouTube thumbnail will prevent you from getting the “file larger than 2MB error” which can cause your thumbnail to be discarded.

So, how can you use this technique? Check our tutorial below as we walk you through various recommended methods for resizing a YouTube thumbnail:

Method 1: Resize YouTube Thumbnail With Windows Default App

The easiest way to resize YouTube thumbnails is through the Windows default app. Within just a few modifications, you can resize your thumbnail to fit as a preview image for your YouTube video.

Please take note that your image should be at least 2 megabytes or less to achieve the perfect YouTube thumbnail fit. If your image exceeds the limit, your thumbnail will either be rejected, or your image will have a black screen around it-which is not ideal at all.

Now, let us start the tutorial.

Step1 Open an image you want to set as a thumbnail. Then, Right-click> Resize.

Step2 Select “Define custom dimensions.”

Step3 Set the width to 1280 and the height to 720. Then tick the box for “Maintain Aspect Ratio “and click “Save Resized Copy.”

Step4 Click the upload thumbnail button on YouTube and import your resized image.

Method 2. Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter

The second method you can use is the online YouTube thumbnail size converter. As it completely works in browsers, you do not need to worry about any app installation to access the feature. Furthermore, using online YouTube thumbnail size converters ensures you maintain your image resolution and prevents it from getting blurry or pixelated.

There are various YouTube thumbnail resizers available online. Some of the most popular are Fotor, Super Image Converter, Pixelied, Super Image Converter , Adobe Express , Newisty, and Promo . Let us focus on the last online tool and the steps on how to use it.

Promo is a free online software you can use to convert an image to a YouTube thumbnail. It is one of the best YouTube Thumbnail tools as it uses simple operation steps and automatically resizes your image without losing its quality.

Here are the steps on how to use the Promo YouTube thumbnail size converter:

Step1 Go to Promo’s official website and import your image

Step2 Scroll down and find the YouTube thumbnail size where your resized image is displayed. Then, click “Download.”

Method 3: Convert the Image to YouTube Thumbnail Using Wondershare Filmora

It is without a doubt that online YouTube thumbnail resizers are great tools for converting your image to an ideal YouTube thumbnail. But it would be much better if you resize your video using the same app you use for editing. That way, you will save time using two separate apps, and your task will be much more efficient using an all-in-one video editing tool.

Wondershare Filmora , one of the most well-known software for creating high-quality and compelling videos, combines these functions in one app. Filmora is not just an excellent software for crafting YouTube videos but also a reliable tool you can use in creating and resizing YouTube thumbnails.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to use Filmora in resizing your YouTube thumbnail. It is divided into two parts:

1. Take a Snapshot as the Thumbnail with Filmora

Step1 Open the video in the timeline, click the play icon in the player window, and pause when you reach the desired frame for the YouTube thumbnail. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot.

Step2 In the snapshot window, choose to save the snapshot as a PNG or JPG file.

Step3 Select the output storage location and click OK.

2. Resize the YouTube Thumbnail

Step1 Import the image into the app timeline.

Step2 Drag and drop the image into the timeline and click the green “Export“ button. In the popup Export window, select GIF. Next, click “Settings“ to adjust the resolution.

Step3 As the recommended size of a YouTube Thumbnail is 1280 * 720 pixels, you can set the resolution to 1280 * 720. Then click Apply and Export the GIF. You can now upload the GIF thumbnail to your YouTube account.

Method 4. Convert Images to YouTube Thumbnail Using Third-Party Software

In addition to using dedicated video editing software, several third-party image editing programs can be used to resize images for use as YouTube thumbnails. Programs like GIMP are popular for this purpose, as it offers a wide range of tools and features for editing and resizing images.

This program allows you to import an image, resize it to the dimensions required for a YouTube thumbnail (typically 1280 x 720 pixels), and save the edited version to your desired location. Using an image editing program can be a good option if you need more control over the appearance of your thumbnail or if you want to make more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image.

To resize an image using an image editing program like GIMP, follow these steps:

Step1 Install and launch GIMP on your computer.

Step2 Click on “File“ > “Open,” then search for the file you want to resize.

Step3 Click on “Image“ > “Scale Image“ and make sure that the resolution is 1920 by 1080.

