How do I stop spam comments on WordPress?
If your site doesn't need comments, turn them off under Settings, then Discussion, and close them on existing posts too. If you keep comments, require manual approval, close comments on older posts, hold comments with links, and add a maintained spam filter. Mark junk as spam rather than approving it to clear the queue.
How do I turn comments off?
Comment spam is automated posts stuffed with links, often to shady sites. Customers ask questions by phone, email or form, and reviews belong on Google, so most small business sites lose nothing by closing comments.
- In WordPress, go to Settings, then Discussion.
- Untick the option that allows people to post comments on new posts.
- Save.
WordPress’s discussion settings guide notes that this setting can be overridden on individual posts. Existing posts keep their own setting, so close comments on them too. You can do this in bulk from the Posts screen with Bulk actions, then Edit.
The short version
- Most business sites don’t need comments. Turn them off.
- If you keep them, hold every comment for approval.
- Close comments on older posts, and hold comments that contain links.
- Add a well-maintained spam filter.
- Clean out old spam that was approved in the past.
How do I control comments if I keep them?
On the same Discussion screen, the guide describes these options:
- Manual approval. Nothing appears until someone with the right role approves it.
- Automatically close comments on older posts. Pick a number of days. Spam bots favor old posts.
- Hold a comment if it contains a set number of links. Spammers now often use just one or two links, so a low number works best.
- Moderation words. Comments containing listed words are held for review.
- Pingbacks and trackbacks. Untick “Allow link notifications from other blogs” unless you use them. They’re another spam route.
Avoid the disallowed-words list unless you’re careful. The guide warns that matching comments can be removed without warning, so real comments can be lost.
Should I add a spam filter?
Yes, if comments stay on. A spam-filter plugin checks each comment and catches most junk before you see it. Pick one that’s actively maintained, from a reputable developer. Read how many plugins is too many for how to judge a plugin.
Why does comment spam matter?
Approved spam makes a site look abandoned. It also puts links to shady sites on your pages, which doesn’t help visitors and hurts trust.
What are the common mistakes?
- Approving spam to clear the queue. Mark it as spam so the filter learns.
- Ignoring a huge queue. Empty the spam folder regularly.
- Closing comments on new posts only. Old posts stay open unless you close them too.
- Forgetting old approved spam. Look through older posts for link-stuffed comments and remove them.
What if spam keeps getting through?
Check that approval is really required and the filter is active. If spam is also arriving through your contact form, the cause is the same kind of bot. See how to stop contact form spam.
How long does it take?
Turning comments off takes a few minutes. Cleaning up years of old spam takes longer, depending on how much got approved.
How does E-3 handle this?
If your site is in E-3’s website care and you want to keep comments, ask us to set up moderation and a spam filter that fit how you work.
Related questions
Common questions
- Will turning off comments hurt my SEO?
- For most small business sites, no. Comments are rarely why customers choose you. Useful pages and good reviews matter far more.
- Why do I still get spam with a filter?
- Filters catch most spam, not all of it. Holding comments for approval means anything that slips through never appears on your site.
- Do spam comments slow my site down?
- A queue of thousands of waiting or spam comments adds weight to the database. Empty the spam folder regularly.
Rather talk it through?
Call our team, or send a note and we’ll reply within one business day. No pressure and no jargon.