There are a few potential reasons why Facebook may show that there are comments on a post but none are actually visible:
Comments are hidden
The most common reason is that the comments have been hidden by either the post author or a page admin. When comments are hidden, Facebook will still display the total comment count but will not show the actual comments. This allows the author or admin to keep a post’s discussion private while still displaying social engagement.
Page admins can choose to hide all comments on a post or only specific comments. Individual users can hide comments on their own posts as well. So if you see a discrepancy between the comment count and visible comments, it likely means they have been intentionally hidden.
Comment filtering
Facebook has automatic filters in place to detect and hide comments that may be spam, contain offensive language, be unrelated to the post, etc. When comments are flagged by these filters, they will be hidden from public view but still counted in the total.
Page admins can adjust their comment filters strength in the page settings. Stronger filters will hide more comments automatically. So sometimes increased filtering can create a difference between the displayed comment count and visible comments.
Comment approval
Page admins also have the option to require comment approval. With this setting enabled, all comments left by users will be held for review before being publicly shown.
Pending comments awaiting approval are still included in the total comment count. But they will not be visible to other users until approved by the admin. So if you notice many “missing” comments, it may be because they are awaiting admin approval.
Comment deletion
Comments that have been deleted by the author, admin or Facebook moderators are no longer visible but will still show up in the count for a short period. This is to allow time for deletion appeals.
So if you notice the comment count dropping on its own over a few days, it likely means comments are being deleted after posting. They are still briefly counted before fully removed from the system.
Technical issues
Less commonly, display issues due to technical problems could also cause a mismatch between the comment count and visible comments. Facebook bugs resulting in inaccurate comment counts have occurred before. Server errors could potentially prevent comments from loading correctly too.
If the discrepancy seems to be a temporary glitch that resolves itself after refreshing, it may just be a minor technical hiccup with Facebook’s servers.
Comment count delays
The total comment count isn’t updated in real-time. There is a slight delay between when a comment is posted and when it will be included in the count.
So if users are actively commenting on a viral post, the comment count may temporarily be lower than the actual number of comments. The count should update to the correct amount after a short delay.
Banned comments
Comments left by users who are banned from the page are not publicly visible. However, they still increment the total comment count.
Banned users are unable to tell that their comments are hidden from others. But page admins can see the banned user comments in the page’s filtered comment queue.
Comment character limits
Facebook limits text comments to 8,000 characters. If a comment exceeds this length, only the first 8,000 characters will be shown.
However, the full over-limit comment is still included in the total comment count. So lengthy comments can make it appear as if comments are “missing.”
What to do if comments won’t load
If you notice comments failing to load despite a comment count, here are some steps to try:
- Refresh the page/app and check again after a minute
- Turn off any ad blockers temporarily
- Try viewing the post in both desktop and mobile
- If on mobile, update to the latest Facebook app version
- Clear Facebook app cache and cookies
- Report the issue to Facebook
The majority of the time, the discrepancy is just due to intended comment hiding or filtering. But if comments consistently fail to load, one of the troubleshooting steps above may resolve it.
Why Facebook hides some comments
Facebook hides comments for the following reasons:
Post author or page admin hides them
Individual users can choose to hide comments on their own posts. Page admins can hide comments on any post published by their page. This allows selective comment moderation without deleting.
Automatic comment filtering
Facebook’s automated filters detect and hide comments likely to be spam, offensive, irrelevant, etc. Filter strength can be adjusted in page settings.
Comment approval
Admins can require all comments be manually approved before public visibility. Unapproved comments remain hidden.
Comment deletion
Comments deleted by the author, admin or Facebook are hidden immediately but the count only updates after a delay.
Banned user comments
Comments from users banned by page admins are hidden from public view.
Technical issues
Bugs and glitches very occasionally affect comment visibility.
To encourage meaningful discussions
Hiding unconstructive comments can nurture more relevant conversations.
Steps admins can take
As a page admin, here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot hidden Facebook comments:
- Check filtered comment queues for hidden comments
- Review any pending comments awaiting approval
- Adjust automatic comment filtering strength
- Ensure any users banned from the page should remain blocked
- Toggle comment approval requirements off and on
- Manually unhide any comments you want to be public
Conclusion
When the Facebook comment count and visible comments don’t match up, it typically means comments have been intentionally hidden by the post author, admin or Facebook filters. Less commonly, it may be the result of comment delays, technical issues or other anomalies.
As a user, refreshing and troubleshooting loading issues can help resolve it. As a page admin, checking filtered comment queues is the best way to audit and unhide any comments you want public.
The discrepancy is usually just an indication that active comment moderation is being performed to maintain constructive discussion. But if it seems problematic, the above steps can help identify and rectify the cause.