What linking your Reddit account means
Linking your Reddit account to another platform — like Discord, Twitch, or a third-party app — means you're giving that platform permission to connect to your Reddit profile. When you do this, the other platform can see certain information about you and sometimes post or take actions on your behalf. Reddit stores a record that you've made this connection.
The platforms you link to are not owned by Reddit. Each one has its own privacy policy and its own rules about what it does with the information it receives. Linking is different from logging in with Reddit — when you log in with Reddit, you're using your Reddit password to create an account elsewhere, and that platform gets access right away.
Key Takeaways
- Linking sends your Reddit data to another platform and creates a permanent connection that both sites can see.
- You can link from Reddit's settings menu under "Connected Accounts," and you can unlink at any time from the same place.
- Each platform you link to has its own privacy policy — Reddit's policy does not cover what they do with your information.
- Third-party apps and bots often ask for linking permission to post in communities or send you messages on your behalf.
- Unlinking removes the connection when ready, but it does not delete information the other platform already received or stored.
How to link your Reddit account from your settings
Open Reddit in a web browser and log in. Click your profile icon in the top right corner, then select "User Settings." On the left side menu, click "Connected Accounts." You will see a list of platforms Reddit offers to link to — Discord, Twitch, Apple, Google, and sometimes others depending on your region.
Click the platform you want to link. Reddit will ask you to confirm that you want to connect, then it will open a login screen for that platform. Log in with your account on that platform. Once you log in, that platform will ask what information Reddit can share and what actions it can take. Read this screen carefully — it tells you exactly what you're allowing. Click the button to confirm, and the link is complete.
You will be sent back to Reddit and you should see the platform now listed under "Connected Accounts" with a green checkmark or "Connected" label. The link is now active on both sides.
Linking through third-party apps and bots
Many apps and bots that work with Reddit — like moderation tools, post schedulers, or Discord bots — ask you to link your Reddit account when you first use them. These are not official Reddit products. When you click "Link Account" or "Authorize," you're taken to a Reddit page that shows what information and permissions the app is requesting.
Read the permissions list before you click "Allow." Some apps ask for permission to post in your name, send messages, or see your private messages. Once you allow it, the app can do those things until you revoke the link. The app developer, not Reddit, decides what they do with the information they receive.
You can see all the apps and bots you've linked to by going to Reddit Settings, then "Connected Accounts," then scrolling down to "Authorized Applications." This list shows every third-party service that has permission to access your account.
What information gets shared when you link
When you link your Reddit account, the platform you're linking to receives your Reddit username, your public profile information, and sometimes your email address. What "public profile information" means depends on what you've shared — it typically includes your avatar, your bio, and your post history if you haven't set your profile to private.
The platform does not automatically get your password. It gets a token — a digital key that lets it act on your behalf without knowing your password. This token can be revoked at any time by unlinking.
Some links share more than others. Discord, for example, might share your email so Discord can match you across platforms. A third-party bot might only need your username and permission to read your public posts. Always check the specific permissions screen before you confirm.
How to unlink your Reddit account
Go to Reddit Settings and click "Connected Accounts." Find the platform you want to unlink and click the "Disconnect" or "Unlink" button next to it. Reddit will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, the link is removed when ready.
For third-party apps, go to Settings, then "Connected Accounts," then scroll to "Authorized Applications." Find the app you want to remove and click "Revoke Access." The app can no longer access your account.
Unlinking stops the platform from making new connections to your Reddit account. It does not delete information that platform already has. If Discord received your email address when you linked, unlinking does not erase that email from Discord's servers. If a bot posted something in your name before you unlinked it, that post stays up.
Why platforms ask you to link
Platforms ask you to link because it makes their service work better for you. Discord wants to link so it can show your Reddit username in your Discord profile. Twitch wants to link so streamers can give channel perks to their Reddit followers. Third-party moderation tools want to link so they can help you manage communities without you having to log in separately each time.
From the platform's side, linking also gives them access to your data. They can see what communities you follow, what you post, and sometimes who you message. Their privacy policy determines what they do with that information — they might use it to improve their service, sell it to advertisers, or keep it completely separate from their other data collection.
What to do if you don't recognize a linked account
If you see a platform listed under "Connected Accounts" or "Authorized Applications" that you don't remember linking, unlink it when ready. Click the disconnect or revoke button. This could mean someone else accessed your account, or it could mean you linked something years ago and forgot about it.
After you unlink, change your Reddit password. If you use the same password on other sites, change those too. If you think someone else has been accessing your account, check your login history — Reddit shows recent logins under Settings, then "Account," then scroll down to "Login History." You can sign out of all other sessions from that same screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I link the same Reddit account to multiple platforms?
Yes. You can link to Discord, Twitch, Apple, Google, and multiple third-party apps all at the same time. Each link is separate and can be removed without affecting the others.
If I unlink, can the platform still see my Reddit posts?
Unlinking stops the platform from accessing your account going forward, but it does not hide your public posts. Your posts are public on Reddit itself, so anyone can see them. Unlinking only removes the direct connection between your accounts.
What happens if a linked platform gets hacked?
If the platform is hacked, the attackers could potentially use the link to access your Reddit account. This is why you should unlink from platforms you no longer use. If you think a linked platform has been compromised, unlink when ready and change your Reddit password.
Do I need to link my account to use Reddit?
No. Linking is optional. You can use Reddit, post, comment, and message without linking to any other platform. Linking only matters if you want to use a feature that requires it, like a Discord bot or a third-party app.
Can I see what information a platform received when I linked?
Reddit does not show you a record of what data was transferred. You can see that the link exists, but not what the platform did with the information. Check the platform's privacy policy or account settings to see what data they have about you.