As a long-time Tumblr user and blogger, I've seen how the platform's reblogging system helps great content spread quickly. But for direct visitors landing on your blog, wouldn't it be ideal if your standout posts were front and center? Without endless scrolling, newcomers might miss your best work.
This is where Tumblr's Top Posts feature shines. It automatically showcases your most popular posts right below your blog header on mobile. In this guide, drawn from hands-on experience managing multiple Tumblr blogs, I'll break down what Top Posts are, the exact criteria, whether you can control them, and how to turn them off if needed.
Tumblr's Top Posts highlight your blog's most popular content from the last three months. Mobile visitors see a preview pane just below the header, tapping it reveals a dedicated page with the top 20 posts. Desktop users don't see this feature yet.
A post qualifies based on comments received in the last three months, with at least one comment in the last two months. Tumblr ranks them by comment volume, selecting the top 20. Both original posts and reblogs are included—for reblogs, only new comments on your version count, not the originals.
Note: If comments are disabled on your blog, enable them promptly to qualify for Top Posts.Unfortunately, Tumblr doesn't allow customizing Top Posts. There's no option to pin specific content or remove unwanted ones. While frustrating for bloggers wanting to promote certain pieces, future updates might add this—stay tuned.
Top Posts can distract from fresh content or highlight reblogs you'd rather downplay. Fortunately, disabling is straightforward via the Tumblr mobile app (Android or iOS)—no desktop option exists.
Step 1: Open the app and tap the Account icon.
Step 2: Select the blog, then tap Settings.
Step 3: Scroll down and toggle off 'Show Top Posts'.
Mobile visitors won't see Top Posts anymore. Re-enable anytime in Settings. This only affects the selected blog.
For browsing others' blogs, Top Posts offer quick access to hits—but if annoying, you can't disable them. The setting only applies to your own blogs. Politely message the admin requesting they turn it off, citing distractions.
Top Posts boost visibility for buried gems amid reblogs, driving engagement. However, zero control and potential distraction from new content are downsides. Weigh these based on your goals—Tumblr makes toggling easy, so test it out.
