How to Extract Top YouTube Comments by Likes

To extract top YouTube comments by likes, use YouTube's built-in "Top comments" sort option to view the most popular comments, then export them using a comment extractor tool like NoteLM.ai. You can also extract all comments and sort by like count in Excel. Videos with thousands of likes on top comments often indicate viral or controversial discussions.

Key Takeaways

• YouTube's "Top comments" sort shows the most-liked comments first
• Extract all comments with like counts, then filter by minimum likes
• Top comments often reveal what resonates most with viewers
• Export and sort in Excel for detailed analysis
• Comment like counts aren't always visible to viewers but are available via extraction
• High like counts indicate community consensus or strong reactions

What Are "Top Comments" on YouTube?

YouTube's "Top comments" are comments sorted by a combination of factors:

Why Top Comments Matter

For Creators:

• Identify what resonates with your audience
• Find common questions and feedback
• Discover quotable praise for marketing
• Spot potential community moderators

For Researchers:

• Study viral comment phenomena
• Analyze community sentiment
• Track discourse patterns
• Identify influential voices

For Marketers:

• Find authentic testimonials
• Understand audience language
• Identify brand sentiment
• Spot influencer candidates

Method 1: YouTube's Built-in Sort

Desktop Browser

Understanding Sort Options

Limitations of Built-in Sort

• ❌ Can only view, not export
• ❌ Limited to top ~100-200 visible
• ❌ No filtering by like threshold
• ❌ Can't download for analysis
• ❌ Must manually scroll to load more

Method 2: Extract and Sort in Spreadsheet

Step 1: Extract All Comments

Using NoteLM.ai:

1. 1.Copy the YouTube video URL
2. 2.Go to NoteLM.ai Comment Extractor
3. 3.Paste URL and click "Extract Comments"
4. 4.Download as CSV or Excel file

Step 2: Open in Excel/Google Sheets

The exported file includes:

Step 3: Sort by Likes

In Excel:

1. 1.Select all data
2. 2.Click Data > Sort
3. 3.Sort by "likes" column
4. 4.Choose "Largest to Smallest"
5. 5.Click OK

In Google Sheets:

1. 1.Select all data
2. 2.Click Data > Sort range > Advanced range sorting options
3. 3.Select "likes" column
4. 4.Check "Z → A" for descending
5. 5.Click Sort

Step 4: Filter by Minimum Likes

To show only comments with 100+ likes:

Excel:

1. 1.Select header row
2. 2.Click Data > Filter
3. 3.Click filter arrow on "likes" column
4. 4.Number Filters > Greater Than > 100

Google Sheets:

1. 1.Click Data > Create a filter
2. 2.Click filter icon on "likes" column
3. 3.Filter by condition > Greater than > 100

Method 3: YouTube Data API

For developers needing programmatic access to top comments.

API Endpoint

GET https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3/commentThreads
?part=snippet
&videoId=VIDEO_ID
&order=relevance
&key=YOUR_API_KEY
&maxResults=100

Important parameters:

• order=relevance: Returns top comments first
• order=time: Returns newest comments first

Response Structure

{
  "items": [
    {
      "snippet": {
        "topLevelComment": {
          "snippet": {
            "authorDisplayName": "@TopCommenter",
            "textDisplay": "This video changed my life!",
            "likeCount": 15420,
            "publishedAt": "2026-01-01T12:00:00Z"
          }
        },
        "totalReplyCount": 234
      }
    }
  ]
}

Python Script for Top Comments

import requests
import json

API_KEY = 'your_api_key'
VIDEO_ID = 'dQw4w9WgXcQ'

def get_top_comments(video_id, min_likes=100):
    url = f'https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3/commentThreads'
    params = {
        'part': 'snippet',
        'videoId': video_id,
        'order': 'relevance',
        'key': API_KEY,
        'maxResults': 100
    }
    
    top_comments = []
    response = requests.get(url, params=params)
    data = response.json()
    
    for item in data.get('items', []):
        comment = item['snippet']['topLevelComment']['snippet']
        if comment['likeCount'] >= min_likes:
            top_comments.append({
                'author': comment['authorDisplayName'],
                'text': comment['textDisplay'],
                'likes': comment['likeCount'],
                'replies': item['snippet']['totalReplyCount']
            })
    
    return sorted(top_comments, key=lambda x: x['likes'], reverse=True)

# Get comments with 100+ likes
top = get_top_comments(VIDEO_ID, min_likes=100)
for c in top[:10]:
    print(f"[{c['likes']} likes] {c['author']}: {c['text'][:50]}...")

Analyzing Top Comments

What Top Comments Reveal

High positive likes indicate:

• Content resonating with audience
• Shared sentiments
• Popular opinions
• Memorable moments

High negative likes (when visible) indicate:

• Controversial opinions
• Common complaints
• Areas for improvement

Common Patterns in Top Comments

Metrics to Track

Exporting Top Comments for Use

Creating a Top Comments Report

Template structure:

# Top Comments Report: [Video Title]
**Date:** [Export Date]
**Total Comments:** [Number]
**Top Comments Analyzed:** [Number]

## Top 10 Most-Liked Comments

1. **@Username** (X,XXX likes)
   > "Comment text here"
   
2. **@Username** (X,XXX likes)
   > "Comment text here"

[Continue for top 10]

## Key Themes
- Theme 1 (X comments)
- Theme 2 (X comments)

## Actionable Insights
- Insight 1
- Insight 2

Use Cases for Exported Top Comments

1. Social Proof Marketing

"Don't take our word for it - here's what viewers say:
'This tutorial saved me hours of work!' - @User (2.3K likes)"

2. Content Planning

• Identify requested topics
• Find questions to answer
• Discover what moments people loved

3. Community Highlights

• Feature top commenters
• Create "best comments" compilations
• Reward engaged community members

Troubleshooting

"Top Comments" Shows Different Results Than Expected

Can't See Like Counts on Some Comments

Top Comments Change Over Time

Missing Comments from Top Results

Best Practices

For Creators

1. 1.Pin valuable top comments - Keep helpful comments visible
2. 2.Reply to top comments - Boost engagement signals
3. 3.Thank top commenters - Build community loyalty
4. 4.Use insights for content - Let popular comments guide future videos

For Researchers

1. 1.Document extraction methodology - Note date, tool, parameters
2. 2.Acknowledge limitations - Not all comments may be accessible
3. 3.Consider context - Like counts reflect sample audience
4. 4.Verify outliers - Very high likes may indicate manipulation

For Marketers

1. 1.Get permission - Before using comments in marketing
2. 2.Preserve authenticity - Don't edit quoted comments
3. 3.Attribute properly - Credit the commenter
4. 4.Update regularly - Top comments change over time

Use top comment analysis to identify successful content elements, gather testimonials, and understand community sentiment. Whether you're a creator optimizing your content, a researcher studying discourse, or a marketer seeking authentic voices, top comments reveal what matters most to viewers.

Related Resources:

• YouTube Comment Extractor Guide
• YouTube Comment Analysis Tools
• YouTube Comment Search Tool