Step4 Click on “File“ > “Export As“ and toggle the “Select File Type (By Extension)“ option. Choose JPG/JPEG format because it can compress the thumbnail enough to stay within the limit of 2 megabytes.

Step5 You can change the quality of the image and click the “Export“ button to save the thumbnail.

Comparison of These 4 YouTube Thumbnail Resizing Methods

Now that we’ve explored the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails, it’s time to compare the pros and cons of each method. In this section, we’ll consider factors such as ease of use, speed, quality, cost, and compatibility to help you determine the best option for your needs.

Take a look at the table below for a more detailed comparison.

| | Windows Default App | Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter | Wondershare Filmora | Third-Party Software | |
| ————————————————– | ——————————————- | ———————– | ———————— | ——– |
| Other Software Required or Not | No | Yes (Internet Browser) | Yes | Yes |
| Internet Connection Required | No | Yes | No | No |
| Complexity of Operations | Easy | Easy | Easy | Moderate |
| Support Other Editing of the YouTube Thumbnail | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| File Size Limit | None | 25MB | None | None |

Resizing YouTube thumbnails using the Windows default app is a quick and easy method that requires no additional software or tools. However, the quality of the resized thumbnail may improve if the original image is low resolution, and this method is only suitable for users on Windows operating systems.

Online YouTube thumbnail size converters are convenient and easy to use, and they can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. They also typically preserve the quality of the original image. However, some online converters may have size limits or require a subscription to unlock all features, and using an online converter can be slower than using a dedicated software tool.

Using Wondershare Filmora allows you to create and edit YouTube thumbnails within a single application, which can be a time-saving advantage if you’re already using Filmora for other video editing tasks. However, Filmora is a paid software, so there is a cost associated with using it, and it may have a steeper learning curve for users new to video editing.

Image editing programs like GIMP offer many features and tools for customizing your thumbnail, including adding text, applying filters, and making more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image. They also typically offer more control over the quality and appearance of the resized thumbnail.

However, using a third-party image editing program may require a learning curve and maybe more time-consuming than other methods, and there may be a cost associated with purchasing the software.

Each of the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails has its pros and cons, and the best method will depend on the user’s specific needs and preferences.

Conclusion

This article explored four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails: using the Windows default app, online converters, Wondershare Filmora, and image editing programs like GIMP. Each method has advantages and disadvantages; the best one depends on your specific needs and preferences. No matter your chosen method, you can resize YouTube thumbnails confidently with these tools and techniques.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to use Filmora in resizing your YouTube thumbnail. It is divided into two parts:

1. Take a Snapshot as the Thumbnail with Filmora

Step1 Open the video in the timeline, click the play icon in the player window, and pause when you reach the desired frame for the YouTube thumbnail. Click the camera icon to take a snapshot.

Step2 In the snapshot window, choose to save the snapshot as a PNG or JPG file.

Step3 Select the output storage location and click OK.

2. Resize the YouTube Thumbnail

Step1 Import the image into the app timeline.

Step2 Drag and drop the image into the timeline and click the green “Export“ button. In the popup Export window, select GIF. Next, click “Settings“ to adjust the resolution.

Step3 As the recommended size of a YouTube Thumbnail is 1280 * 720 pixels, you can set the resolution to 1280 * 720. Then click Apply and Export the GIF. You can now upload the GIF thumbnail to your YouTube account.

Method 4. Convert Images to YouTube Thumbnail Using Third-Party Software

In addition to using dedicated video editing software, several third-party image editing programs can be used to resize images for use as YouTube thumbnails. Programs like GIMP are popular for this purpose, as it offers a wide range of tools and features for editing and resizing images.

This program allows you to import an image, resize it to the dimensions required for a YouTube thumbnail (typically 1280 x 720 pixels), and save the edited version to your desired location. Using an image editing program can be a good option if you need more control over the appearance of your thumbnail or if you want to make more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image.

To resize an image using an image editing program like GIMP, follow these steps:

Step1 Install and launch GIMP on your computer.

Step2 Click on “File“ > “Open,” then search for the file you want to resize.

Step3 Click on “Image“ > “Scale Image“ and make sure that the resolution is 1920 by 1080.

Step4 Click on “File“ > “Export As“ and toggle the “Select File Type (By Extension)“ option. Choose JPG/JPEG format because it can compress the thumbnail enough to stay within the limit of 2 megabytes.

