Quick answer
Meta says hidden comments still count toward the total (our note: so a missing comment is often hidden). On your own post in the Instagram app, tap View hidden comments at the bottom of the comments, then Unhide. To change filtering: your profile > Menu > below How others can interact with you, tap Comments (and Hidden words). Can’t comment on someone else’s post? Meta says the owner can allow comments only from certain people, or turn comments off.
Does this match what you see?
- Your post says it has more comments than you can see.
- A comment you left on someone’s post seems to have vanished.
- There’s no way to comment on a post.
iPhone & iPadAndroidComputer (browser)
Steps are from Instagram’s Help Center for computer, iPhone, Android, iPad, Instagram Lite and mobile browser.
Why this happens: the possible causes
Why comments might not show (how common each is, is our estimate).
| What’s happening | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Fewer comments than the count | Hidden comments still count |
| Comments missing on your post | View hidden comments |
| Can’t comment on a post | Who can comment |
| Your comment vanished elsewhere | Why it might be hidden |
- Hide unwanted comments is onCheck this first
Meta says this setting is on by default and automatically hides comments with common offensive words, phrases or emojis.
- Hidden Words or a manual hideCheck this first
Meta says you can hide comments containing custom words, phrases, numbers or emojis, or hide individual comments on your posts.
- Comment settings on the post or accountCheck this first
Meta says the owner can choose who can comment, or turn off commenting on posts, reels and stories.
- The teen content settingPossible
Meta says some comments are hidden or filtered out entirely for Teen Accounts, which are placed in the 13+ content setting by default.
- Restrict or Limit interactionsPossible
Meta says comments from restricted or limited accounts are hidden from others unless approved.
Try these 60-second checks first
- On your own post, look for View hidden comments at the bottom of the comments.
- Remember hidden comments still count in the total.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.
Fix 2: Check your comment filters
Meta says Hide unwanted comments is on by default, and your Hidden Words list hides comments with words, phrases, numbers or emojis you’ve added. When you turn these off, Meta says the hidden comments are restored.
iPhone & iPad
- Go to your profile, tap Menu, then below How others can interact with you, tap Comments.
- Below Types of comments, tap Hide unwanted comments and choose None, Some or More.
- For your own list, go back and tap Hidden words. Remove anything you don’t want filtered by tapping Delete next to it.
Android
- Tap Profile or your profile picture in the bottom right, then Menu in the top right.
- Below How others can interact with you, tap Comments > Hide unwanted comments, and choose None, Some or More.
- Tap Hidden words to check your custom list, and tap Delete next to anything you want to remove.
Computer (browser)
- Computer: click More in the bottom left > Settings > below How others can interact with you, click Hidden Words > Manage custom words and phrases.
- Mobile browser: tap your profile picture > Settings in the top left > Hidden Words.
- Meta says filtering options may vary on the web.
Instagram Lite: Menu > Settings > Comments to turn on Hide unwanted comments; Menu > Hidden words > turn on Manual Filter for your own list. For Teen Accounts, Meta says these filters are on automatically, and teens under 16 need a parent’s or guardian’s permission to change them.
Did it work? The filters are set the way you want.
Did Fix 2 solve it?
Great, you fixed it with Fix 2. Tell us it worked, or bookmark this page in case it happens again.
Why the comment count doesn’t match
Meta says hidden comments are still included in your total comment count. Our note: so if a post says 20 comments but you only see 15, the rest may be hidden by Hide unwanted comments, Hidden Words or by hand. Restrict and Limit interactions also hide comments, and the teen content setting can hide some comments on Teen Accounts.
Can’t comment on someone else’s post?
- Meta says everyone can comment by default, but on a public account the owner can allow comments only from people they follow, their followers, or both. On a private account, only their followers or followers they follow back.
- Meta says the owner can also turn off commenting on posts, reels and stories for everyone.
- If the owner has turned on Limit interactions, Meta says limited accounts’ comments are hidden unless approved.
