Ready to leave Reddit for good, but worried you’ll click the wrong thing and lose something you wanted? That’s a fair worry. When you delete a Reddit account, Reddit cuts the link between you and your username permanently. Your posts and comments stay where they are. They’re just no longer tied to your name, and that one design choice explains most of the surprises people run into afterward.
You can delete your Reddit account on reddit.com, in the iPhone app, or in the Android app. Each takes only a few taps. Before you start, grab a copy of your data, cancel Reddit Premium separately if you pay for it, and set a password if you signed up with Google or Apple. This guide walks through every one of those steps.
Quick Reference: How to Delete a Reddit Account
| Scenario | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Deleting on a computer or mobile browser | Account Settings > Advanced > Delete Account |
| Deleting in the iPhone app | Avatar > Settings > Support > Delete account |
| Deleting in the Android app | Avatar > Settings > Account settings for u/username > Delete account |
| Signed up with Google or Apple | Disconnect it in Account Authorization and set a Reddit password first |
| Signed up with a phone number | Enter the verification code Reddit texts you during deletion |
| You pay for Reddit Premium | Cancel it where you subscribed — App Store, Google Play, or Reddit’s Account Settings if you paid by card or PayPal (deleting the account doesn’t stop billing) |
What Is Reddit Account Deletion?
Reddit account deletion is the built-in tool that permanently closes your account and retires your username. There’s no “pause” option. According to Reddit’s Help Center, a deleted account can’t be reactivated, and nobody (you included) can ever use that username again.
Key things to know:
- It works everywhere: The website, the official iPhone app, and the official Android app all have a delete option.
- It’s self-service: The in-app or on-site delete button is the documented way to close your account. Plan to use that button yourself rather than counting on a support request to do it for you.
- Your content stays put: Posts and comments aren’t automatically erased. They stay visible, but they’re no longer connected to your username.
- Billing is separate: Deleting your account doesn’t cancel a Premium subscription, so cancel it separately — in the App Store or Google Play if you subscribed through a store, or in Reddit’s Account Settings if you paid by credit card or PayPal.
This is for anyone who’s decided to leave Reddit permanently. If you just want to clean up old comments and keep your account, our guide to viewing and deleting your Reddit history is the better fit.
Before You Begin
Make sure you have:
- Your Reddit username and password (or access to the phone number on your account)
- A copy of your Reddit data, if you want one (see Step 1)
- Any posts or comments you don’t want left behind already deleted
- Reddit Premium cancelled where you subscribed (App Store, Google Play, or Reddit Account Settings), if you subscribe
- Moderator duties handed off to another mod, if you run any communities
- The official Reddit app for iPhone or Android, or any web browser
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Device | Computer, iPhone, or Android phone |
| App | Official Reddit app, or any browser at reddit.com |
| Sign-in | Password, phone number, or a newly set password for Google/Apple accounts |
| Cost | Free |
Deletion is permanent. Once you confirm, you can’t log back in, undo it, or get your username back.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Request a Copy of Your Reddit Data
Think of this like boxing up your stuff before you move out. Once the account is gone, you can’t come back for it.
Reddit lets you request a copy of your account data. The details on what Reddit collects and how to request it are on the How can I control how Reddit uses my information? Help page. Follow the data request instructions there, and make sure you have your file before you go any further.
Expected result: Your data request is submitted, and you receive your data the way that Help page describes.
Tip: Save the file somewhere that won’t vanish with an old phone, like cloud storage or a USB flash drive. If you’re keeping years of photos and files too, an external SSD is a cheap way to keep everything in one spot.
Step 2: Delete Any Posts or Comments You Don’t Want Left Behind
Here’s that design choice again. Deleting your account removes your name from your posts, but the posts themselves stay public. If you posted something you’d rather nobody read, delete it now while you can still sign in.
Our guide to viewing and deleting your Reddit history covers this process step by step. Reddit’s own How do I delete a post? page has the basics too.
Expected result: The posts and comments you picked no longer appear on your profile.
Step 3: Hand Off Your Communities (Moderators Only)
If you moderate any subreddits, it’s worth sorting this out first as a precaution. A deleted account can’t come back to reclaim mod status, since deletion is permanent and there’s no undo.
We’d recommend making sure another active moderator is in place for each community before you leave. Reddit’s deletion instructions don’t specifically address moderator succession, but taking this step avoids leaving a subreddit without anyone at the wheel.
Expected result: Each community you moderate has someone else ready to run it.
Step 4: Cancel Reddit Premium (If You Subscribe)
This is the gotcha people miss most often. Deleting your Reddit account doesn’t automatically cancel a Premium subscription. Depending on how you subscribed, the subscription can keep renewing until you cancel it in the right place.
Cancel it where you originally subscribed:
- On iPhone, through the App Store: Open your Apple account’s subscriptions list, find Reddit, and cancel.
- On Android, through Google Play: Open the Google Play Store app, go to your subscriptions, find Reddit, and cancel.
- Paid by credit card or PayPal: Cancel from Reddit’s Account Settings instead of an app store, following Reddit’s subscription cancellation guide.
