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Learn how to set ticket comments to private by default, ensuring internal notes aren't accidentally shared with customers. This feature allows agents to choose when to make comments public, enhancing control over communication. Additionally, admins on Enterprise plans can manage agent access to private comments on tickets they request, maintaining privacy and control over sensitive information.

Location: Admin Center > Objects and rules > Tickets > Settings

Your agents reply to customer tickets by adding comments to them. They can do this either through the Zendesk Support web interface, or by responding to the ticket using email or another messaging channel.

This article includes these sections:

  • About public and private comments
  • Making agent comments private by default
  • Restricting agent access on tickets where they're the requester (Enterprise only)

About public and private comments

You can configure ticket comments in one of two ways:

  • Public: Ticket comments can be seen by the customer. Public comments are written on the Public reply (or messaging channel) of the ticket comments field. For example, here's where agents can add public replies from the ticket interface

  • Private: In general, private comments (known as internal notes) can be seen by agents, but cannot be seen by the customer. These are great for discussing tickets internally with your team without having to involve the customer. However, on Enterprise plans, admins can configure agent access to private comments and agent-only fields on tickets they request. For example, here's where agents can add private comments from the ticket interface:

Making agent comments private by default

By default, when an agent adds a comment, the comment becomes public. For example, if the agent wants to add a private comment to the ticket from the ticket interface, they must first select Internal note. If they forget, the customer will see what they write.

Note: There’s one exception to the Public by default setting. Tickets that only have internal notes and no public comments will always default to internal notes, even if the setting is turned on.

If you prefer, you can configure ticket comments from agents to be private by default. Then, when an agent adds a comment from the ticket interface, they will need to select a public channel (such as email) instead of an Internal note if they want the customer to see the comment.

If CCs are enabled, you can also change the default comment privacy for end user CCs. See Configuring CC and follower permissions.

Settings to make agent comments private by default do not apply to channels that are considered live, including chat, messaging, and social media. See About channel switching logic in the ticket composer.

To configure private ticket comments as the default

  1. In Admin Center, click Objects and rules in the sidebar, then select Tickets > Settings.
  2. Click Comment options for agents to expand it.
  3. Deselect both these options: Set composer to public channel by default and Allow agent comments via email to be public by default.

    If the Zendesk Agent Workspace is not enabled on your account, the option names vary slightly. Deselect both these options: Allow agent comments by web to be public by default and Allow agent comments via email to be public by default.

Note: For information about comment privacy when email replies are involved, see Understanding when email replies become public or private comments.

Restricting agent access on tickets where they're the requester (Enterprise only)

Admins can configure the visibility of private comments on tickets where an agent is the requester, regardless of the tickets' group assignments.

If you restrict agents in your account from seeing internal notes and agent-only fields, they won't be able to access the tickets in Support where they're the requester. Instead, they can use their email or your help center's customer portal to access tickets where they're the requester.

Note: You must enable agents to access request forms for them to be able to manage their requested tickets in your help center.
To restrict agent access to tickets they submit as the requester
  1. In Admin Center, click Workspaces in the sidebar, then select Agent tools > Agent interface.
  2. Under Agent as requester, choose the level of access you want agents to have to internal notes on tickets where they're the requester:
    • Show all internal notes: No restrictions. Agents can view internal notes on tickets where they're the requester, regardless of group assignment. This applies to tickets in Support only; internal notes aren't visible on their requested tickets in your help center.
    • Hide internal notes on tickets assigned to private groups: Agent access to internal notes on tickets where they're the requester is restricted only if the tickets are assigned to a private ticket group. When the ticket is assigned to a private group, then the agent's internal notes become public. See Creating private ticket groups and granting agents access.
    • Hide all internal notes: Agent access to internal notes on tickets where they're the requester is restricted only if the tickets are assigned to a group the agent doesn't belong to. When this occurs, the agent's internal notes become public.
      Note: Agents in custom roles with access to All tickets can still view internal notes on tickets where they're the requester, even when this option is selected. See Creating custom roles and assigning agents.
  3. Click Save.

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