Reddit Removal Guide: Delete Your Account and Remove Posts

Last Updated on February 14, 2025

That post, that comment, that subreddit – if you’re here, it’s coming back to haunt you. Whether you shared it on Reddit, or someone else did, it’s impacting your online reputation, internet privacy, and maybe even your job prospects or business.

You’re not alone. Many people regret their past Reddit activity, unsure how to erase it, or how to deal with damaging content posted by others.

This Reddit removal guide offers step-by-step instructions on deleting your account and removing damaging content – whether you posted it or someone else did. Plus, we’ll show you how to avoid the biggest mistake people make when trying to delete their Reddit presence. 

What to Know About Deleting Your Reddit Account

Deleting your reddit account does not automatically remove your posts and comments.

Do not delete your Reddit account before removing your individual posts. 

This is the biggest mistake we see when people want to completely erase their Reddit history – they panic about the negative content about them and rush to delete their profile. 

If you delete your account without removing your individual posts, they will remain on the platform. Your username will be removed, but the content stays there – and you’re left with no way to remove them without an account. 

The only way to fully remove your own content is to manually remove posts and comments before deleting your profile.

Only moderators can remove other user’s content.

Unfortunately, the only way you can remove someone else’s post is if you’re removing it from a Subreddit that you own. 

Other than that, you’ll need to contact the subreddit moderator and ask them to remove a particular post or comment – which they may or may not do. 

Reddit and moderators typically only remove content if it violates a specific platform policy (more on this below). 

Others may have already seen and saved your posts by the time you delete it.

If you’ve been a Reddit user for years, others may have seen your post by the time you get around to deleting them. Anyone could have screenshotted the post or saved the link to it by now.

With a screenshot, they can reshare the post elsewhere on Reddit or other social media and forum sites without you knowing.

With a link, people may be able to find deleted posts on third-party internet archive sites like the Wayback Machine or Unddit. 

Plus, if users have a link to a deleted post, they can still see other’s comments on that post and can figure out what it was about based on context clues.

For a quick solution: Set up google alerts for your name and username to try and find reposts of your content or mentions of you. Reputation management services can also track down negative content about you to protect your online reputation.

Reddit posts rank highly in Google search results.

As a site with high authority, Reddit tends to rank highly in search results. The site gets extremely high levels of user engagement, resulting in a constant stream of fresh content (which Google’s algorithm loves).

Because of that, people searching you or your business’s name could see negative Reddit posts on your first page of results, negatively affecting your personal or business reputation.

Even after deleting your posts and account, it may still be visible in search results for some time unless you request the link removal from Google directly. (Our last step will show you exactly how to do this!)

Can You Request Reddit to Delete Content for You?

Reddit doesn’t usually remove content just because you request it (even if it’s impacting you negatively). Content is typically only removed if it falls under one of these categories:

• Personal information exposure (doxxing): Sharing someone’s private information without their consent is a serious violation and grounds for removal.
• Copyright infringement (DMCA takedown): If content infringes on copyright laws, Reddit will comply with DMCA takedown requests. 
• Harassment for revenge content: Content designed specifically to harass or for revenge is against platform policies.
• Explicit images without consent (revenge porn): Leaking intimate images without consent is illegal and will result in content removal.

Report Content on Reddit

• Tap the three dots on the post or comment. The location may vary slightly depending on your app version or if you’re on desktop.   

• Tap the Report button next to the flag.

• Choose the reason that best describes why you’re reporting the content. Be as accurate as possible to help Reddit understand the issue and take appropriate action.

• Provide any additional information as necessary.
• Tap “Next” to submit the report. 

You can also submit a report here or submit a copyright violation report here. 

5 Steps to Completely Erase Your Reddit Account & Content

To completely erase your Reddit presence, you need to approach it methodically. Rushing the process can leave traces of your activity behind. Our step-by-step method will help you remove your account and content thoroughly. 

Step 1: Identify Negative Reddit Posts

For a thorough removal, it’s a good idea to document any negative content about you before you start deleting anything. 

• Search Reddit: Use relevant keywords, including your name, username, and any other identifying information to search for posts and comments.

• Review Your Post History: If you’ve been an active Redditor, review your own post and comment history, paying attention to anything particularly unprofessional or negative.

• Document Everything: As you find negative content (posted by you or someone else), copy and paste the link into a document. That way, you can easily request link removal on Google later (or bring the list to a reputation management professional). 

Step 2: Delete All Your Reddit Posts and Comments

Now that you’ve identified the negative content, it’s time to remove it. Do not delete your Reddit account before removing your individual posts and comments. If you delete your account first, your content will remain on the platform, but you’ll lose the ability to remove it.

Manual Removal:

Reddit doesn’t offer a bulk delete option, so you’ll need to remove your posts and comments manually.

• Navigate to Your Profile: Tap on your avatar in the top-right corner. Underneath that, go to “Profile”. From there, you can toggle between “Posts”, “Comments”, and “About”.

