Reddit is one of the most popular websites in the world. But sometimes Reddit goes down temporarily, preventing access. This can be frustrating if you use Reddit regularly.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know when Reddit is down, from why it happens to troubleshooting tips to get back up and running.
What Does It Mean When Reddit Is Down?
When Reddit is down, it means the Reddit website is inaccessible and not working properly. You’ll likely see error messages if you try to access any Reddit pages or features.
This outage affects all aspects of Reddit – you can’t view content, post new threads, comment, vote, or access your profile. The mobile apps and third-party clients also won’t work while Reddit is down.
Outages typically last from several minutes up to a couple hours, but can occasionally persist longer. Let’s look at why Reddit goes down next.
Common Reasons Why Reddit Goes Down
There are a few main reasons Reddit experiences downtime:
1. Technical Issues
Like any website, Reddit is vulnerable to technical glitches and outages. Bugs or server problems can cause the site to go offline temporarily. As Reddit’s traffic has grown, this has become more common.
2. Infrastructure Updates
Reddit relies on a massive infrastructure to run smoothly. Regular maintenance and infrastructure upgrades can require taking parts of the site offline.
3. Traffic Spikes
Huge spikes in traffic, like when a major news event happens, can sometimes overload Reddit’s servers and cause outages. The site usually recovers quickly as traffic stabilizes.
4. DDoS Attacks
Malicious DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attacks that flood Reddit’s servers with junk data can also force Reddit down by overloading its infrastructure.
How to Check Reddit’s Outage Status
When you can’t access Reddit, there are a couple ways to check what’s going on and if others are also affected:
Reddit Status Page
Reddit maintains an official status page at https://www.redditstatus.com that displays ongoing issues and outages. This will confirm if Reddit is down for everyone or if it’s just you.
Downdetector
Downdetector.com is a website that tracks outages by crowd-sourcing user reports in real-time. Looking up Reddit on Downdetector will show if others are also having issues.
By checking these sites, you can see the scope of Reddit being down and get updates on restoration progress. Now let’s go over some troubleshooting steps.
Troubleshooting Reddit When It’s Down
If Reddit is inaccessible, try these troubleshooting tips before waiting it out:
1. Refresh the Page
Give the page a manual refresh by hitting your browser’s refresh button. This resets the connection and can kickstart a stalled page.
2. Clear Browser Cache
A buildup of cached data can cause display issues. Clear your browser cache and cookies to eliminate this possibility.
3. Try Incognito/Private Mode
Open an incognito or private browser window and navigate to Reddit. This establishes an isolated troubleshooting session.
4. Switch Networks
Try accessing Reddit on a different internet connection, like mobile data instead of WiFi. This tests if the issue is your local network.
5. Check Third-Party Apps
Launch a third-party Reddit client app like BaconReader instead of using the website. If the native apps work, the website is likely at fault.
6. Try Different Devices
Attempt accessing Reddit on other devices like phones, tablets, or computers. If it remains down across devices, the outage is universal.
Following these steps can help determine whether Reddit itself is down or if you have another underlying issue.
Using Reddit When It’s In Read-Only Mode
Sometimes Reddit enters a read-only maintenance mode rather than completely going offline. Here you can still view content, but commenting, posting, and voting features are disabled temporarily.
Read-only mode allows Reddit to perform backend maintenance without taking the whole site down. If Reddit seems usable but certain actions don’t work, this is likely why. Just wait for read-only state to end.
Best Ways to Access Reddit When It’s Down
When Reddit has full outages, here are a few options to get your Reddit fix:
1. Check Popular Threads on Google
Performing a web search for trending Reddit threads will bring up cached versions you can view on Google. These versions may be slightly outdated but are readable.
2. Use a Website Downloader
Tools like HTTrack allow you to download websites for offline browsing. Having the Reddit front page locally lets you view content without an internet connection.
3. View Reddit Posts on Social Media
Popular Reddit threads often get shared widely on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and elsewhere. You can find and read top posts this way.
4. Browse Reddit Content on YouTube
Many YouTubers narrate top Reddit threads for easy listening. Search “Reddit stories” on YouTube for tons of options.
5. Use Reddit Desktop Notifications
If you have browser notifications enabled for Reddit, some new thread updates may still come through even while Reddit is down.
Things to Do When Reddit Is Down
Since Reddit outages are usually short-lived, here are some productive ways to fill the time:
- Catch up on other websites and apps like news sites, YouTube, Netflix, etc.
- Get some exercise by going for a walk, stretch, or quick workout.
- Make yourself a healthy snack to recharge.
- Tackle any outstanding chores and errands.
- Connect with friends or family by texting, calling, or video chatting.
- Learn a new skill by taking an online tutorial, class, or lesson.
Looking at the bright side, occasional Reddit downtime forces you to take a break and prevents wasting too much time scrolling.
How to Get Notifications When Reddit Comes Back Online
To avoid constantly checking if Reddit is back up, use these methods to get auto-notified:
- Enable Reddit’s Twitter notifications – @RedditStatus posts updates.
- Subscribe by email to Reddit’s system status page.
- Setup Reddit status SMS alerts through a service like JustDown.
- Use a site monitoring tool like UptimeRobot to ping Reddit and alert you.
- Install a Reddit desktop browser extension to display when issues are detected.
Once you receive the alert that Reddit is operational again, you can resume browsing as normal.
Should I Contact Reddit Support If The Site Is Down?
In most cases, it’s not needed to contact Reddit support when the site is down. They are already actively working to resolve the issue.
However, if Reddit seems down just for you longer than usual, it’s reasonable to reach out to Reddit support via their contact form. Describe your specific issues accessing Reddit.
Support can troubleshoot your account and connections to see if there’s a problem on your end preventing access that they can fix.
Otherwise, it’s best to be patient and keep trying periodically until Reddit is back rather than overloading support.
Avoiding Frustration When Reddit Is Down
When Reddit is inaccessible, it can be aggravating if you were trying to access content or community discussions. Here are some tips to avoid frustration:
- Remind yourself outages are temporary. Reddit will be back soon.
- Stay busy with other activities so you don’t fixate on the downtime.
- Check the overall internet connection for issues, not just Reddit.
- Test Reddit functioning on different devices and networks.
- Monitor Reddit’s status pages for updates on restoration progress.
- Have backup time-wasting sites and apps ready to use when Reddit is down.
- Consider it an opportunity to take a healthy break from screen time.
Taking these steps helps provide perspective and prevent stressing over temporary Reddit issues out of your control.
Will Reddit Outages Increase As The Site Grows?
As Reddit continues rapidly expanding in popularity, some wonder if that growth will lead to more frequent or longer periods of downtime.
In general, major tech platforms see outages rise as their products and traffic scales up. However, companies also increase investments to build more resilient infrastructure to meet demand.
Reddit has seasoned site reliability and engineering teams constantly optimizing to stay ahead of usage spikes. While blips may occur, critical systems have numerous redundancies to minimize disruption.
As Reddit grows, its stability will depend on adequately supporting surges in activity through strategic infrastructure improvements. But major sustained outages are something they work diligently to avoid through preparation.
The Business Impacts of Reddit Being Down
When Reddit has a prolonged outage, it can have tangible business consequences beyond just frustrated users.
Several examples of business impacts include:
- Lost ad revenue from marketers paying for promoted posts that don’t get seen.
- Diminished user engagement data for optimizing content and features.
- Drops in sign-ups and purchases of premium Reddit products like Reddit Gold.
- Negative public perception and press coverage questioning reliability.
- Devalued stock price if part of a larger platform issue at parent company
