TikTok Live has become one of TikTok’s most popular features, and is used by brands, influencers, and creators across the board. During a livestream, users can engage with the host in the form of virtual gifts and comments.
While gifts are always welcome by TikTok Live hosts, comments can sometimes be less desired, for various reasons. It could be challenging to moderate all comments, and comments can also take the focus away from what the host is sharing on their livestream. This has led to some creators looking for how to turn off comments on TikTok.
We will share the steps for how you can disable comments on TikTok Live, but first we will go over what Live comments are in the first place.
Understanding TikTok Live Comments
A key feature of TikTok Live is the live chat. This is where fans and followers who are watching a livestream can leave comments either for the host or geared towards others watching the livestream. This real-time chat system is designed to encourage greater interaction between creators and viewers.
A livestream host has the ability to pin a comment at the top of the chat section to ensure their response or message is not buried within a bustling live chat. Usually, creators will keep the live chat open for everyone to get engaged with one another and the host. However, these comments can also end up becoming distracting, spam, or even harmful. In the worst cases, the live comments could tarnish your brand or shift the vibe to a negatively-oriented one.
These risks have led to some creators looking for how to turn off comments on TikTok.
Why You Should Disable TikTok Comments
While this is a major reason why TikTok Live hosts disable comments, it is not the only one. There are a few more than you should know about since they could help you decide whether you should turn off comments as well.
Improve Your Focus
If you turn off comments for your TikTok Live, you will no longer be distracted by the fast-paced comments section. It is challenging to stay focused sometimes, and having an additional highly-interactive element like a live chat could completely throw off your groove.
Engage in Less Distracting Ways
Turning off comments does not mean you stop interacting and engaging with your audience. It can even improve the interactions you have with your fans and followers. Other ways you can keep the engagement up is through:
- Polls
- Stickers
- Challenges
- Shoutouts
Provide a Cleaner Viewer Experience
When you hide the live chat section on a livestream, you are giving your audience a cleaner viewing experience, with fewer distractions and interruptions. Oftentimes, comments are off-topic and take away from the focus of the livestream.
Creative a More Immersive Livestream
The visual appeal of a live can greatly improve as a result of disabling comments. Provide your viewers for an immersive experience, especially when you are sharing something on your live that contains eye-catching visual elements and visuals.
How to Turn off Comments on TikTok
If you are getting too distracted, are seeing unwanted comments, or want to help your livestream be more focused, you can disable TikTok Live comments. Simply follow these steps:
Note: Comments need to be disabled prior to going live if you want to prevent all comments from the start of a livestream
- Open the TikTok app
- Tap on the + icon at the bottom of your screen
- Tap on LIVE
- Tap on the Settings icon in the bottom-right of your screen
- Head to the Privacy section until you locate the Allow comments option
- Disable comments by toggling the tick to Off
Protip: In case you don’t want to disable all comments, you also have the option to either Filter comments or Mute duration within this section of your settings.
Disable Comments During a Livestream
If you already have a TikTok Live going and decide to quickly disable comments, you can also do so. Take the following steps:
- Tap on the three dots at the bottom-right of the screen
- Tap on Turn Off Commenting
That’s all there is to it!
How to Turn off Comments as a Livestream Viewer
If you are someone who has joined a TikTok Live and find the live comments too distracting or undesirable, you also have the option to disable them.
Here are the steps you need to take to turn off comments as a viewer of a TikTok livestream:
- Tap on the Share icon (upward-pointing arrow) located at the bottom-right of the screen
- Tap on Clear Display
You will no longer see any comments occurring during a TikTok Live session.
Alternate Method 1
If you can’t get the previous method to work, there is another workaround. Simply do this from within a livestream:
- Tap and hold the livestream until you see a menu display
- Select the Clear Display option to fully disable comments
Alternate Method 2
One other method for disabling comments during a TikTok live involves doing the following:
- Within a livestream, swipe right
- To return comments, swipe left
This allows you to essentially hide comments, without turning them off completely. It will appear as if you disabled them, but can quickly return them if you desire.
You can now enjoy a TikTok Live without comments.
Protip: If you find a comment that appears to go against the Community Guidelines, such as hateful comments, make sure to report it to TikTok.
How to Turn off Comments on TikTok as a Mod
Larger influencers, brands, and creators have a helping hand in managing the live comments with the help of moderators, or mods for short. If you happen to be a mod for livestreams, you have the power to disable comments as well.
Simply follow these steps to turn off comments as a TikTok Live mod:
- Open the TikTok app
- Tap on the + icon to begin a livestream
- Tap on the Settings icon at the bottom-right of your screen
- Tap on Settings
- Head to the Privacy section and disable Allow comments
Note: You also have the option here to specify who is allowed to comment and how long comments should be muted.
Conclusion
Comments during a TikTok Live can greatly enrich the interactivity of a livestream. However, there are occasions and situations where disabling them is warranted or helpful. Now that you know how to disable comments during a TikTok Live as both a host and viewer, you can improve your experience according to your needs and desires.
