Fix or Disable Pending Review on Facebook | Full Guide

Seen the message “Your comment is pending review” or “Post waiting for admin approval” on Facebook lately?

Whether you’re posting in a Facebook group, dropping a comment on a page, or leaving a business review, Facebook sometimes holds your content for manual or automatic review. It could be a group setting, a flagged keyword, or just Facebook’s moderation system doing its thing.

The problem? Most users don’t know why it happens—or how to fix it.

In this guide, we’ll explain:

• What “pending review” actually means
• The top reasons your post or comment might get flagged
• How to remove or avoid the review status
• When it makes sense to turn off reviews or approvals altogether

Plus, if you're running a brand or community, we'll show you how tools like Commentify help manage comments before Facebook does—so you stay in control.

Let’s get into it.

Understanding Facebook’s “Pending Review” Status

Where It Appears—and What It Actually Means

So, what exactly does “Pending Review” mean on Facebook?

It depends on where you're posting and who’s in charge of the content moderation.

Here’s a breakdown of the most common places this status shows up:

🟦 1. Facebook Groups

If you see:
“Your post is pending approval by an admin or moderator” —

this means the group has post approval turned on, and only group admins can make your post go live. Until then, it stays hidden from other members.

This is common in large or niche communities where moderators want to filter spam, off-topic posts, or rule violations.

✅ What to Do:

• Wait it out — Admins may approve it within minutes or hours.
• Politely message an admin — If it’s time-sensitive, a quick, respectful DM explaining your post can help.
• Check group rules — If your post violates guidelines, it may never be approved. Editing and reposting might work better.

💬 2. Comment Sections (Pages, Groups, or Public Posts)

Sometimes your comment gets tagged as:
“Your comment is pending review.”

That usually means Facebook’s AI moderation system flagged your comment due to:

• Potentially sensitive language
• Spammy-looking links or repetitive content
• Violation of community guidelines

The comment may go live after review, or stay hidden indefinitely—unless you delete or edit it.

✅ What to Do:

• Edit and repost — Try removing: Suspicious links Excessive emojis Words that might trigger filters (e.g. “DM,” “free,” “buy”)
• Wait briefly — Some comments go live after a quick algorithmic review.
• Try commenting in a different form — Shorter or more neutral language can bypass filters.

🏪 3. Business Pages & Reviews

For business pages, a user’s review might be held back without warning. This can happen when:

• The review contains flagged words (e.g. accusations, profanity)
• The account posting the review is new or has suspicious behavior
• Facebook’s algorithm detects possible policy violations

Even page admins might not immediately see the reason, and there’s often no direct way to “approve” it—it’s up to Facebook.

✅ What to Do:

• You (as the reviewer): Try editing the review to remove emojis, links, or strong language.
• You (as the page owner): You can’t force the review to show, but you can turn off or hide the Reviews tab if needed.

➡️ Go to Page Settings → Templates and Tabs → Reviews → Toggle Off

🛒 4. Marketplace Listings & Ads

If your item listing or ad says it's under review, that’s part of Facebook’s ad policy enforcement. This happens automatically and can delay visibility for hours or days.

“Pending review” doesn’t always mean you did something wrong.

But it does mean your content is temporarily hidden—and knowing why can help you fix it or avoid it next time.

✅ What to Do:

• Check for policy violations (e.g., prohibited items, misleading pricing)
• Edit your post and resubmit
• Wait for manual review — Some ads take up to 24 hours to be approved

Sometimes, your post or comment is flagged unfairly. You can report the issue directly.

✅ How:

1. Go to the Facebook Help Center
2. Click “Report a Problem”
3. Choose “Something Went Wrong” → Explain the issue clearly
4. Attach a screenshot if possible

📌 Note: Appeals don’t always result in reversal, but if it’s a consistent issue, it’s worth flagging.

How to Turn Off or Manage Review Settings

For Group Admins, Page Owners, and Brands

If you’re a Facebook group admin or business page owner, you have control over whether content gets held for review. Whether you want to reduce delays for your members—or protect your brand from spam and negativity—here’s how to fine-tune your review settings.

🛑 1. Turn Off Post Approval in Facebook Groups

By default, group admins can enable “Post Approval,” which holds every member post until an admin approves it. If you're seeing too many frustrated members or trust your community enough, it may be worth disabling.

✅ How to do it:

1. Go to your Group
2. Click Admin Tools & Insights → Settings
3. Under “Manage Discussion,” find Post Approval
4. Toggle OFF the setting

🛈 Note: You can also keep it ON but only apply it to new members or specific flagged users for more flexible control.

🌟 2. Disable or Hide Reviews on a Facebook Business Page

Facebook Reviews (now part of the “Ratings” system) can be helpful—or damaging. If you're receiving spam, fake reviews, or irrelevant comments, disabling them is an option.

✅ To remove the Reviews tab:

1. Go to your Facebook Page
2. Click Settings
3. Choose Templates and Tabs
4. Find Reviews → Toggle OFF

📌 This hides all past reviews too, so consider carefully.

🤖 3. Use Tools Like Commentify to Auto-Moderate Comments

If turning off reviews isn’t ideal, you can take a smarter approach: automated comment filtering.

Commentify helps:

• Detect negative sentiment in comments automatically
• Block spam, fake engagement, and harmful language
• Let real users engage while keeping trolls out

It’s especially useful for:

• Brands running ads and needing clean comment sections
• Creators or influencers with large followings
• Page owners wanting peace of mind without manual filtering

🔗 Try Commentify Now →

FAQs – Related Questions Users Also Ask

Q1: Why is my comment “pending review” on Facebook?

A: Your comment may be flagged by Facebook’s automated system due to keywords, links, or tone. In groups, it could also be awaiting approval by an admin. It’s Facebook’s way of filtering potential spam or harmful content before it appears publicly.

Q2: How do I fix a pending comment on Facebook?

A: Edit and repost it using simpler language—avoid excessive emojis, links, or flagged words (like “DM,” “free,” or “buy”). If it's in a group, wait for the admin to approve it or politely ask for a review.

Q3: How long does a post or comment stay pending on Facebook?

A: There’s no fixed time. Group posts depend on how quickly admins respond (usually within 24–48 hours). Comments held by Facebook’s system can be reviewed within minutes, or never appear at all if flagged permanently.

Q4: Can I turn off “pending review” for my own comments or posts?

A: If you're not an admin, you can't disable it. However, you can adjust your posting behavior to avoid triggers, or contact group moderators for help.

Q5: How do I turn off post approval in my Facebook group?

A: Go to your group → Admin Tools → Settings → Post Approval → Toggle OFF. Only group admins can change this setting.

Q6: Can I remove or hide Facebook reviews on my business page?

A: Yes. Go to Page Settings → Templates and Tabs → Reviews → Turn OFF. This hides both the Reviews tab and all past ratings.

Q7: What tools help with Facebook comment moderation?

A: Tools like Commentify automatically filter toxic comments, detect negative sentiment, and block spam—so you don’t have to monitor everything manually.