Comments
Comments adds moderated discussion to posts and pages. It is inactive by default. Enable it under System > Plugins, then open Comments in the admin navigation. Superadmins can manage comments across the site. Authors can manage comments in their own author space.
Enable comments
Choose whether posts and pages accept comments by default for the site or an author space. Each entry can use that default, Open, or Closed in Composer. Closing an entry keeps approved comments visible but removes the form.
Who can comment offers Anyone who can view, Signed-in users and secret-link visitors, or Signed-in users only. A secret link grants access to content, not an account identity. Guests provide a name and private e-mail address, verify that address, and then wait for moderation. Signed-in users skip e-mail verification. Public comments require approval before they appear; moderator replies can appear immediately.
Moderate and reply
The Comments page groups comments by post or page. Filter by Pending, Approved, Unverified, Spam, or Trash. Moderators can approve, mark as Spam, move to Trash, restore, permanently delete, or reply to comments on content they manage. Spam classification is manual.
Approved comments appear below the entry in threads with one visible reply level. Comment text supports paragraphs, emphasis, strong text, inline code, safe links, and emoji. HTML, images, embeds, and shortcodes are not accepted. Private addresses and unapproved comments never appear publicly.
Privacy and mail
Guests can request a private link to download or erase comments associated with their verified e-mail address. Erasure removes comments without replies. If a comment has replies, tinymash removes its name and text but leaves a placeholder to keep the conversation intact. The request page does not reveal whether an address has comments.
Guest verification links expire after 48 hours. An expired link for the same comment can request a fresh link through the public form.
Commenters may choose e-mail for approved direct replies. Each message has an unsubscribe link that also prevents pending reply messages from being sent. Verification, moderation, privacy, and reply messages wait in a private queue. Scheduled housekeeping sends them. To send them manually, run php8.4 bin/tinymash.php comments run-queue. Configure SMTP and scheduled housekeeping before relying on mail.
Retention and export
Superadmins set site-wide retention for Unverified, Pending, Spam, and Trash comments. Pending comments do not expire by default; approved comments never expire automatically. Check the cleanup preview before using Run cleanup now. If an expired comment has replies, cleanup removes its personal details and leaves a placeholder.
Static exports include approved comments as a read-only snapshot without forms or private data. Site backups include all Comments data even while the plugin is inactive. An author's personal export includes only comments on that author's posts and pages. It excludes site-wide privacy requests, rate-limit records, and mail queues. See Backup and recovery.