Step5 You can change the quality of the image and click the “Export“ button to save the thumbnail.

Comparison of These 4 YouTube Thumbnail Resizing Methods

Now that we’ve explored the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails, it’s time to compare the pros and cons of each method. In this section, we’ll consider factors such as ease of use, speed, quality, cost, and compatibility to help you determine the best option for your needs.

Take a look at the table below for a more detailed comparison.

| | Windows Default App | Online YouTube Thumbnail Size Converter | Wondershare Filmora | Third-Party Software | |
| ————————————————– | ——————————————- | ———————– | ———————— | ——– |
| Other Software Required or Not | No | Yes (Internet Browser) | Yes | Yes |
| Internet Connection Required | No | Yes | No | No |
| Complexity of Operations | Easy | Easy | Easy | Moderate |
| Support Other Editing of the YouTube Thumbnail | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| File Size Limit | None | 25MB | None | None |

Resizing YouTube thumbnails using the Windows default app is a quick and easy method that requires no additional software or tools. However, the quality of the resized thumbnail may improve if the original image is low resolution, and this method is only suitable for users on Windows operating systems.

Online YouTube thumbnail size converters are convenient and easy to use, and they can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. They also typically preserve the quality of the original image. However, some online converters may have size limits or require a subscription to unlock all features, and using an online converter can be slower than using a dedicated software tool.

Using Wondershare Filmora allows you to create and edit YouTube thumbnails within a single application, which can be a time-saving advantage if you’re already using Filmora for other video editing tasks. However, Filmora is a paid software, so there is a cost associated with using it, and it may have a steeper learning curve for users new to video editing.

Image editing programs like GIMP offer many features and tools for customizing your thumbnail, including adding text, applying filters, and making more extensive edits beyond simply resizing the image. They also typically offer more control over the quality and appearance of the resized thumbnail.

However, using a third-party image editing program may require a learning curve and maybe more time-consuming than other methods, and there may be a cost associated with purchasing the software.

Each of the four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails has its pros and cons, and the best method will depend on the user’s specific needs and preferences.

Conclusion

This article explored four methods for resizing YouTube thumbnails: using the Windows default app, online converters, Wondershare Filmora, and image editing programs like GIMP. Each method has advantages and disadvantages; the best one depends on your specific needs and preferences. No matter your chosen method, you can resize YouTube thumbnails confidently with these tools and techniques.

Turn On/Off YouTube Feedback Settings With This Guide

How to Turn on or off Comments on YouTube

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube comments are enabled by default, and if they aren’t, learning how to turn on comments on YouTube is extremely simple. One of the major benefits of having the comments enabled on your YouTube videos is that you get genuine feedback from your audiences.

As a brand, it is imperative to thoroughly read all the comments that your YouTube videos receive. This not only helps you do sentimental analysis; it also enables you to understand what the viewers expect from you, and where should you focus more while recording and editing your footage.

Keeping all these points in mind, the following sections explain how to enable comments on YouTube and how to turn off comments on YouTube. Here you will also get to know what other types of security and privacy options are there that you can use to filter the comments posted by the disturbing elements.

Part 1: How to Turn on or Turn off Comments for YouTube Channel

If you don’t want any comments on any of the videos that you publish, you must learn how to disable comments on the YouTube channel. The process of doing so is explained below:

Step 1: Get to YouTube Studio

Use your favorite web browser to go to YouTube and sign in to your Google account. Click your profile picture from the top-right corner of the webpage, and click YouTube Studio from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Channel’s Advanced Settings

From the bottom of the left pane, click the Settings icon, click Channel from the Settings box that comes up next, and go to Advanced settings from the right window.

Step 3: Turn Off Comments

From the Audience section in the right pane itself, click to select the Yes, set this channel as made for kids. I always upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE from the bottom-right corner to save the changes in order to turn off comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel.

To turn on comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel, you can follow the instructions given below:

1. Set Channel Videos as Not Made for Kids

Use the method explained above to get to the channel’s Advanced settings box. Select the No, set this channel as not made for kids. I never upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE to save the changes.

2. Define Acceptable Comment Types

Click the Settings icon from the bottom of the left pane one more time. On the Settings box, go to the Upload defaults category from the left pane, and go to Advanced settings from the right. From the Comment visibility drop-down list under the Comments section in the right, choose your preferred comment allowance type, and click SAVE to allow the comments on the videos the channel has.

