Deleting your Reddit account can be a daunting task if you don’t know where to start. With over 50 million daily users, Reddit holds a vast trove of personal information and content associated with your account. Severing ties with Reddit means losing access to all of that content and community interaction forever.
However, there are many valid reasons why someone may want to delete Reddit account. Perhaps you feel your usage has become excessive or unhealthy. Maybe there’s some problematic content or conversations you want to remove yourself from. Or you may simply want a clean break from the platform.
Whatever the reason, deleting your Reddit account has clear implications you need to consider. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know before taking that permanent step.
Understanding the Implications of Deleting Your Reddit Account
Before jumping straight into the deletion process, it’s important to understand what deleting your Reddit account really means:
- All account content will be permanently removed – This includes posts, comments, saved content, chat messages, awarder and awardee karma. Everything associated with your account will be wiped from Reddit’s servers.
- The deletion is irreversible – Unlike deactivating your account, deletion is permanent. There is no going back to reactivate or recover anything from the account.
- Your username will become available to claim – After the account is deleted, anyone can create a new account using your former username.
- You lose specialist access – Subreddits you moderated and Premium membership perks will be discontinued when the account no longer exists.
Essentially, deleting your Reddit account erases your digital footprint on the platform. It severs all ties built up through content, conversations and connections made over time.
While this can provide a feeling of catharsis for some, it requires accepting the permanent loss of potentially personally meaningful content. Weigh up this decision carefully before proceeding.
Overview of the Reddit Account Deletion Process
Reddit makes deleting your account a straightforward process:
- Access account deletion page
- Confirm password and provide reason for deletion
- Receive confirmation email and verification link
- Click verification link to complete deletion
The process is designed to be simple while ensuring account security. However, as we’ll explore later, there are some common issues that can obstruct or complicate the process if you’re unaware.
Now let’s walk through how to delete Reddit account step-by-step for both desktop and mobile.
Step-by-Step Guide to Delete Reddit Account
Via Desktop
Follow these instructions to permanently delete Reddit account using the desktop website:
- Log Into Your Account – Make sure you’re logged into the account you want to delete via the desktop site.
- Access Account Settings – Click your username in the top right to access a dropdown menu. Select “User Settings”.
- Navigate to Deactivate Page – From here, navigate to Account in the left sidebar and select Deactivate Account.
- Provide Details – On this page, check your account details like username and email address. Then enter your current password to confirm authorization.
You’ll also be asked to provide the main reason why you’re deleting your account. Select the option that best represents your circumstances from the dropdown menu.
- Verify Email – After submitting your details, check the email account associated with your Reddit profile.
Open the Account Deactivation Verification email from Reddit and click the blue verification link inside. This confirms you intentionally want to delete reddit account.
- Account Deleted – Finally, return to Reddit where you’ll see a confirmation message that your account has been scheduled for deletion.
Within 1-3 days (usually much sooner), all traces of your Reddit account and associated content will be wiped from existence.
And that’s it! While simple, be absolutely certain before going through these deletion steps. There is no way to recover anything from your Reddit account once permanently erased.
Via Mobile App
To delete Reddit account from the mobile app, follow these steps:
- Open App Settings – Launch the Official Reddit App and tap your profile icon in the top left. Scroll down and select “Settings”.
- Choose Account – Scroll down to Account and tap on it.
- Navigate to Bottom – Scroll right to the bottom and tap “Deactivate Account”.
- Provide Details – Like on desktop, you’ll need to enter your account password here to confirm authorization.
Select the reason for deactivating from the dropdown menu options as well.
- Verify via Email – Check your registered email account for a Verification Email from Reddit. Open it up and click the blue Verify Deactivation link inside.
- Confirm Deactivation – Return to the Reddit app which will now show an account deactivation confirmation message.
Within 1-3 days your account will be completely deleted. All content and data associated with it will be removed from Reddit permanently.
And your Reddit account mobile deletion is now fully processed. Remember there is no way to restore anything after following through with permanent deletion.
Special Cases – Google, Apple or Facebook Accounts
In some cases, your Reddit account login credentials may be tied to a third party account like Google, Facebook or Apple.
If this applies to you, deleting your Reddit account requires some extra steps:
- Disconnect Third Party Account – You first need to disconnect the Google/Facebook/Apple association within your Reddit account settings. This decouples the login method from the Reddit profile.
- Link an Email – With the third party account removed, link an independent email address to your Reddit account. This separate email will be needed to receive the deletion verification link later.
- Follow Standard Deletion Process – Once your Reddit account relies on its own email login, you can proceed with the standard deletion process outlined earlier.
Without first disconnecting from the third party service, deleting Reddit will have no impact on associated Google/Facebook/Apple accounts. Be sure to fully decouple them before Reddit account removal.
Considering Content Implications Before Deleting
Before following through with permanent deletion, consider how it will impact posts, comments, subscriptions and other account content. While deleting a Reddit account provides a clean break from the platform, it also erases your contributions and online connections.
Here are some implications to weigh up:
Deleted Posts and Comments
All your created Reddit posts, comments, images and videos will be removed from public view and server archives:
- Valuable information and insights you shared will disappear.
- Context will be lost where you interacted in threads and communities.
- Creative visual content published will vanish without a trace.
If you want to preserve anything before deletion, manually archive or backup key pieces of content externally.
Lost Subscriptions and Saved Content
Your account removal similarly breaks all subscriptions and removes access to saved posts and comments:
- Subscriptions to users, communities and posts will cease.