Menu names in the App Store and Google Play shift around a bit, so check Apple’s or Google’s own help pages if you can’t find the list. You can cancel before or after you delete the account. I’d do it before, simply so you don’t forget.
Expected result: The subscription shows as cancelled, with no future renewal date, wherever you cancel it.
Step 5: Set a Password (Google, Apple, or Phone Sign-Ups)
If you created your account with Google or Apple, you probably never set a Reddit password. The delete screen asks for one, so you need to create it first.
- Sign in at reddit.com and open your Account Settings.
- Find the Account Authorization section.
- Click disconnect next to your connected Google or Apple account.
- Create a Reddit password when Reddit prompts you.
- Head back to Account Settings to continue with deletion.
Signed up with only a phone number? You can skip this step. Reddit sends a verification code to your number during deletion, and you enter that instead of a password.
Tip: Store the new password in a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password. You’ll only need it once, but you’ll need it in the next few minutes.
Expected result: Your account now has a Reddit password, or you know a text code is coming.
Step 6: Delete Your Account
Pick the subsection for the device you’re using. The end result is the same everywhere.
On the Web
- Sign in at reddit.com on a computer or mobile browser.
- Open your Account Settings.
- Scroll down to the Advanced section.
- Click Delete Account.
- Enter your password to confirm. If your account was created with a phone number and has no password, enter the verification code Reddit texts you instead.
- Tick the checkbox confirming you understand deleted accounts can’t be recovered.
- Click Delete.
Expected result: Reddit signs you out, and the account is gone.
On iPhone
- Open the official Reddit app and tap your avatar.
- Tap Settings.
- Scroll down to the Support section.
- Tap Delete account.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to enter your password or code and confirm.
Expected result: The app signs you out once deletion is confirmed.
On Android
- Open the official Reddit app and tap your avatar in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Account settings for u/yourusername.
- Scroll to the very bottom of the screen.
- Tap Delete account and follow the on-screen confirmation steps.
Expected result: The app signs you out once deletion is confirmed.
Configuration: Settings Worth Knowing
Account deletion is a one-way button, but a few nearby settings shape how smoothly it goes:
- Account Authorization: Shows which Google or Apple logins are linked to your account. Disconnecting one forces you to set a Reddit password, which the delete flow needs.
- Data request: Asks Reddit to bundle up a copy of your account data. Nothing happens here unless you request it.
- Delete Account: The final control. It’s an action, so there’s no on/off state to check later.
If Something Goes Wrong
Most deletion problems come down to how you signed up. Try these quick checks first:
- Make sure you’re signed in to the right account (easy to mix up if you have a few).
- Retype your password slowly, since the field is case-sensitive.
- Confirm the phone number on your account still gets texts.
- Close and reopen the Reddit app, or refresh the browser tab.
Common Issues
Problem: Reddit won’t accept a password because you signed up with Google or Apple
- Open Account Settings on reddit.com.
- Go to Account Authorization and click disconnect next to Google or Apple.
- Create a Reddit password when prompted.
- Return to Account Settings and delete the account.
Problem: There’s no password prompt, just a request for a code
- That’s normal for phone-number accounts.
- Watch for a text with a verification code.
- Enter it to confirm deletion.
Problem: Reddit says your password is incorrect
- Double-check for typos and Caps Lock.
- Use Reddit’s password reset option if you’ve forgotten it.
- Try deleting again with the new password.
Problem: Reddit Premium is still charging you after deletion
- Check how you originally subscribed — App Store, Google Play, or by credit card/PayPal through Reddit.
- Cancel it in the matching location: the store’s subscriptions page, or Reddit’s Account Settings if you paid by card or PayPal.
Problem: You asked Reddit support to delete your account and nothing happened
- The documented way to delete an account is the self-service Delete Account button, not a support request.
- Use the Delete Account button on the web, iPhone, or Android instead.
- For other account issues, use the Reddit support request form.
Tips and Hidden Features
- Mobile Works Fine: You don’t need a computer. Both the iPhone and Android apps can delete your account start to finish.
- Can I Undo It? No. Reddit doesn’t offer a grace period or a recovery option, and your username is retired for everyone.
- Old Posts Stick Around: Your comments stay public after deletion, just without your name attached. Clean up first if that bothers you.
- Want a Fresh Start Instead? You can make a brand-new account later, but you’ll need a different username.
- Help in Other Languages: Reddit’s deletion article is also available in German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, and Romanian.
Wrapping Up
The delete button itself is quick. The prep work is where people get tripped up, especially the Premium charges and the posts that outlive the account. Remember that Reddit cuts your name loose but leaves your words behind, and you’ll know exactly what to clean up first.
My take? Reddit makes leaving easy, and that’s a good thing. I just wish the delete screen warned you about ongoing subscription billing, because that’s the mistake that costs real money.
| Step | Action | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Request a copy of your data | Everyone |
| 2 | Delete posts and comments you don’t want left | Everyone (optional) |
| 3 | Hand off your communities | Moderators |
| 4 | Cancel Premium where you subscribed (App Store, Google Play, or Account Settings) | Premium subscribers |
| 5 | Disconnect Google/Apple and set a password | Google/Apple sign-ups |
| 6 | Delete the account | Web, iPhone, Android |