Reddit Not Working? Learn How to Troubleshoot

You may already know that Reddit boasts a massive and dedicated user base. With communities on every topic imaginable, it’s a place where millions and millions of people get into on a regular basis. If you’re one of them, finding Reddit not working can make you immediately look for solutions.

The thing is, Reddit outages are not that common. So, the first thing that may get in your head when you find it not working is that something might be wrong on your end. But that mightn’t always be the case. Now the question is, what should you do when you find it offline? Keep on reading to find more.

Check Whether Reddit Is Down

Before diving into troubleshooting, let’s first confirm if the issue is widespread or specific to your device.

First, try opening other websites or apps. If everything else works, there’s a higher chance Reddit itself is experiencing an outage. Next, visit Reddit’s official status website: Redditstatus.com. This is the most reliable source for information on any ongoing Reddit issues.

The last step is to check whether Reddit is not working for other users. You can check that with Down Detector. This website aggregates user reports and displays real-time outage information. Look for phrases like “possible problems at Reddit” or “problems at Reddit” to confirm widespread issues. Down Detector also allows you to report problems and view a live map of outages, helping you identify if it’s a localized issue.

Close and Reopen the Reddit App

Certain that the issue is specific to you? In that case, you need to get into the actual troubleshooting steps. And sometimes, a simple restart can fix the issue.

For App Users

1. Close the Reddit app completely. On Android, you can achieve this by going to Settings > Apps > Reddit > Force stop. iPhone users can swipe up from the bottom of the screen, pause, and then flick the Reddit app preview upwards to close it.
2. Reopen the Reddit app and see if the issue persists.

For Desktop Users

1. Close your web browser entirely.
2. For browsers like Chrome, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Del, followed by selecting “Task Manager” and ending the “Chrome.exe” process.
3. Relaunch your browser and navigate back to Reddit.

If restarting the app or browser doesn’t solve the problem, we’ll move on to further troubleshooting steps in the next section.

Check If Your App Is Updated When You Find Reddit Not Working

Outdated apps can sometimes introduce compatibility issues or bugs. These could prevent them from functioning properly. Here’s how to check for updates on both Android and iPhone devices:

Android Users

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner.
3. Select “Manage apps & device.”
4. Look for the “Updates available” section.
5. If an update for Reddit is available, tap “Update” next to it. Alternatively, you can hit “Update all” to update all your apps at once.

iPhone Users

1. Launch the Apple App Store app.
2. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner.
3. Under “Upcoming Automatic Updates,” you’ll see a list of apps with available updates.
4. Find the Reddit app and tap “Update” next to it. Alternatively, you can tap “Update All” to update all your apps simultaneously.

Clear Caches When You Find Reddit Not Working

Sometimes, temporary data stored by your app or browser (called cache) can become corrupted and cause problems. Clearing the cache allows the app to download fresh data, potentially resolving the issue. Here’s how to do it on both Android and Chrome:

For Chrome Users

1. Open the Chrome browser app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu button in the top right corner.
3. Select “Settings.”
4. Navigate to “Privacy and Security.”
5. Tap on “Clear browsing data.”
6. Choose the time range you want to clear data for (e.g., “All time”).
7. Tap on “Clear data” to confirm.

When clearing data, we recommend selecting all three options: cache, cookies, and browsing history. This ensures a more thorough cleanup.

For Android Users

1. Open the Settings app on your device.
2. Go into “Apps.”
3. Find the “Reddit” app under “See all apps.”
4. Tap on “Storage & cache.”
5. Select “Clear Cache” to remove temporary app data.

For iPhone Users

Unfortunately, iPhone apps don’t offer a direct way to clear the cache. However, you can achieve a similar effect by uninstalling and reinstalling the Reddit app:

1. Tap and hold on to the Reddit app icon for a few seconds until it jiggles.
2. Select “Remove App.”
3. Confirm the uninstallation by tapping “Delete App.”
4. Head over to the App Store and reinstall the Reddit app.

Restart Your Device and Check Your Internet Connection When Reddit Is Not Working

Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. Here are two key troubleshooting steps to try next:

Restart Your Device

A quick device restart can often work wonders! It clears temporary memory and allows your device to refresh its processes. This can potentially resolve issues causing problems with Reddit.

Check Your Internet Connection

If Reddit isn’t loading, ensure you have a stable internet connection. Open another website or app on your device. If nothing loads, the problem likely lies with your internet. Here’s what you can do:

• Restart Your Router:  A simple router restart can often fix connectivity issues. Many routers have a dedicated reset button, while some allow restarts through a mobile app. If these options aren’t available, unplug your router for a minute, then plug it back in and wait for it to fully power up.
• Verify Your Internet Service:  Double-check that your internet bill is paid and your service provider isn’t experiencing any outages.