WordPress Comments Not Showing on Posts: Fix (2026)
Quick answer
Comments disappear when: (1) the theme doesn't call comments_template() in single.php, (2) comments are held in the moderation queue, (3) a discussion setting like 'automatically close comments after X days' silently disabled them, or (4) Jetpack Comments/Disqus replaced the native comment system and are broken. Start with Settings → Discussion, then check single.php.
Fix #1, Discussion settings
Settings → Discussion. Verify 'Allow people to submit comments on new posts' is checked. Scroll down, 'Automatically close comments on posts older than X days', turn this off unless you want the behavior.
Fix #2, Check the moderation queue
Comments → Pending. If comments are held for moderation, they never appear. Approve or turn off pre-moderation in Settings → Discussion.
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Fix #3, Theme template
Some themes forget to call `comments_template();` in single.php. Open wp-content/themes/<yourtheme>/single.php, if the function isn't there, add it inside the post loop.
Fix #4, Third-party comments
Deactivate Jetpack Comments, Disqus, Facebook Comments, whichever you use, to see if native comments come back. If yes, the third-party service is misconfigured. Reconnect via its dashboard.
When to call for help
If comments are core to your community, our fixed-fee comment restoration is $79 and includes moderation queue cleanup, spam filter tuning, and theme template audit.
Common questions
Why aren't comments showing on my WordPress posts?+
Four common causes: (1) 'Allow comments' is off in Settings → Discussion or on the individual post, (2) they're stuck in the moderation queue at Comments → Pending, (3) the theme's single.php doesn't call comments_template(), (4) a third-party comment system (Jetpack/Disqus) replaced native comments and is broken.
How do I enable comments on WordPress posts?+
Settings → Discussion → check 'Allow people to submit comments on new posts'. Then on existing posts, edit each and check 'Allow comments' in the Discussion panel (Gutenberg: sidebar → Discussion). Bulk enable via Quick Edit on the Posts list.
Why did comments suddenly stop working?+
Usually a WordPress or plugin update changed comment behavior. Recheck Settings → Discussion (updates sometimes reset options), and if you use Akismet or Antispam Bee, verify the API key is still valid, expired keys can block all comments as spam.
Should I disable WordPress comments entirely?+
If your site has no discussion value and you're drowning in spam, yes. Settings → Discussion → uncheck 'Allow people to submit comments' and use a plugin like 'Disable Comments' to hide the UI everywhere. This is a common choice for business sites.
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