3. Set Comment Allowance for Videos

Back on the YouTube Studio page, click Content from the left pane. From the right section, check the Video box at the top of the list to select all the videos the channel has. Click Edit from the column header, and click Comments from the menu that comes up. From the New value drop-down list, choose your preferred allowance option for the comments, click UPDATE VIDEOS from the upper-right area, check the I understand the implications of this action box, and click UPDATE VIDEOS to allow comments on all the videos of the channel.

Additional Info about Comments Options

The four options that become available when you allow the comments on your YouTube channel along with their meaning are:

• Allow all comments

When you choose this option, YouTube allows everyone to post any kind of comment, irrespective of how inappropriate or unacceptable the text is.

• Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review

This option allows all the comments from all the users only if YouTube assumes that the text is safe, and doesn’t contain any inappropriate words. In case YouTube detects some objectionable content such as spam or slang, the comment is not published, until you review the text, and approve it manually.

• Hold all comments for review

Selecting this option holds all the comments from all the users, and waits for you to review and allow or disallow each of them manually.

• Disable comments

When this option is selected, no one can post a comment to the video(s) whatsoever.

Part 2: Turn on or Turn off Comments for Specific Videos

As you might have noticed, any video that is marked as ‘Made for kids’ doesn’t allow users to post comments. You can exploit this feature to enable or disable commenting on specific YouTube videos as well.

To learn how to turn on comments on YouTube for a specific video, you can follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the Content Page

Use the method explained earlier to go to YouTube Studio, and click Content from the navigation bar in the left.

Step 2: Go to the Target Video’s Details Page

Hover the mouse over the target video in the right window, and click the Details icon.

Step 3: Turn on Comments

From under the Audience section in the right window of the Video details page, select the No, it’s not made for kids radio button. Next, click SHOW MORE, scroll down to the Comments and ratings section, and choose your preferred privacy option from the Comment visibility drop-down list. Click SAVE from the upper-right area to save the changes.

Note: To learn how to disable comments on YouTube for specific video, you can repeat the above steps, and choose the Yes, it’s made for kids radio button from the Audience section when you are on the Video details page.

FAQs About YouTube Comments

1. Why can’t I comment on the YouTube video?

There could be several reasons for this. For instance, the video or the entire channel is configured as ‘Made for kids’ by the owner, comments are disabled for the video or the channel by the owner, you are using some inappropriate words in the comment that have been temporarily blocked by YouTube, and the text requires to be reviewed and approved by the owner before it becomes visible, etc.

2. I want people to comment on my Private video. What should I do?

At the time of this writing, YouTube doesn’t allow anyone to post a comment on any video that has been set as ‘Private’. If your video is configured that way, you must change its nature to ‘Unlisted’, and share its link to the users before they can post a comment.

3. How can I block certain words and links on the YouTube comments?

You can go to YouTube Studio > Settings > Community, and on the Automated Filters tab in the right window, add the words to block in the Blocked words field. You can add multiple words by separating them with commas. To block the comments with links, check the Block links box. Click SAVE to save the changes.

4. If I turn comments off and back on again, will the old comments come back?

Yes. When you turn off the comments, the existing comments disappear. When you turn them back on, all the previous comments reappear, and become visible to the audience.

5. If I change my comment settings, will the existing comments be impacted?

That depends on the nature of the comments. For instance, if you modify the settings, the changes are reflected on the comments posted on the new videos, and the new comments on your channel homepage. However, there will be no impact on the existing comments on the existing videos, new comments on the existing videos, and the existing comments on your channel’s homepage.

Conclusion

It is easy to understand how to turn on comments on YouTube. The best thing is, the comments are enabled by default, and if you don’t need them, you can simply disable them by configuring the videos or the entire channel as ‘Made for kids’. If the comments on any video were enabled previously, and are disabled later on, the existing comments automatically disappear. They reappear when the comments on the video are reenabled.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube comments are enabled by default, and if they aren’t, learning how to turn on comments on YouTube is extremely simple. One of the major benefits of having the comments enabled on your YouTube videos is that you get genuine feedback from your audiences.

