How to Delete Your Reddit Account for Good

While Reddit is a great platform to engage in discussions, share content, and discover new ideas, there may come a time when you decide to bid farewell to your Reddit presence permanently. This tutorial walks you through the step-by-step instructions and shows how to delete your Reddit account for good.

Good to know: if you are concerned about things you’ve posted on Reddit and don’t want to delete your Reddit account, delete Reddit posts and comments.

What Happens When You Delete Your Reddit Account?

When you delete your Reddit account, it becomes deactivated, meaning other Reddit users won’t be able to access it. However, this doesn’t mean everything disappears.

Listed below is what generally happens when you deactivate your Reddit account:

• If someone has a direct link to your account, they will see a message stating your account has been deleted if they try to access it.

• Your posts and comments will still exist, but the username will say “[deleted].”

• Messages you sent to others may still be visible in their inboxes, but the users won’t be able to see who they came from.
• The votes (upvotes and downvotes) on your account will likely remain, but without any association with your account.
• You will no longer have access to the deleted account.

The deactivation process is not reversible, so it is important to be aware of the consequences before you proceed. Reddit does not allow its users to reactivate their accounts or reuse the same usernames should they create a new account in the future.

Also helpful: you may want to consider some Reddit alternatives if you are dissatisfied with the platform.

What You Should Do Before Deleting Reddit

If you decide to delete your Reddit account for good, here are a few things you should consider to ensure a smooth transition.

• Review your content: review your posts and comment history. As mentioned above, deactivating your account will not remove the content on your account. If you wish to keep something, consider saving it locally on your device. If you do not want to leave a trace behind, you must delete the content manually.
• Cancel subscriptions: if you have a Reddit Premium membership or active subscriptions, cancel them. This will help avoid any unnecessary charges or unwanted email notifications in the future.
• Transfer ownership: if you are a moderator of any subreddits, you may want to find a new moderator so that the community can keep running smoothly.
• Download personal data (optional): Reddit provides a feature that allows you to download a copy of your data associated with the account. Also consider using a third-party alternative.

Apart from these considerations, we recommend taking a moment to reflect on your decision. If you have further doubts or concerns, it’s a good idea to contact Reddit Support for clarification.

Tip: view and delete your Reddit history without deleting your account.

How to Delete a Reddit Account on Desktop

To delete your Reddit account on your desktop, follow the steps below:

1. Launch your preferred browser, and log in to your Reddit account.
2. Click on your profile picture in the upper-right corner, and choose “User settings” from the context menu.

3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and choose “Delete account.”

4. Enter the required credentials in the dialog box.

5. Check the “I understand that deleted accounts are not recoverable” box, then click “Delete.”

6. Click “Delete” again on the final confirmation prompt.

Also helpful: perform similar steps to delete your Twitter account or anything you tweeted.

How to Delete a Reddit Account on Mobile

Currently, you can only delete Reddit via your browser or through Reddit’s iOS app. If you own an Android device, you must use your mobile browser to complete the process.

Android

1. Launch your mobile browser, and log in to your Reddit account.
2. Click on the menu icon in the top right, and choose “Settings -> Account settings.”

3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click the “Delete account” option.

4. Enter the required credentials, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

iOS

1. Click on your avatar in the top-right corner of the app to launch your profile menu.

2. Choose “Settings.”

3. Head to the Support section, click “Delete account,” and follow the on-screen prompts to proceed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Reddit account deletion instant?

Yes, Reddit will delete your account instantly after you hit the “Delete” button. This action is not reversible, as Reddit does not allow users to reactivate their accounts.

Can I delete my Reddit account without my password?

You must know your password to delete your Reddit account. If you have forgotten the password, reset it before you proceed with the above steps to delete the account.

Can I delete my Reddit account without my email?

You can initiate the deletion process even if you have temporarily lost access to the email linked to your user account. However, please note that if you need to reset your account password, it will be necessary to have access to your email to proceed with the password reset.

Can I deactivate my Reddit account instead of deleting it?

As of 2023, Reddit does not allow users to deactivate their accounts temporarily. If you no longer want to use Reddit or a particular account, your only option is to delete it permanently. If you simply want a new experience, consider switching to one of the many Reddit clients for Android and iOS.

Image credit: Close-up shot of reddit’s popular app Reddit by DepositPhotos. All screenshots by Zainab Falak.