You set a Notion page to View Only permission but guests or team members are still able to leave comments. This happens because Notion treats comments as a separate permission layer that is not fully controlled by the page-level sharing menu. In this article, you will learn why comments remain active on View Only pages and how to disable them using the correct settings.
Key Takeaways: Disabling Comments on View Only Notion Pages
- Share menu > Allow comments toggle: Turning off this toggle removes the comment field from all viewers of the page.
- Invite settings > Can comment permission: This separate permission level must be set to No access or Can view to prevent comments.
- Page-level override vs workspace default: Workspace default settings may allow comments even after you set a page to View Only.
Why View Only Pages Still Allow Comments
Notion uses two independent permission controls: page-level sharing and comment-level access. When you set a page to View Only, you restrict editing of page content. However, the comment field is controlled by a separate toggle called Allow comments inside the Share menu. By default, this toggle is enabled for all new shares, including View Only links. Even if you set the page to No Access for a specific user, that user may still be able to comment if they were previously invited with a Can comment permission level. The Can comment permission is a distinct role in Notion that sits between Can view and Can edit. It allows a person to read the page and add comments but not modify the page content. If you invite someone with Can comment, they will always be able to comment regardless of the page-level View Only setting. The only way to block all comments is to disable the Allow comments toggle and ensure no user has the Can comment role.
Steps to Remove Comment Ability from View Only Pages
- Open the Share menu
Click the Share button in the top-right corner of the Notion page. This opens the share settings panel. - Locate the Allow comments toggle
In the Share panel, find the section labeled Share to web or Invite. The Allow comments toggle is usually below the link-sharing options. If the toggle is blue, comments are allowed. Click it to turn it gray and disable comments. - Review existing invited guests
Scroll down to the list of people who already have access. Look for any user whose permission shows Can comment. Click the permission dropdown next to that person and change it to Can view. This removes their ability to comment. - Check workspace default settings
Go to Settings & Members > Settings > Workspace. Under Default permissions, ensure that Allow comments for new pages is turned off. If this is on, every new page will have comments enabled by default, overriding your manual toggle. - Test the page as a viewer
Open the page in a private browser window or ask a guest to check. The comment field at the bottom of the page should be gone. If it still appears, repeat steps 1 through 4 and verify that no group or team permission includes Can comment.
If Notion Still Allows Comments After the Main Fix
Comments appearing from team members in the same workspace
Workspace members may have inherited Can comment permission from a parent page or database. Open the parent page that contains this page as a subpage. Check its Share menu and disable Allow comments there. Also review any database template that this page is based on. Templates can carry their own share settings.
Guest comments still visible after disabling the toggle
Existing comments remain on the page even after you disable new comments. To remove existing comments, hover over each comment and click the three-dot menu, then select Delete. You can also use the page history to revert to a version before comments were added.
Allow comments toggle is grayed out
If the toggle is disabled and you cannot click it, the page is part of a teamspace that has its own comment policy. Go to the teamspace settings by clicking the teamspace name in the sidebar, then select Settings. Under Permissions, turn off Allow members to comment on pages in this teamspace. After saving, return to the page and the toggle will be adjustable.
Notion Permission Levels: Comment Control Compared
| Permission Level | Can View Content | Can Add Comments |
|---|---|---|
| No access | No | No |
| Can view | Yes | Only if Allow comments toggle is on |
| Can comment | Yes | Yes, always |
| Can edit | Yes | Yes, always |
| Full access | Yes | Yes, always |
You now know how to prevent comments on View Only Notion pages by disabling the Allow comments toggle and removing the Can comment permission from all guests. Next, review your workspace default permissions to ensure new pages start with comments turned off. For advanced control, consider using teamspace-level comment policies to enforce this setting across an entire project.