When Instagram comments are not showing, the cause is usually one of two things: a filter or setting hiding them on purpose, or the app failing to load them. The quickest split is this: if the comment count says there are comments but you cannot see them, a filter or a loading problem is involved; if the count is zero, nothing was posted or comments may be off. The eight causes below separate the two, with a way to check each.
Tell the cases apart first
Comments "not showing" covers several different situations. The results people usually find mix "comments turned off", "couldn't load" and "hidden by a filter" in one list, so start by naming yours.
- You posted a comment and it is missing on your side. Likely app loading, or the comment was removed.
- Your comment is visible to you, but other people say they cannot see it. The post owner may have hidden it, restricted you, or blocked you from commenting, or a filter caught it.
- Other people's comments are missing from your post. Likely your own comment filter or Hidden Words list, Limits, a block, or a post with comments off.
- The count shows comments but the list is empty. Likely a loading problem or a filter.
Use a second account, or ask a friend to look, whenever you can. Seeing the post from a different account tells you immediately whether the problem is yours or the viewer's.
Cause 1: Instagram's automatic comment filter (Hide unwanted comments)
Instagram's Help Center says its Hide unwanted comments setting automatically hides comments containing common offensive words, phrases or emojis that are likely to be abusive or mean, and that it is on by default. This automatic filter is separate from Hidden Words, which only hides the words you add to your own list (cause 2). The same page says hidden comments still count toward the total comment count, which is why a post can show a number with a list that looks shorter. You can also hide a comment by hand under your own post; Instagram says a manually hidden comment is visible only to you and the person who wrote it.
How to check: On your own post in the mobile app, scroll to the bottom of the comment section and tap View hidden comments. In the app, tap your profile, then Menu, then Comments under How others can interact with you. Under Types of comments, tap Hide unwanted comments and see whether None, Some or More is selected.
What to do: Open the hidden comments and tap Unhide under any you want back. Lower the level if it is catching normal comments.
Cause 2: Your custom word list
Hidden Words is where you build your own list of words, phrases, numbers and emojis to hide. A short or broad entry (a common word, an emoji, a number) can hide comments you did not intend to.
How to check: Tap your profile, then Menu, then Hidden words under How others can interact with you, and review your custom list. Remove anything broad.
What to do: Narrow the list, then recheck your post. Hidden comments can be unhidden one by one.
Cause 3: The Limits feature is switched on
Instagram's Limits feature (called Limit interactions in the app) lets you temporarily limit interactions from groups such as everyone but your Close Friends or recent followers, if you feel bullied or harassed. Instagram says limited accounts can still comment, but their comments are hidden unless you approve them. If you turned it on and forgot, comments from the group it covers will not appear normally.
How to check: Tap your profile, then Menu, and look for Limit interactions under How others can interact with you to see whether it is on.
What to do: Review the hidden comments and approve any you want shown, then turn the tool off. Instagram says comments made by limited accounts stay hidden after you turn it off, so they will not reappear on their own.
Cause 4: Restrict is active on that person
Restrict is a softer alternative to blocking. Per Instagram's page, a restricted person's new comments on your posts are visible only to that person unless you approve them, and they will not see when you are online or whether you have read their messages. If a specific person says their comments do not show, check that you have not restricted them.
How to check: Tap your profile, then Menu, and look under How others can interact with you for Restricted to see who is on the list. On a post, a comment from a restricted person shows a See comment option to you.
What to do: Tap See comment, then Approve, to show a comment to others, or unrestrict the person if it was a mistake.
Cause 5: You are blocked, or blocked them
Instagram's Help Center says that when you block someone, their likes and comments are removed from your photos and videos, and unblocking them does not restore the old ones. It also says that if you block someone from commenting, they can still view your posts, but their new comments are visible only to them. People are not notified when they are blocked. So a comment that shows for its author but for nobody else can mean the post owner blocked that author from commenting.
