A highlighted comment on YouTube helps you find a particular comment again. The label appears, for example, when you open a notification or a direct link to that comment. It does not mean that the creator selected or saw your comment. Want to remove the highlight? Open the video again via the title or channel.
Below, you can read who sees the highlight, how it differs from pinning and how to open the comment again.
What does a highlighted comment on YouTube mean and who sees it?
The highlight points to the comment you opened via a link or notification. This means you do not have to search through all the comments. It may be your own comment, but it may also belong to someone else.
You see a short label next to the comment. In English, it may say ‘Highlighted comment’. The wording and position of the label may vary by language and display.
The highlight depends on how you open the video. Other viewers therefore do not automatically see the same label. Anyone who opens the same direct comment link may see the highlight.
The comment itself does not become private because of the highlight. Other viewers can still read the comment among the regular comments. The label does not change who has access to the comment.
Why do you see a highlighted comment on YouTube?
The highlight often appears after you open a notification about a comment or reply. A shared or saved link to a comment can also make the label appear.
Suppose you ask under a cooking video how much water should go into the dough. Later, you open a notification about a reply. YouTube may then take you to the corresponding comment and highlight it. This helps you find the conversation again.
Not every comment generates a separate notification. The YouTube explanation of notifications on Android describes settings for comments and replies. Consecutive comments do not always result in separate notifications.
Want to know whether the creator has replied? Check whether there is actually a reply from the channel. The label alone does not tell you that.
Highlighted or pinned comment on YouTube: what is the difference?
A highlight helps you find a comment again. Pinning is a choice made by the creator. According to the YouTube explanation of pinning comments creators can place a comment at the top of the watch page.
| Feature | Highlighted comment | Pinned comment |
|---|---|---|
| Why do you see this? | You open a particular comment, for example via a link. | The creator pinned the comment. |
| Who sees this? | The person who opens the comment via that link or notification. | Viewers who view the comments. |
| Did the creator choose the comment? | You cannot infer that from the label. | Yes, the creator chose that comment to pin it. |
A highlighted comment can therefore stand out on your screen without the creator having recommended it. A heart from the creator is also different from a highlight.
How do you open a highlighted comment on YouTube again?
Open the notification or direct link to the comment again, if you still have it. You do not need to turn on the highlight yourself.
In a browser, you can sometimes recognise a direct comment link by lc= in the web address. That part refers to a particular comment. Below is a simplified, fictional example of the final part of such an address:
?v=VIDEO_ID&lc=REACTIE_ID
v=VIDEO_IDrefers to the video.lc=REACTIE_IDrefers to the comment.
Save the existing comment link if you want to return to the same conversation later. Do not enter a comment code yourself. The example text above does not work as a real link.
A link cannot make a disappeared comment visible again. Has the comment been deleted or is it no longer available? You may not be able to retrieve it via the old link.
How do you remove a highlighted comment from view on YouTube?
Open the video without the link to the comment. This removes the highlight from your view. It does not delete the comment itself.
- Leave the video you opened via the comment link.
- Search for the video again via the title or channel.
- Open the video there, not from the same notification or saved comment link.
Are you using a browser and is there &lc= in the address bar? You can also remove that part together with the corresponding comment code. Leave the video address and the rest of the link in place.
In the fictional example, you change ?v=VIDEO_ID&lc=REACTIE_ID to ?v=VIDEO_ID. Then open the amended address. Are there other parts after the comment code? Leave them in place.
Refreshing the page alone is often not enough. You then open the same comment link again. Cannot change the address in the app? Open the video via the title or channel.
What does a highlighted comment on YouTube say about reach?
The label does not prove that more people see your comment or that your video is recommended more often. It also does not say how many people have read the comment.
Do you make videos yourself? Then a direct comment link is useful for finding a conversation again. For example, save a question you want to answer later. Want to place a comment at the top for viewers? Use the pinning function.
Can viewers not comment on your video at all? That is separate from the highlight. For that, read how to turn on YouTube comments.
Want to know how to get more subscribers or likes? Read more about getting more subscribers on YouTube or getting more likes on your YouTube videos. A highlighted comment is not in itself a way to achieve that.