As a brand, it is imperative to thoroughly read all the comments that your YouTube videos receive. This not only helps you do sentimental analysis; it also enables you to understand what the viewers expect from you, and where should you focus more while recording and editing your footage.

Keeping all these points in mind, the following sections explain how to enable comments on YouTube and how to turn off comments on YouTube. Here you will also get to know what other types of security and privacy options are there that you can use to filter the comments posted by the disturbing elements.

Part 1: How to Turn on or Turn off Comments for YouTube Channel

If you don’t want any comments on any of the videos that you publish, you must learn how to disable comments on the YouTube channel. The process of doing so is explained below:

Step 1: Get to YouTube Studio

Use your favorite web browser to go to YouTube and sign in to your Google account. Click your profile picture from the top-right corner of the webpage, and click YouTube Studio from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Channel’s Advanced Settings

From the bottom of the left pane, click the Settings icon, click Channel from the Settings box that comes up next, and go to Advanced settings from the right window.

Step 3: Turn Off Comments

From the Audience section in the right pane itself, click to select the Yes, set this channel as made for kids. I always upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE from the bottom-right corner to save the changes in order to turn off comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel.

To turn on comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel, you can follow the instructions given below:

1. Set Channel Videos as Not Made for Kids

Use the method explained above to get to the channel’s Advanced settings box. Select the No, set this channel as not made for kids. I never upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE to save the changes.

2. Define Acceptable Comment Types

Click the Settings icon from the bottom of the left pane one more time. On the Settings box, go to the Upload defaults category from the left pane, and go to Advanced settings from the right. From the Comment visibility drop-down list under the Comments section in the right, choose your preferred comment allowance type, and click SAVE to allow the comments on the videos the channel has.

3. Set Comment Allowance for Videos

Back on the YouTube Studio page, click Content from the left pane. From the right section, check the Video box at the top of the list to select all the videos the channel has. Click Edit from the column header, and click Comments from the menu that comes up. From the New value drop-down list, choose your preferred allowance option for the comments, click UPDATE VIDEOS from the upper-right area, check the I understand the implications of this action box, and click UPDATE VIDEOS to allow comments on all the videos of the channel.

Additional Info about Comments Options

The four options that become available when you allow the comments on your YouTube channel along with their meaning are:

• Allow all comments

When you choose this option, YouTube allows everyone to post any kind of comment, irrespective of how inappropriate or unacceptable the text is.

• Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review

This option allows all the comments from all the users only if YouTube assumes that the text is safe, and doesn’t contain any inappropriate words. In case YouTube detects some objectionable content such as spam or slang, the comment is not published, until you review the text, and approve it manually.

• Hold all comments for review

Selecting this option holds all the comments from all the users, and waits for you to review and allow or disallow each of them manually.

• Disable comments

When this option is selected, no one can post a comment to the video(s) whatsoever.

Part 2: Turn on or Turn off Comments for Specific Videos

As you might have noticed, any video that is marked as ‘Made for kids’ doesn’t allow users to post comments. You can exploit this feature to enable or disable commenting on specific YouTube videos as well.

To learn how to turn on comments on YouTube for a specific video, you can follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the Content Page

Use the method explained earlier to go to YouTube Studio, and click Content from the navigation bar in the left.

Step 2: Go to the Target Video’s Details Page

Hover the mouse over the target video in the right window, and click the Details icon.

Step 3: Turn on Comments

From under the Audience section in the right window of the Video details page, select the No, it’s not made for kids radio button. Next, click SHOW MORE, scroll down to the Comments and ratings section, and choose your preferred privacy option from the Comment visibility drop-down list. Click SAVE from the upper-right area to save the changes.

Note: To learn how to disable comments on YouTube for specific video, you can repeat the above steps, and choose the Yes, it’s made for kids radio button from the Audience section when you are on the Video details page.

FAQs About YouTube Comments

1. Why can’t I comment on the YouTube video?

There could be several reasons for this. For instance, the video or the entire channel is configured as ‘Made for kids’ by the owner, comments are disabled for the video or the channel by the owner, you are using some inappropriate words in the comment that have been temporarily blocked by YouTube, and the text requires to be reviewed and approved by the owner before it becomes visible, etc.

2. I want people to comment on my Private video. What should I do?

At the time of this writing, YouTube doesn’t allow anyone to post a comment on any video that has been set as ‘Private’. If your video is configured that way, you must change its nature to ‘Unlisted’, and share its link to the users before they can post a comment.