How to check: If you own the post, tap your profile, then Menu, then Comments under How others can interact with you, and see who is listed under Block comments from and who is allowed to comment. If you wrote the comment, ask a friend to open the post from another account.
What to do: If you fully blocked someone by mistake, unblock them, but expect their earlier comments not to return. If you only restricted them or blocked them from commenting, undo that setting instead (Restricted, or Block comments from under Comments). If the post owner blocked you, nothing can be changed from your side.
Cause 6: Comments are turned off on the post
Instagram lets owners turn off commenting on a single post. Its Help Center says that when commenting is turned off, any comments currently on the post are hidden, and turning commenting back on restores them. Owners can also limit who can comment (people they follow, their followers, or both), so a missing comment box can mean you are outside the allowed group.
How to check: If it is your post, tap the three dots (Options) above it. If you see Turn on commenting, comments are off. If it is someone else's post, you cannot see their setting, so ask them.
What to do: On your own post, choose Turn on commenting, or accept that the owner chose to disable comments.
Cause 7: The comment was deleted or removed
A comment can disappear because its author deleted it, the post owner deleted or hid it, or Instagram removed it. Instagram's Account Status page says content, including comments, can be removed for going against its Community Standards, and its comment settings also hide scams along with offensive words.
How to check: If you are the commenter, open the post again to see whether your comment is still listed, then open Account Status (tap your profile, then Menu, then Account Status under More info and support) and look at Removed content. If you are the post owner, check your hidden comments (cause 1). Otherwise ask the commenter whether they deleted it.
What to do: If Account Status lists the comment, read why and use Request a review if you think it was a mistake. If nothing is listed, reword your comment and repost it.
Cause 8: An app or loading problem
Comments may simply not have loaded. This is the most likely cause when the count shows comments but the list is empty, or when other people see comments you cannot.
Fixes, in order:
- Pull down to refresh, or leave the post and open it again.
- Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
- Update Instagram and your phone's operating system. On iPhone, update through the App Store; on Android, through Google Play.
- Close the app fully and reopen it, then restart your phone.
- On Android, clear the app's cache in Settings, Apps, Instagram, Storage (or Storage & cache), Clear cache. On iPhone there is no cache button; delete and reinstall Instagram to clear it.
- Log out and in, or reinstall the app, as a last step.
If comments appear on the web version at instagram.com or on another device but not on your phone, the app on that phone is the likely cause.
Why this matters for engagement
Comments are one of the two inputs, along with likes, in the engagement rate UpGrow's free calculator works out. Enter your Instagram username into the free Instagram engagement calculator to see your engagement rate from the likes and comments on your recent public posts. For ways to raise it, see how to increase engagement on Instagram, and for keeping one comment at the top see pinned comments.
If you want to grow the audience that sees your posts, UpGrow's Instagram growth service engages audiences you choose and never asks for your password.
FAQ
Why can I see the comment count but not the comments?
The count includes hidden comments, according to Instagram, and the list may also have failed to load. Check for a hidden-comments option, then refresh or update the app.
How do I see hidden comments on Instagram?
On your own post in the mobile app, scroll to the bottom of the comment section and tap View hidden comments. From there, tap Unhide under any comment you want shown.
Can I tell whether my own comment was hidden?
Not reliably from your side: Instagram says the person who wrote a hidden comment cannot see that it has been hidden. Ask a friend to open the post from another account. If it shows for you but not in their comment list, the post owner hid it, restricted you or blocked you from commenting, or a filter caught it.
Why did my comment disappear after I posted it?
It may have been deleted by its author or the post owner, hidden by a filter, or removed by Instagram for going against its Community Standards (check Account Status). If it vanished from your side only, the app may not have loaded it, so refresh first.
Can I turn comments back on for a post?
Yes, if it is your post. Tap the three dots above the post and choose Turn on commenting. Instagram says the earlier comments are restored.
