Picture this: your best friend posts a hilarious picture on her Facebook feed, and you’re stuck because you just can’t comment on Facebook. You’re a good friend and want to get her account engagement up, right? But right after you finish laughing at your own wit and press post, you’re forced to ask yourself “why can’t I comment on Facebook?” Your first instinct may be to blame the app – “Facebook won’t let me post”. But most of the time, there is a completely understandable explanation for why you cannot comment on Facebook.
This problem happens more often than you may think for a variety of reasons. Whether it be internet problems, browser issues, a lack of updates, unwanted VPNs, or bitter enemies, there is a solution to every reason for why you may not be able to leave a comment on Facebook. Rather than letting your frustration take over, read on to learn how to fix your specific problem.
Possible Reasons Why You Can’t Comment on Facebook
Internet Connectivity Issues
A common reason for why your Facebook is acting out of character is because of lagging, unreliable internet connectivity. If you are facing network issues, you may find that you cannot make any Facebook posts or send comments. Your internet does not have to be completely shut off for something like this to happen.
Weak or spotty service can do enough to interfere with the transmission of posts through the Facebook server. Sometimes, it may seem that your comment has gone through or that you successfully posted that status update you have typed out, but then, it disappears in a matter of seconds or minutes. This false hope is clear evidence of internet connectivity issues.
Other times, Facebook will just let you know that you need to “try again”, signifying that you can’t make comments on Facebook. This can be a disappointing message and make you feel clueless as to where you should go from there. Fixing your internet can seem daunting and a whole other set of troubleshooting you would have to embark on.
Ensuring that your cable connection and/or WIFI is properly connected to your router is the first step. Then, make sure that your router is operating correctly. You can always unplug and plug your problems away.
Webpage Problems
Another common reason for why you are unable to post comments on Facebook is webpage issues. General webpage issues include things like the browser cache being incompatible or faulty, which is usually the cause of comment issues.
There are a significant number of restrictions and settings that can potentially interfere with your ability to comment on Facebook. By identifying this as the problem, you will be able to seek an easy solution that gets you back to commenting before you know it.
Facebook Jail
Facebook jail is a scary way of referring to when users post things that are against community guidelines, resulting in their placement in “Facebook jail”. This is when your account is given limited access on the platform for reasons like violating the terms of services, engaging in spamming content, etc.
The problem is, you are not told directly when you have committed a violation. Rather, you will encounter discrepancies and problems when trying to use the features that you have been barred from. This can include your ability to post comments. You are likely to receive a notification that says, “You may have used Facebook in a way that our systems consider unusual. You can post again in ___ hours.”
There is a list of Facebook jail assignments that will keep you from enjoying the platform to the fullest. Ways to know that you have been restricted include being blocked from entering your account, inability to leave comments, inability to react to any posts or comments, and being unable to submit posts on your own page as well as group pages.
Tricky Privacy Settings
Privacy restrictions are set in place by users, groups, and pages. It is a choice that may restrict your commenting access. Certain privacy settings dictate who gets to see a particular post, who exactly can comment on it, who is allowed to share the content from the page, and more.
If you find that you can’t comment on Facebook, it may simply be a result of your not being a part of a group. If this is the case, it is certainly not something to be taken to heart. Besides, you will still be able to comment on other posts.
Timeline Review Settings
Facebook has a great feature in which you can set specific restrictions on what you want on your timeline. So, in the case that you are unable to post comments, a timeline might just be customized so that only the account owner can post content to it as well as a select group of people.
If this is the situation, you will know because of your inability to see your comment go through. Instead, the owner of the account will be sent a notice that says, “Pending Post”, which he or she will be able to approve or deny. If the owner chooses to deny your comment, it will simply disappear.
If it is that important to you, you can reach out directly to the owner with the timeline review feature and ask about his or her reasons for doing so.
Customized Friend List
A customized friend list allows users to modify the status of certain individuals on their friend list. You can assign people as your “close friends” versus “acquaintances” or “family”. Each group is allowed different levels of access and permission to certain elements on your timeline, private pages, photos, stories, etc. So, if you’re unable to post a comment, it may be due to a lack of permission for that specific Facebook page.
Although you will still be able to see the post and other comments, you will not be able to participate since you are not a part of that customized group that is given that particular reign. The only thing you can do from here is gain access somehow.