3. How can I block certain words and links on the YouTube comments?

You can go to YouTube Studio > Settings > Community, and on the Automated Filters tab in the right window, add the words to block in the Blocked words field. You can add multiple words by separating them with commas. To block the comments with links, check the Block links box. Click SAVE to save the changes.

4. If I turn comments off and back on again, will the old comments come back?

Yes. When you turn off the comments, the existing comments disappear. When you turn them back on, all the previous comments reappear, and become visible to the audience.

5. If I change my comment settings, will the existing comments be impacted?

That depends on the nature of the comments. For instance, if you modify the settings, the changes are reflected on the comments posted on the new videos, and the new comments on your channel homepage. However, there will be no impact on the existing comments on the existing videos, new comments on the existing videos, and the existing comments on your channel’s homepage.

Conclusion

It is easy to understand how to turn on comments on YouTube. The best thing is, the comments are enabled by default, and if you don’t need them, you can simply disable them by configuring the videos or the entire channel as ‘Made for kids’. If the comments on any video were enabled previously, and are disabled later on, the existing comments automatically disappear. They reappear when the comments on the video are reenabled.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube comments are enabled by default, and if they aren’t, learning how to turn on comments on YouTube is extremely simple. One of the major benefits of having the comments enabled on your YouTube videos is that you get genuine feedback from your audiences.

As a brand, it is imperative to thoroughly read all the comments that your YouTube videos receive. This not only helps you do sentimental analysis; it also enables you to understand what the viewers expect from you, and where should you focus more while recording and editing your footage.

Keeping all these points in mind, the following sections explain how to enable comments on YouTube and how to turn off comments on YouTube. Here you will also get to know what other types of security and privacy options are there that you can use to filter the comments posted by the disturbing elements.

Part 1: How to Turn on or Turn off Comments for YouTube Channel

If you don’t want any comments on any of the videos that you publish, you must learn how to disable comments on the YouTube channel. The process of doing so is explained below:

Step 1: Get to YouTube Studio

Use your favorite web browser to go to YouTube and sign in to your Google account. Click your profile picture from the top-right corner of the webpage, and click YouTube Studio from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Channel’s Advanced Settings

From the bottom of the left pane, click the Settings icon, click Channel from the Settings box that comes up next, and go to Advanced settings from the right window.

Step 3: Turn Off Comments

From the Audience section in the right pane itself, click to select the Yes, set this channel as made for kids. I always upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE from the bottom-right corner to save the changes in order to turn off comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel.

To turn on comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel, you can follow the instructions given below:

1. Set Channel Videos as Not Made for Kids

Use the method explained above to get to the channel’s Advanced settings box. Select the No, set this channel as not made for kids. I never upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE to save the changes.

2. Define Acceptable Comment Types

Click the Settings icon from the bottom of the left pane one more time. On the Settings box, go to the Upload defaults category from the left pane, and go to Advanced settings from the right. From the Comment visibility drop-down list under the Comments section in the right, choose your preferred comment allowance type, and click SAVE to allow the comments on the videos the channel has.

3. Set Comment Allowance for Videos

Back on the YouTube Studio page, click Content from the left pane. From the right section, check the Video box at the top of the list to select all the videos the channel has. Click Edit from the column header, and click Comments from the menu that comes up. From the New value drop-down list, choose your preferred allowance option for the comments, click UPDATE VIDEOS from the upper-right area, check the I understand the implications of this action box, and click UPDATE VIDEOS to allow comments on all the videos of the channel.

Additional Info about Comments Options

The four options that become available when you allow the comments on your YouTube channel along with their meaning are:

• Allow all comments

When you choose this option, YouTube allows everyone to post any kind of comment, irrespective of how inappropriate or unacceptable the text is.

• Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review

This option allows all the comments from all the users only if YouTube assumes that the text is safe, and doesn’t contain any inappropriate words. In case YouTube detects some objectionable content such as spam or slang, the comment is not published, until you review the text, and approve it manually.

• Hold all comments for review

Selecting this option holds all the comments from all the users, and waits for you to review and allow or disallow each of them manually.

• Disable comments

When this option is selected, no one can post a comment to the video(s) whatsoever.

