Keep Comments Open

WordPress comes with the ability to automatically close comments on posts older than a certain number of days, which you can configure in Settings > Discussion. However, its limitation is that there is no way to override this setting for specific posts that you want to allow comments on indefinitely. This plugin serves to scratch that itch.

Please note that the plugin currently only works with the Classic Editor as I haven't been able to figure out a way to port it to the Block Editor seamlessly (i.e. without creating an entire legacy meta box just for one checkbox) (see GitHub issue #1).

Installation

1. Extract and upload the keep-comments-open directory to wp-content/plugins.
2. Activate the plugin — no configuration needed.
3. You may now edit any of your posts to ask WordPress not to automatically close comments on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my older posts once I activate the plugin?

If WordPress is already closing comments on your older posts, their comments will remain closed until you open them in the post editor and explicitly ask it to keep comments open.

What happens when I deactivate the plugin?

The original WordPress behavior will be restored — all posts older than your configured number of days will have their comments closed again.

If I re-enable comments on an older post, then disable comments again, what happens to comments posted in the meantime?

Those comments will remain.