Potential Block/Unfriended Action
Do you know of any enemies you may have? If yes, there is a chance that you may be blocked from commenting on their posts. If you are blocked, you will not be able to see that specific account or page at all.
On the other hand, if you have just been unfriended and not blocked, you will be able to see your enemy’s timeline, but you will not be given the option to post a comment. The only way to circumvent a situation like this is if you and your bitter enemy break bread Facebook style.
10 Fixes If You’re Unable to Post Comments
1. Re-Login To Facebook
If Facebook is having technical problems that you cannot quite explain, it is usually due to a temporary glitch that may have occurred on your account. To easily fix this problem, you can log out and re-login to your Facebook account. This allows your device to reconnect with Facebook’s servers. This simple solution can save you hours of stress and frustration.
Go to your Facebook account on either your mobile device or PC, and follow these steps to re-login into your account:
- Open your Facebook profile and go to the Accounts button.
- When you see the pop-up menu appear, click on Log Out.
- After signing out of your account, re-enter your account information, and then Log In again to see if the problem has been solved.
If you have an Android device, the steps are a bit different. Look below to find a step-by-step process on how to re-login into your account using an Android device:
- Navigate to the Facebook app.
- Click the Menu button.
- Scroll until you land on the Log Out button. Sign out of your account.
- Once you have logged out, re-enter your account information, click the Log In button, and log back into Facebook.
If you have any kind of iOS device, follow the steps below:
- Go to the Facebook app on your iOS device.
- Navigate to the Menu button.
- Once you see the Menu, scroll down to the bottom where the Log Out option is and click on it.
- Lastly, enter your account credentials, hitting the Log In button once complete to reopen your Facebook account.
Try posting a comment again to see if the problem has been solved. If it persists, continue reading this article for other options.
2. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies
Cache and cookies are terms that a lot of people are familiar with but not so sure on what the purpose of them actually are. Cache and cookies are temporary files, locally stored on your hard drive. Their purpose is to improve the performance of your browser when it comes to loading different websites. Cache and cookies are meant to be your friend, rather than a reason for you to be unable to post comments on Facebook!
It is possible to run into problems with a browser’s cache and cookies. Larger files are more difficult to load, leading to your browser struggling to function properly. The data can be prone to corruption. There is a simple solution to a problem like this. All you must do is clear your browsing data, which successfully gets rid of the corrupted, large files that are messing with the functioning.
Follow the steps below to do so:
- With your browser open, press the CTRL + H keys on your keyboard in order to launch the History tab.
- There will be a side menu where you should find the option to Clear Browsing Data. Click it.
- A new page should appear on your browser. Check Cached Images and Files along with Cookies and Other Site Data if they are not already checked.
- Finally, click on the Time Range tab and change it to All Time. After this, hit the Clear Data button to start the process.
After clearing your browsing data, navigate back to Facebook to log into your account again. Try posting a comment to see if there are any more issues that you need to address. It’s okay if you still haven’t found the solution that works for you. There are more to try!
3. Turn off VPN
A VPN refers to virtual private networks that many people choose to use to access certain content that may not be available on their public server. It is a way to extend a private network across a public network, which allows users the freedom to send and receive data across shared networks. For example, if you want to watch a certain show on Netflix that is not available in your country but shows up on the Canadian Netflix homepage, changing your VPN to read that you are in Canada would allow you access to the show. Sounds pretty cool, right?
Well, there are a few downsides to using a VPN service. It may be causing network instability, which can be a clear reason for why you are unable to post comments on Facebook. Turning off your VPN may be the only solution in this case. VPNs are responsible for masking your original IP address, redirecting your data to their servers away from your actual location. Randomly changing your IP address means the stable connection between your browser and other website servers suffer.
After temporarily turning off your VPN service, refresh the page and try to see if your comment finally posts.
4. Remove Browser Extensions
Browser extensions are considered third-party applications that are installed on your browser to create and add extra features to certain websites. They adapt to whatever browser you have, acting as an additional module. Problems arise when extensions are malicious on your web browser rather than helpful, causing your accounts to send out spam comments and messages.
Browser extensions are capable of interfering with Facebook servers, though, which may be the root of your problem.
