This site is not affiliated with Reddit; this is an independent explanation.
Reddit not working may show up as an empty home feed, comments that never open, a grey image, or a notice about an error or blocked access. The cause is rarely one thing, so it helps to sort the problem into three groups: the site, your network and your app.
Work through the checks in order. Each one rules out a whole group, so you do not need to try everything. If only one community fails while the rest of the site loads, jump to the section on restricted communities, since that is a rule of the community and not a fault.
Common causes
1Reddit itself is slow or partly down
How to tellFeed spins, posts load without comments, others report the same
What fixes itWait, and check the site's official status page or social account
2Network or DNS blocking the site
How to tellFails on one Wi-Fi or SIM but loads on another
What fixes itSwitch network, or change the Private DNS setting to automatic
3Too many requests from your connection
How to tellA message about slowing down, often on shared or office networks
What fixes itPause for several minutes, then reload once
4Community is private, restricted or removed
How to tellOnly one community fails with a notice about access
What fixes itNothing to repair; ask the moderators or find another community
5Stuck app data or old version
How to tellWebsite works, app shows blank screens or crashes
What fixes itUpdate, clear the cache, or reinstall
6VPN or ad blocker interfering
How to tellStarted after turning on a VPN, DNS filter or blocker
What fixes itTurn it off for a test
7Account sign-in or age setting
How to tellSome posts hidden or asked to log in again
What fixes itLog in again and check content settings
How to fix it, step by step
Load it in a mobile browser
Type the site address into your phone browser. If posts show up there, the service is alive and the trouble is inside the app. If the browser also shows an error, the cause is the site or your network.
Change networks for one minute
Turn off Wi-Fi and try on mobile data, or join a different Wi-Fi. Some home routers and office networks filter social sites, and a different path proves it quickly. If neither works, read internet not working.
Turn off any VPN or DNS filter
A VPN can send you through a country or server that the site slows down. Switch it off and reload. Also look in your phone's network settings for a Private DNS entry and set it back to automatic if you added one earlier.
Pause, then reload once
If you saw a warning about slowing down, you sent too many requests. Put the phone down for five minutes. Repeated reloading keeps the limit active. The web equivalent is explained in 429 Too Many Requests.
Refresh the feed properly
Pull down on the feed to refresh, or switch from the Home tab to Popular and back. A feed that does not load but opens in another tab is just a stale list.
Update the app
Visit the store listing on your phone and apply a waiting update. Old builds can lose touch with the site once it changes how it sends data.
Clear app storage or reinstall
Open the app info page, go into storage and clear the cache. If the blank screens continue, uninstall the app and install a fresh copy from the official store. Note down your login first, since you will sign in again.
Try a private tab on the website
A private window ignores stored cookies and extensions. If the site works there, clear cookies for the site in your normal browser, or turn off its extensions one at a time.
How to tell if Reddit is down or it is only you
When the whole site fails, you will see slow pages on every community, failed votes and posts, and plenty of people complaining on other social networks. A fault that stays with you shows up on a single SIM, single Wi-Fi or single phone. Compare two phones side by side, one on mobile data and one on Wi-Fi, and the pattern becomes clear in two minutes.
The home feed is empty on your phone and shows Something went wrong, but the same login works on a laptop. The account is healthy. Clear the app cache or reinstall it.
Reddit not working in India or on a college or office network
Some schools, hostels, workplaces and even home routers filter social sites, and a filter can block the site or just its pictures and videos. If the site loads on mobile data but never on that Wi-Fi, the network owner controls the block. Changing DNS inside the filtered network usually does nothing. Do not install unknown tools to get around a block, since many of them are unsafe.
If it fails on every network you try, the issue is more likely the app, the account or the site itself.
Private, restricted and removed communities
| What you see | Meaning | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Private community | Only approved members can read it | Request access from the moderators |
| Restricted community | You can read but not post | Follow the rules or ask the moderators |
| Banned or removed | The community no longer exists | Search for a similar community |
| Adult content notice | Content needs a login or age setting | Log in and check your account settings |
None of these is a fault on your phone, so reinstalling will not help.
When Reddit not working needs more than a quick fix
If a fresh install, a second phone and a second network all fail with the same account, the account may be limited. Open the help area on the site, explain what you see, and wait for a reply. Meanwhile the browser version is a fair stand-in. The apps and websites not working page has a general routine for any other app that misbehaves.
Be careful with sites that claim to unlock your account for a fee or a password. They are scams.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Reddit not working on my phone today?
Usual causes are stale app data, a filtered network or a slow site. Try the website, then another network, then clear the app cache.
Why is Reddit not working in India on Wi-Fi but fine on data?
The Wi-Fi network or its DNS may be filtering the site. Ask whoever runs the network, or use mobile data. Avoid unknown tools that promise to bypass blocks.
Why is only one subreddit not loading?
It is probably private, restricted, banned or marked adult. That is a rule on the community, not a fault in your app.
Is Reddit down right now?
Check the site's official status page or social account and try on two networks. If everyone shows errors, wait and try again later.
Will reinstalling the app delete my account?
No. Your account lives on the site. You just sign in again, so keep your login details handy before removing the app.