There are some cases when a comments section is not showing on some posts and pages. Sometimes, a missing comment box can lead to the communication problems between you and your site readers. If the comments section is missing then they will not be able to leave comments on your pages. Let’s explore some reasons why the comments box is not showing up on your WordPress site.
Site settings
Each WordPress installation includes settings for the comments. These settings are located in your dashboard. It is a good idea to check these settings first:
- In your dashboard, navigate to Settings → Discussion to open the Discussion Settings page.
- On the Discussion Settings page, make sure the setting is enabled to allow comments on your site. This setting is located in the Default post settings section, next to “Allow people to submit comments on new posts”.
Individual post settings
The WordPress core provides the functionality to turn off comments per post as well. If you have completed the previous check then it is time to check each post where the comments box is missing:
- In your dashboard, open the post in the Editor.
- Now, make sure comments are enabled for the post in the Discussion box.
There are some cases when the Editor does not display this this box. If the Discussion box is missing then make sure it is enabled on your site. The location of these options are different in the Classic editor and the Block editor. Below you can find instructions for both editors.
Block Editor
To find the Editor options in the Block Editor (Gutenberg), please follow these steps:
- In the Editor, click the three vertical dots in the upper right corner. It will show more tools and options for the Editor.
- In the list that appears, click Options to open the Options panel.
- In the Document Panels, make sure Discussion is checked.
- Click the x in the upper right corner to close the Options panel. The Editor settings should be ready for use.
Also you can use the Options panel for customizing your Editor. Simply select the checkboxes for items that you want to display in the Editor and clear the checkboxes for items you don’t.
Classic Editor
If you are using the Classic Editor on your WordPress site then please follow these steps to locate the Editor options:
- In the Editor, click on the Screen Options tab at the top of the page. It will additional options for the Editor.
- In the Screen Options, make sure Discussion is checked.
Also you can use the Screen Options for customizing your Classic Editor as well.
Automation system
Furthermore, there are processes in WordPress core that happen automatically based on the set settings. So, there is a possibility that the setting may have been checked to automatically close comments on new posts after a certain number of days.
It is a good idea to check that scenario too. Just to make sure that this option does not hide the comments section on your WordPress site. These settings are located in the Discussion Settings page:
- In your dashboard, navigate to Settings → Discussion to open the Discussion Settings page.
- On the Discussion Settings page, make sure all the settings that can automatically disable your comments.
Other cases
Please note, comments or the comment form will generally not be shown on your blog and archive pages, such as categories and tags pages. By default, WordPress does not have such functionality for archive views.
Moreover, some custom templates might not include the comment form. For example, some of our premium themes, such as Fortune, Appetite, Venture and Prosperity, do not display the comments section on the Front Page template.
Have you ever had a case where these options have not helped? If yes, how did you resolve it? Please share your experience in the comments.
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