Using WordPress ‘comment_notification_notify_author’ PHP filter

The comment_notification_notify_author WordPress PHP filter allows you to control whether comment authors are notified of their comments on their own posts.

Usage

add_filter('comment_notification_notify_author', 'your_custom_function', 10, 2);

function your_custom_function($notify, $comment_id) {
    // Your custom code here
    return $notify;
}

Parameters

  • $notify (bool) – Whether to notify the post author of their own comment. Default is false.
  • $comment_id (string) – The comment ID as a numeric string.

More information

See WordPress Developer Resources: comment_notification_notify_author

Examples

Notify authors of their comments on their own posts

To notify comment authors of their comments on their own posts, return true:

add_filter('comment_notification_notify_author', 'notify_authors_own_comments', 10, 2);

function notify_authors_own_comments($notify, $comment_id) {
    return true;
}

Notify authors only if the comment is a reply

Notify comment authors only if the comment is a reply to another comment:

add_filter('comment_notification_notify_author', 'notify_authors_on_replies', 10, 2);

function notify_authors_on_replies($notify, $comment_id) {
    $comment = get_comment($comment_id);
    if ($comment->comment_parent > 0) {
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}

Notify authors only if their comment is approved

Notify comment authors only if their comment is approved:

add_filter('comment_notification_notify_author', 'notify_authors_approved_comments', 10, 2);

function notify_authors_approved_comments($notify, $comment_id) {
    $comment = get_comment($comment_id);
    if ($comment->comment_approved == '1') {
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}

Notify authors based on custom user meta

Notify comment authors only if they have a specific custom user meta value:

add_filter('comment_notification_notify_author', 'notify_authors_based_on_meta', 10, 2);

function notify_authors_based_on_meta($notify, $comment_id) {
    $comment = get_comment($comment_id);
    $user_id = $comment->user_id;
    $meta_value = get_user_meta($user_id, 'your_custom_meta_key', true);

    if ($meta_value == 'your_desired_value') {
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}

Notify authors only for specific post types

Notify comment authors only if their comment is on a specific post type:

add_filter('comment_notification_notify_author', 'notify_authors_specific_post_types', 10, 2);

function notify_authors_specific_post_types($notify, $comment_id) {
    $comment = get_comment($comment_id);
    $post_id = $comment->comment_post_ID;
    $post_type = get_post_type($post_id);

    if ($post_type == 'your_specific_post_type') {
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}