• Delete Individual Posts: For each post you want to remove, click the three dots on the top-right of the post. Tap “Delete”.

• Delete Your Comments: Similarly, find the “Comments” section of your profile. Repeat the delete process for each comment you wish to remove.

Third-Party Tools (Use with Caution):

Users used to use tools like “Nuke Reddit History”, but it is no longer functional due to Reddit API changes. Some users have pointed to tools like “ereddicator”.

But, exercise caution when using third-party apps. Research any tool thoroughly before using it – it may not completely work and may even compromise your account security. 

Other considerations:

• Upvotes and downvotes: Even after deleting posts, your upvotes and downvotes on others’ content may still be visible. To fix this, disable the “Make my votes public” option in your preferences.
• Time commitment: Deleting a large number of posts can be time consuming. Be prepared to sit down and dedicate a good amount of time doing this – especially if you’ve been a long time user. 

Step 3: Delete Your Subreddit

Unfortunately, you can’t actually delete a subreddit once it’s been created. (Yes, that heading was a bit misleading). But, you can effectively make it disappear from public view by setting it to private and removing yourself as a moderator. 

Making a Subreddit Private:

• Find your subreddit: Tap the three lines on the top-left of your screen. Under “Moderating”, tap the subreddit you want to delete.

• Access Mod Tools: Tap on the blue button labeled “Mod Tools” next to the subreddit name. 

• Change Community Type: Within the Mod Tools, look for “Community Type”. Change it from “Public” to “Private”. This will prevent anyone new from accessing the subreddit and hide it from public searches.

Removing Yourself as Moderator:

• View Moderators: In the Mod Tools, find “Moderators” under “User Management”.

• Leave as Moderator: From there, click “Editable”. Tap the three dots next to your username. Tap “Remove”. You should no longer see the subreddit in your “Moderating” list. 

Step 4: Permanently Delete Your Reddit Account

After thoroughly removing all your posts and reporting harmful content, it’s time to delete your Reddit account. This action is irreversible, so make sure you were really thorough in the first three steps. Once your account is gone, it’s gone for good. 

How to Delete Your Account:

• Navigate to Settings: Tap on your profile icon and click Settings > Account Settings. The exact location might vary slightly depending on whether you’re on the desktop site or the mobile app.

• Delete Account: Scroll to the bottom of the Account Settings page and click “Delete Account” (in red).

• Confirm Deletion: Click “Yes, delete”, and then enter your password.

What to Do If Reddit Won’t Let You Delete Your Account

Some users report difficulties in deleting their accounts. Here are some common issues and how to resolve them:

You Forgot Your Password

Reddit requires the correct password to delete your account. If you haven’t logged in for a while and have forgotten your password:

1. Change Password: Go to User Settings > Account Settings > Change Password.
2. Follow Instructions: Follow the instructions to reset your password.
3. Log In and Delete: Once you’ve reset your password and logged back in, you should be able to deactivate your account.

You Created Your Account Using Google or Apple Login

If you created your Reddit account using your Google or Apple account, you won’t have a traditional Reddit password. You’ll need to set one:

• Set a Password: Click your profile icon and go to Settings > Account Settings > Change Password. Click “Forgot Password” and follow the reset process.

• Disconnect Google/Apple: Go back to Settings > Account Settings and scroll down to the “Connected Accounts” section and click “Disconnect” next to Google/Apple.

Technical Issues

Sometimes, technical glitches can prevent account deletion. Try these solutions if using the desktop version of Reddit:

• Different Browser: Try using a different web browser.
• Clear Cache: Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.

Contact Support

If none of the above solutions work, your best bet is to contact Reddit support directly. Explain the issue you’re encountering, and they should be able to provide further assistance.

Step 5: Remove Reddit Links from Google Search

You’re not done yet! Even after deleting your account and posts, they still might appear in Google search results for a while. 

This happens because search engines cache web pages, meaning they store a copy of the page at a particular point in time. 

Sometimes it takes a while for them to re-crawl the page on their own, but you can expedite this process:

Using Google’s Remove Outdated Content Tool:

1. Access the Tool: Go to Google’s “Remove Outdated Content” tool.
2. New Request: Click “New Request” to begin the removal process.
3. Select Reason: You’ll be asked to select the reason for using the tool. Choose the option that best describes your situation (e.g., “To refresh Google’s outdated result for a webpage that has changed”).
4. Paste URL: Pull up that document you created in step 1. Copy and paste the URL of the deleted page into the provided field. Make sure you have the correct, full URL.
5. Submit Request: Click “Submit” to send your removal request to Google.
6. Multiple Requests: If you have more than one URL to remove, you’ll need to submit a separate request for each one. 

After that, Google will review your request. 

If the page no longer exists (which it shouldn’t, since you deleted it), they will typically remove it from their search results relatively quickly. 

However, sometimes it can take a few days or even weeks for the removal to be reflected in search results. There is not a 100% guarantee that they will remove the page at all. 