- On stories, Meta says that by default only accounts the owner follows can comment on a public account’s stories, and only followers they follow back on a private account. Meta also says you can comment on a story if you follow each other, or if the owner has turned on comments for all followers, and story comments are limited to 60 characters, including emojis. The owner can also turn story comments off (see story comment settings).
- Our note: these are the owner’s choices, so there’s nothing you can change on your side.
Your comment vanished from someone’s post?
Meta says that when a comment is hidden, the person who wrote it isn’t told, and manually hidden comments are still visible to the commenter. Our note: so your comment may look fine to you but be hidden from everyone else. It may have matched the owner’s filters or Hidden Words, the owner may have hidden it, limited or restricted your account (Meta says a restricted person’s new comments are only visible to them), or Instagram may have removed it (see Instagram content removed).
Change who can comment on your posts
Go to your Settings and select Comments below How others can interact with you. On a public account, Meta says you can allow comments from people you follow, your followers, or both; on a private account, from your followers or followers you follow back. You can also turn off commenting on your posts, reels and stories.
Being targeted? See Limit interactions and Restrict.
Hidden message requests
Meta says Hide unwanted message requests sends requests that may contain scams or offensive words to your spam folder. It’s off by default and isn’t supported on web browsers. To turn it on in the app: Menu > Messages and story replies > Message requests. Meta says Instagram can’t see your messages unless you report them.
How to know it worked
- You can see the comments you expect, or you know why they’re hidden.
Still not working? Your next steps
- Comment removed by Instagram rather than hidden? See Instagram content removed.
- Facebook comments instead? See Facebook comments not showing.
Official help routes
SocialAppFix can’t see or change your account. For account decisions, recovery and appeals, only the platform’s own tools can help. These links go to the official sites.
- Instagram Help: Hide comments or message requestsInstagram Help Center (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Instagram Help: Restrict or unrestrict someoneInstagram Help Center (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Instagram Help: Limit interactionsInstagram Help Center (external site, opens in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
Where are comments from accounts I limited on Instagram?
Meta says to tap Comments below your post > Options > See Limited Comments, where you can approve, delete or block them. They stay hidden after Limits ends unless you approve them.
Why does my Instagram post show more comments than I can see?
Meta says hidden comments are still included in your total comment count. In the Instagram app, tap View hidden comments at the bottom of the comments to see them.
Does someone know if I hide their Instagram comment?
No. Meta says when a comment is hidden, the person who wrote it won’t know.
Why can’t I comment on an Instagram post?
Meta says the owner can limit comments to people they follow or their followers, or turn comments off.
How do I turn off Instagram’s comment filter?
Go to Menu > Comments (below How others can interact with you) > Hide unwanted comments and choose None. Meta says hidden comments are restored when you turn the setting off. For Teen Accounts, Meta says teens under 16 need a parent’s or guardian’s permission to change it.
Did this solve your problem?
Your answer stays in your browser — nothing is sent or stored. The “tell us” link opens your own email app.
Out of date or didn’t work? Email us — never include passwords or codes.
Sources and how we checked this guide
We base steps on the platforms’ own help pages and the phone makers’ official guides. Menu names change often and can differ by device, app version and region. Where a platform page could not be independently read, we link it so you can check the current wording yourself.
- Comment on an Instagram Story (external site, opens in a new tab)
- About comments on Instagram stories (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Change audience settings or turn off comments on Instagram stories (external site, opens in a new tab)
- View comments from accounts you’ve limited on Instagram (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Hide comments or message requests you don’t want to see on Instagram (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Restrict or unrestrict someone on Instagram (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Temporarily limit people from interacting with you on Instagram (external site, opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed 28 October 2026 by the SocialAppFix editorial team against the sources above. Next scheduled review: 28 April 2027. How we write and review guides.
What changed
- 28 October 2026: First published.
SocialAppFix is an independent guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or Instagram. We never ask for passwords, login codes or payment to fix an account.