Part 2: Turn on or Turn off Comments for Specific Videos

As you might have noticed, any video that is marked as ‘Made for kids’ doesn’t allow users to post comments. You can exploit this feature to enable or disable commenting on specific YouTube videos as well.

To learn how to turn on comments on YouTube for a specific video, you can follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the Content Page

Use the method explained earlier to go to YouTube Studio, and click Content from the navigation bar in the left.

Step 2: Go to the Target Video’s Details Page

Hover the mouse over the target video in the right window, and click the Details icon.

Step 3: Turn on Comments

From under the Audience section in the right window of the Video details page, select the No, it’s not made for kids radio button. Next, click SHOW MORE, scroll down to the Comments and ratings section, and choose your preferred privacy option from the Comment visibility drop-down list. Click SAVE from the upper-right area to save the changes.

Note: To learn how to disable comments on YouTube for specific video, you can repeat the above steps, and choose the Yes, it’s made for kids radio button from the Audience section when you are on the Video details page.

FAQs About YouTube Comments

1. Why can’t I comment on the YouTube video?

There could be several reasons for this. For instance, the video or the entire channel is configured as ‘Made for kids’ by the owner, comments are disabled for the video or the channel by the owner, you are using some inappropriate words in the comment that have been temporarily blocked by YouTube, and the text requires to be reviewed and approved by the owner before it becomes visible, etc.

2. I want people to comment on my Private video. What should I do?

At the time of this writing, YouTube doesn’t allow anyone to post a comment on any video that has been set as ‘Private’. If your video is configured that way, you must change its nature to ‘Unlisted’, and share its link to the users before they can post a comment.

3. How can I block certain words and links on the YouTube comments?

You can go to YouTube Studio > Settings > Community, and on the Automated Filters tab in the right window, add the words to block in the Blocked words field. You can add multiple words by separating them with commas. To block the comments with links, check the Block links box. Click SAVE to save the changes.

4. If I turn comments off and back on again, will the old comments come back?

Yes. When you turn off the comments, the existing comments disappear. When you turn them back on, all the previous comments reappear, and become visible to the audience.

5. If I change my comment settings, will the existing comments be impacted?

That depends on the nature of the comments. For instance, if you modify the settings, the changes are reflected on the comments posted on the new videos, and the new comments on your channel homepage. However, there will be no impact on the existing comments on the existing videos, new comments on the existing videos, and the existing comments on your channel’s homepage.

Conclusion

It is easy to understand how to turn on comments on YouTube. The best thing is, the comments are enabled by default, and if you don’t need them, you can simply disable them by configuring the videos or the entire channel as ‘Made for kids’. If the comments on any video were enabled previously, and are disabled later on, the existing comments automatically disappear. They reappear when the comments on the video are reenabled.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube comments are enabled by default, and if they aren’t, learning how to turn on comments on YouTube is extremely simple. One of the major benefits of having the comments enabled on your YouTube videos is that you get genuine feedback from your audiences.

As a brand, it is imperative to thoroughly read all the comments that your YouTube videos receive. This not only helps you do sentimental analysis; it also enables you to understand what the viewers expect from you, and where should you focus more while recording and editing your footage.

Keeping all these points in mind, the following sections explain how to enable comments on YouTube and how to turn off comments on YouTube. Here you will also get to know what other types of security and privacy options are there that you can use to filter the comments posted by the disturbing elements.

Part 1: How to Turn on or Turn off Comments for YouTube Channel

If you don’t want any comments on any of the videos that you publish, you must learn how to disable comments on the YouTube channel. The process of doing so is explained below:

Step 1: Get to YouTube Studio

Use your favorite web browser to go to YouTube and sign in to your Google account. Click your profile picture from the top-right corner of the webpage, and click YouTube Studio from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Channel’s Advanced Settings

From the bottom of the left pane, click the Settings icon, click Channel from the Settings box that comes up next, and go to Advanced settings from the right window.

Step 3: Turn Off Comments

From the Audience section in the right pane itself, click to select the Yes, set this channel as made for kids. I always upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE from the bottom-right corner to save the changes in order to turn off comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel.

To turn on comments on all the videos on your YouTube channel, you can follow the instructions given below:

1. Set Channel Videos as Not Made for Kids

Use the method explained above to get to the channel’s Advanced settings box. Select the No, set this channel as not made for kids. I never upload content that’s made for kids radio button. Click SAVE to save the changes.