- Saved posts, comments and collections will all be lost.
- Years of cultivated content tailored to your interests will be wiped out.
So if you want to reminisce about your interests and Reddit journey in future, be sure to locally save any meaningful subscribed or saved content.
Severed Connections and Recognition
Deleting your Reddit account severs invaluable connections and erases recognition markers like karma:
- You lose all social connections and private chats.
- Years of accumulated post/comment karma disappears.
- Awards received (and awarded from your account) are removed.
Essentially, all the social capital you built around niche interests and relationships is erased. Keep copies of any interactions or connections worth preserving.
While deleting Reddit provides a liberating fresh start for some, permanently losing these digital imprints and connections can feel devastating for others. Make sure you are emotionally and practically prepared before committing to account removal.
Alternatives to Full Reddit Account Deletion
Permanently deleting your Reddit account and all associated contributions is a final, irreversible action. However, for some people it can feel drastic or extreme.
If you still like aspects of Reddit but need some separation from past content or habits, consider these intermediate alternatives:
Deactivate Your Account Temporarily
Unlike full deletion, deactivating pauses your Reddit account while retaining all posts, subscriptions and connections. You can reactive whenever ready to resume your Reddit journey where you left off.
It provides breathing room without fully cutting ties.
Prune Old Posts and Comments
You can selectively delete Reddit account/ post and comment history manually without removing your account. This allows keeping subscriptions and connections while erasing previous writings.
It provides a fresh start just for future interactions.
Unsubscribe and Unlike Saved Content
For a lighter separation, you can unlike saved posts and unsubscribe from communities and users. This tailors Reddit’s content algorithm away from associated recommendations.
It distances past interests and focuses the platform solely on new preferred content.
Manage Notifications and Screen Time
Limiting Reddit’s capacity to distract you through notifications and screen time restrictions allows keeping the account while keeping your usage controlled.
You can configure notifications to only come from selected priority subscriptions rather than everything. Quieter hours can also mute non-essential pings when you need to focus.
Screen time limits likewise let you allot only a certain window for Reddit browsing daily or weekly. This restricts endless scrolling feeds when you have other tasks that need attention.
Segmenting Reddit usage this way sustains your access to subscribed content and communities without it becoming all-consuming. You benefit from the platform’s connectivity without being chained to its notifications and feeds.
Troubleshooting Common Reddit Account Deletion Issues
While Reddit aims to make account deletion straightforward, glitches can obstruct the process for some users. Here are fixes for some common issues:
Verification Email Not Arriving
A key step in Reddit deletion involves verifying your request via email. But sometimes the verification message gets lost or filtered away from your inbox.
First, check your email spam and junk folders for the verification message. If it’s still nowhere to be found, try repeating the deletion request and use an alternative email address you have added to your Reddit account.
Still no luck? Submit a Reddit Help desk request to have a verification email manually sent to you again.
Access Blocked by Third Party Accounts
As outlined earlier, Reddit accounts registered through Google/Apple/Facebook logins require extra steps before deletion. You first need to disconnect this association and link an independent email.
If you skip this preliminary step, trying to delete Reddit account will only sign you out of the independent app/website. Your profile remains fully intact and accessible through logging in again via Google/Facebook.
Be sure to properly detach from these third party logins first before expecting Reddit account removal.
Unable to Access Account Email Anymore
For Reddit users who registered many years ago, they may no longer have access to the original email account. This becomes a roadblock when trying to receive the all-important verification message for account deletion.
If you cannot access your registrant email inbox, submit a Reddit Help Request. Explain your situation of wanting to delete Reddit account but lacking email access. Providing alternative confirmation of your identity may allow admins to manually push through the removal request.
But lack of access to the registrant email often means you cannot fully delete Reddit account. Creating a new stand-in Reddit profile may be your only option.
Deleting Reddit Accounts Via Third Party Apps
Outside the official Reddit platform, some third-party apps and browser extensions promise convenience features to delete Reddit account instantly.
However, proceed with extreme caution before utilizing such tools:
- Recently Banned – Major third party Reddit apps like Redective and Rushbox were recently banned from accessing Reddit API data for violating policies.
- Unofficial Access – They require handing over your login credentials which exposes account security and privacy vulnerabilities.
- Not Verified – As unofficial tools, the full account deletion process may not be accurately completed. Data might still remain stored somewhere.
For guaranteed removal from existence, only use Reddit’s official deletion process outlined earlier. While slower, it completely severs ties within their infrastructure.
Last Words
Deleting your Reddit account cuts ties with a popular internet pillar that for some is entwined with decades of memories, content and connections. Severing everything permanently within a couple of clicks via Reddit’s deletion process can feel deceivingly simple.
But as outlined in this guide, you must go into account deletion fully informed. Consider alternatives to complete removal based on what aspects cause you frustrations. Download or archive anything valuable before eliminating your access. And ensure common issues don’t obstruct your request.
While deleting a Reddit account provides catharsis for some, ensure you will not regret losing your digital imprint or community connections. There is never a way back after following through with permanent removal.
The decision ultimately comes down to which provides greater relief – removing potential burdens and baggage by shutting the door on years of online history, or retaining access to reminisce even if parts cause discomfort. There are reasonable arguments on both sides.
Hopefully weighing up the full implications and process details here steers you towards making a wise, well-informed decision on deleting your Reddit account. Just be sure before taking that irrevocable, final step.