To avoid this, disable your browser extension before logging into Facebook to use. Follow these steps:
- Once you are on your browser, click the Options button located in the right upper-hand corner.
- Select Settings.
- In settings, go to the Extensions tab.
- Find all extensions unrelated to Facebook and disable them.
Restart your browser after disabling all your browser extensions. Try posting a comment on Facebook to see if the problem has been fixed.
5. Facebook App Update Availability
Every application comes along with updates. It is a feature of apps that has been around since the beginning. This is how app developers fix and improve their work. If you do not choose to update your apps, you may run into incompatibility issues with your device and Facebook’s servers.
Keeping up to date with updates allows new tools and features to be added. If you choose not to do so, you may experience slower speeds and incompatibility problems. If you already have automatic updates on, this is no problem for you. Otherwise, follow these steps to check for any updates:
- Navigate to the App Store or Play Store, depending on your device, and click on your profile.
- Scroll down to find the Facebook App and hit Update.
Once you have updated, check to see if you can now post comments. If you are still running into trouble, there are a few more things you can try.
6. Delete and Reinstall The Facebook App
The root of your problem may have to do with Facebook’s installation files. This is a complicated way of saying your app may need some refreshing. Rather than diving into troubleshooting to find out what is going on with the application, try deleting Facebook from your device altogether and reinstalling a fresh copy.
Follow the guide below:
- Go to the Facebook app on your device and hold it down until you are presented options from the pop-up menu.
- Hit Remove App to uninstall Facebook.
- Once you have deleted it, return to the App Store to reinstall Facebook.
After this, log in to Facebook and attempt to post a new comment.
7. Try Other Browsers
If you are a one-browser Facebook user, it may be helpful to change things up a bit. There are multiple other web browsers that can do the same job. Examples of other options include Google Chrome, Mozilla Fox, Internet Explorer, and Safari.
Search browsers render and interpret codes on an application or website by using engines. These render engines they use may not function the same ways, making it entirely possible that a specific website may not be compatible with specific web browsers. For example, one website may work completely fine on Safari but face annoying loading issues if used on Firefox.
So, if you can’t make comments on Facebook, try straying from your default browser and exploring a new one. You may even find that you like the new one better for all the websites you visit!
8. Use Tailwind
Tailwind is a website that serves as a social media managing tool. It can assist you with navigating your different social media accounts on one website. Not only does it help you with managing accounts, but you can also use Tailwind to set scheduled posts to your heart’s desire.
Tailwind is a great site that decreases your stress when it comes to posting on Facebook. It is free and easy to use as well.
9. Appeal to Facebook
As mentioned in the causes for why you may be unable to post comments on Facebook, you may be facing a block. The only thing you can do from here is try and get Facebook to unblock you so that you can regain access to your account. To do this, you must submit an appeal. Firstly, you should check if you have any violations and, if you do, find out what they are. To check violations, follow the steps below:
1. Open the Facebook App and click on the three hyphens icon to open Settings.
2. Scroll down and hit Help and Support.
3. Click on the option that says Support Inbox.
4. Here, you can find Your Reports as well as Your Violations.
5. After clicking Your Violations, you can see which posts go against their community guidelines and why.
If simply deleting the post does not get rid of the strike against your account, you will need to appeal to Facebook. To do this, you must send an email to Facebook support and ask them to lift the restriction. Their email is appeals@fb.com and support@fb.com; explain to them your problem and how you can’t post comments on Facebook due to the restriction. From here, you should wait for their response, and they will come up with a solution for your problem.
10. Report the Problem to Facebook
If none of these solutions worked for you, it may be best to contact Facebook directly to find out the issue. Facebook IT and customer service is great at identifying the problem and walking you through it so that your specific case can be determined and solved.
Report the problem to Facebook to have them fix the direct problem on your account. Rather than taking more time trying to solve it on your own, Facebook will be better equipped with the information to do so. When you contact Facebook Help, be sure to have a detailed account of the problems you are facing. You will have to let them know of the browser you are using, how long the problem has been occurring, the device you are using, and your basic account information.
Posting comments on Facebook is one of the best parts of the social media site, so when that is taken from you, it can be quite frustrating. But it is important to remember that there is always an explanation for why you are in this pickle. Hopefully, you found your solution through this guide, and you can post comments to your heart’s desire.