2. Define Acceptable Comment Types

Click the Settings icon from the bottom of the left pane one more time. On the Settings box, go to the Upload defaults category from the left pane, and go to Advanced settings from the right. From the Comment visibility drop-down list under the Comments section in the right, choose your preferred comment allowance type, and click SAVE to allow the comments on the videos the channel has.

3. Set Comment Allowance for Videos

Back on the YouTube Studio page, click Content from the left pane. From the right section, check the Video box at the top of the list to select all the videos the channel has. Click Edit from the column header, and click Comments from the menu that comes up. From the New value drop-down list, choose your preferred allowance option for the comments, click UPDATE VIDEOS from the upper-right area, check the I understand the implications of this action box, and click UPDATE VIDEOS to allow comments on all the videos of the channel.

Additional Info about Comments Options

The four options that become available when you allow the comments on your YouTube channel along with their meaning are:

• Allow all comments

When you choose this option, YouTube allows everyone to post any kind of comment, irrespective of how inappropriate or unacceptable the text is.

• Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review

This option allows all the comments from all the users only if YouTube assumes that the text is safe, and doesn’t contain any inappropriate words. In case YouTube detects some objectionable content such as spam or slang, the comment is not published, until you review the text, and approve it manually.

• Hold all comments for review

Selecting this option holds all the comments from all the users, and waits for you to review and allow or disallow each of them manually.

• Disable comments

When this option is selected, no one can post a comment to the video(s) whatsoever.

Part 2: Turn on or Turn off Comments for Specific Videos

As you might have noticed, any video that is marked as ‘Made for kids’ doesn’t allow users to post comments. You can exploit this feature to enable or disable commenting on specific YouTube videos as well.

To learn how to turn on comments on YouTube for a specific video, you can follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Go to the Content Page

Use the method explained earlier to go to YouTube Studio, and click Content from the navigation bar in the left.

Step 2: Go to the Target Video’s Details Page

Hover the mouse over the target video in the right window, and click the Details icon.

Step 3: Turn on Comments

From under the Audience section in the right window of the Video details page, select the No, it’s not made for kids radio button. Next, click SHOW MORE, scroll down to the Comments and ratings section, and choose your preferred privacy option from the Comment visibility drop-down list. Click SAVE from the upper-right area to save the changes.

Note: To learn how to disable comments on YouTube for specific video, you can repeat the above steps, and choose the Yes, it’s made for kids radio button from the Audience section when you are on the Video details page.

FAQs About YouTube Comments

1. Why can’t I comment on the YouTube video?

There could be several reasons for this. For instance, the video or the entire channel is configured as ‘Made for kids’ by the owner, comments are disabled for the video or the channel by the owner, you are using some inappropriate words in the comment that have been temporarily blocked by YouTube, and the text requires to be reviewed and approved by the owner before it becomes visible, etc.

2. I want people to comment on my Private video. What should I do?

At the time of this writing, YouTube doesn’t allow anyone to post a comment on any video that has been set as ‘Private’. If your video is configured that way, you must change its nature to ‘Unlisted’, and share its link to the users before they can post a comment.

3. How can I block certain words and links on the YouTube comments?

You can go to YouTube Studio > Settings > Community, and on the Automated Filters tab in the right window, add the words to block in the Blocked words field. You can add multiple words by separating them with commas. To block the comments with links, check the Block links box. Click SAVE to save the changes.

4. If I turn comments off and back on again, will the old comments come back?

Yes. When you turn off the comments, the existing comments disappear. When you turn them back on, all the previous comments reappear, and become visible to the audience.

5. If I change my comment settings, will the existing comments be impacted?

That depends on the nature of the comments. For instance, if you modify the settings, the changes are reflected on the comments posted on the new videos, and the new comments on your channel homepage. However, there will be no impact on the existing comments on the existing videos, new comments on the existing videos, and the existing comments on your channel’s homepage.

Conclusion

It is easy to understand how to turn on comments on YouTube. The best thing is, the comments are enabled by default, and if you don’t need them, you can simply disable them by configuring the videos or the entire channel as ‘Made for kids’. If the comments on any video were enabled previously, and are disabled later on, the existing comments automatically disappear. They reappear when the comments on the video are reenabled.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

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