You can delete your own Reddit posts at any time, and Reddit removes them from public view within seconds
Deleting a Reddit post is straightforward: find the post in your profile or in the subreddit where you posted it, click the three-dot menu, select "Delete", and confirm. The post disappears from Reddit's public feeds and your profile when ready. However, deleted posts are not truly erased from the internet — people who saw it before deletion may have taken screenshots, and archived versions of Reddit exist outside Reddit's control.
The reason to delete matters. If you posted something by accident, deletion solves the problem for most readers. If you posted something you now regret, deletion removes it from casual discovery but does not undo the fact that it existed. Understanding this difference helps you decide whether deletion alone is enough or whether you need to take other steps.
Key Takeaways
- Reddit posts delete when ready from public view when you use the delete button, but archived versions may exist elsewhere online.
- You can only delete posts you created yourself — moderators can remove posts from a subreddit, but that is different from deletion.
- Deleting a post does not delete replies or conversations that happened in the comments, and those remain visible unless the commenter deletes them.
- Screenshots and third-party archives like the Wayback Machine may preserve deleted posts, so deletion is not the same as removal from the entire internet.
How to delete a post from your Reddit profile
Open Reddit and log into your account. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Profile" from the dropdown menu. Scroll through your posts until you find the one you want to delete. Click the three-dot menu icon (⋯) on the post itself — this appears to the right of the post title on desktop, or below the post on mobile.
A menu will appear with several options. Select "Delete" from this menu. Reddit will ask you to confirm the deletion. Click "Delete" again in the confirmation box. The post is now removed from your profile and from the subreddit where you posted it. The entire post — title, content, and any images or links — disappears from public view within seconds.
Deleting a post directly from the subreddit
You do not have to go to your profile to delete a post. If you are already viewing the subreddit where you posted, you can delete it directly from there. Find your post in the feed, click the three-dot menu on the post, and select "Delete". The process is identical to deleting from your profile.
On mobile, the three-dot menu may be harder to find. Tap and hold the post, or look for a menu icon below the post content. The delete option should appear in the same menu where you would find options to edit or share the post.
What happens to comments when you delete a post
When you delete a post, the post itself vanishes, but the comments people left on it do not automatically delete. Those comments remain visible in the thread, even though the original post is gone. Readers will see "[deleted]" where your post used to be, and they will still see all the replies underneath it.
If you want to remove a comment you made on someone else's post, you can delete that comment separately using the same three-dot menu method. But you cannot delete other people's comments on your own post — only moderators can do that. If a comment violates subreddit rules, you can report it to the moderators and they may remove it.
The difference between deleting and editing
Reddit also lets you edit posts after you publish them. If you made a typo, added wrong information, or want to clarify something, editing is often better than deleting. Click the three-dot menu and select "Edit" to change the text of your post. The post stays in place with the same number of upvotes and comments, but the content updates.
When you edit a post, Reddit adds an "edited" timestamp so readers know the post was changed. This is useful if you want to correct misinformation or add context. Deletion, by contrast, removes the post entirely and breaks the conversation thread. Use editing when you want to fix something; use deletion when you want the post gone.
Why deleted posts can still be found online
Reddit's delete function removes a post from Reddit itself, but other websites archive Reddit content automatically. The Wayback Machine (archive.org) periodically saves snapshots of Reddit pages. If your post was popular or controversial, it may have been archived before you deleted it. Searching for your username or post title on the Wayback Machine may show a preserved version.
People who saw your post before deletion may also have taken screenshots or copied the text. Once something is posted publicly, you cannot control who saved it or where they share it. Deletion is effective at removing a post from Reddit and from casual discovery, but it does not erase the post from the entire internet. This is why thinking before posting is more reliable than deleting after.
When you cannot delete a post
You can only delete posts you created yourself. If a moderator removed your post from a subreddit, you will see "[removed]" instead of your content, but the post still exists in your profile. You can delete it from your profile, but you cannot override a moderator's removal decision.
Some subreddits have rules that prevent deletion. For example, certain communities require posts to stay up for a set period so discussions can continue. If you try to delete a post in such a subreddit, you may get an error message. In that case, you can contact the subreddit's moderators to ask for an exception, but they are not required to grant one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a post after it has been archived?
Yes, you can delete your own post at any time, even after Reddit has archived it. However, archived versions that exist on third-party sites like the Wayback Machine will not disappear. Deleting from Reddit removes it from Reddit's platform, but does not remove it from external archives.
What does it mean when a post shows "[deleted]"?
When you see "[deleted]" where a post used to be, it means the original poster deleted the post. The comments below it remain visible, but the post content is gone. If you see "[removed]", a moderator took it down, not the poster.
If I delete a post, can I post the same thing again?
Yes, you can repost the same content after deleting it. However, if the post was removed by a moderator for breaking subreddit rules, reposting the same thing will likely be removed again. Check the subreddit's rules before reposting.
Do deleted posts affect my Reddit account or karma?
Deleting a post removes the upvotes and downvotes associated with it, so your karma score may decrease. However, deletion does not harm your account or get you in trouble. Moderators may take action if you repeatedly break rules, but straightforward deleting a post is not a violation.
Can I recover a post after I delete it?
No, Reddit does not have an undo feature for deleted posts. Once you confirm deletion, the post is gone from Reddit permanently. If you need the content back, you would have to rewrite and repost it.