What to Do If You Can’t Fully Remove Your Reddit Content

Even after following the steps above, there might be situations where you can’t fully remove certain harmful Reddit content – especially content written by other users. But, if this happens, you still have options. 

Suppress the Reddit Content in Google Search Results

If you can’t remove a Reddit post or page, the next best strategy is to push it down in Google search results. The goal is to make it less visible, ideally pushing it off the first few pages (where most people look).

The suppression strategy involves: 

• Creating High-Quality Content: Publish informative, engaging, and relevant content on various platforms. This could include blog posts on your own website, articles on relevant industry sites, profiles on professional platforms like LinkedIn, and active social media presence.
• Optimizing for Search Engines: Use relevant keywords related to your name or business in your content. This will help search engines understand what your content is about and rank it higher in search results.
• Building Backlinks: Get other reputable websites to link to your positive content. These backlinks act as votes of confidence in the eyes of search engines, boosting your rankings.

Contact Reputation Management Professionals

Dealing with negative online content can be a challenge for individuals to deal with by themselves. 

Reddit’s high search engine ranking means that simply creating a few blog posts might not be enough to bury negative content. Aggressive SEO tactics are often needed, and it can be difficult to know how effective your efforts are if you’re doing it yourself.

If you’re struggling to remove or suppress unwanted content, consider contacting a professional reputation management service.

How Reputation911 Can Help You:

Reputation911 specializes in helping individuals and businesses manage their online reputation. We understand the complexities of search engine algorithms and employ proven strategies to remove or suppress negative online content.

With us, you’ll get:

• Comprehensive Online Presence: We’ll build out professional listings and social media profiles, and create a custom, personally branded website with an exact match domain.
• Professional Content Creation: Our dedicated team of content writers will craft relevant, search engine optimized bios, pages, and blog posts to enhance your online presence.
• Real-Time Monitoring and Reporting: We’ll monitor your search terms and provide monthly status updates from your dedicated account manager, so you’re always aware of the progress.

Summary & Next Steps

Deleting your Reddit account is a significant step in managing your online presence, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. 

Key Takeaways:

• Content First, Account Second: Always delete your individual posts and comments before deleting your account. This is the most crucial step to ensure complete removal of your content.
• Google Removal: Don’t forget to remove outdated links from Google search results using their removal tool.
• Suppression is an Option: If Reddit won’t remove certain information, you still have options for suppressing its visibility in search results.

Need Immediate Help?

If you’re facing a time-sensitive reputation crisis or need expert assistance navigating the complexities of online reputation management, contact Reputation911 for professional services. We’re here to help you protect and enhance your online image.

FAQs

Can moderators restore a post I deleted?

No, moderators cannot restore posts that you have deleted yourself. Once you delete a post, it’s gone from Reddit’s servers. Some reputation management services suggest “overwriting” posts before deleting them as a precaution against cached versions resurfacing. However, this is generally unnecessary if you are simply deleting your own content.

Moderators can restore posts that they have removed from their subreddit. However, this only applies to posts they took down, not posts that you deleted. If you delete your own post, even a moderator can’t bring it back.

Of course, if someone has taken a screenshot or copied your original post, that’s a different story. You can’t control what other people do with content they’ve seen. This is why it’s important to be mindful of what you post online in the first place.

How do I uninstall Reddit?

Uninstalling the Reddit app depends on your device:

• Android: Go to your device’s Settings > Apps (or Applications) > find the app > tap Uninstall. Alternatively, you can long-press the app icon on your home screen or app drawer and drag it to the Uninstall option.
• iOS (iPhone/iPad): Lightly touch and hold the app icon until it jiggles. Tap the “x” or “-” that appears on the app icon. Confirm the deletion.

Uninstalling the app removes it from your device, but it does not delete your Reddit account. If you want to delete your account, you must do so through the website or app before uninstalling.

Does Reddit permanently delete?

Yes, Reddit offers a permanent account deletion option. However, it’s crucial to understand what “permanently deleted” means in this context:  

• Account Deletion: Deleting your account removes your username and prevents you from logging in again.  
• Content Removal: You must delete your posts and comments before deleting your account. Otherwise, they will remain on Reddit (though your username will be removed).  
• Search Engine Caches: Even after deleting your content, it might still appear in search engine results for a while. You’ll need to request removal from search engines like Google.
• No Restoration: Account deletion is irreversible. Once your account is gone, it cannot be recovered.  

How do I hide my Reddit profile from Google search?

You can prevent your Reddit profile from appearing in Google search results without deleting your account. 

Tap your profile > Settings > Account Settings > scroll down to “Privacy” > find the option “Show up in search results” > Toggle the button to disable. 

This will prevent your profile from being indexed by search engines. It might take some time for the change to be reflected in search results.

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About The Author

William DiAntonio

William DiAntonio is the Founder & CEO of Reputation911, a reputation management firm he founded in 2010 that has earned the trust of its clients for over a decade by helping individuals, businesses and brands control their online search results.