Short answer: this page cannot tell you live status, but the checks below will give you a reliable answer in about a minute.
Last reviewed: 16 October 2026.
You tap the Reddit app and the feed spins forever. Or the site loads but every thread says something went wrong. Before you restart your phone, reinstall the app or blame your Wi-Fi, work out the one thing that matters: is Reddit down for everyone, or is the problem on your side?
This guide shows how to check, what the common error messages mean, the fixes that actually help, and how past Reddit outages unfolded, so you can tell a real outage from a local glitch.
How to Check If Reddit Is Down Right Now
Run these checks in order. Most people have an answer by step three.
1. Check Reddit’s official status page
Reddit publishes service status at redditstatus.com. It shows whether the website, apps, comment processing and other services are operating normally, along with active incidents and past ones.
One important caveat: the status page can lag behind reality. During a mobile-app outage reported on 22 June 2026, outage trackers showed thousands of user reports while Reddit’s status page still said all systems were operational, according to Android Authority’s coverage. In a December disruption reported by Outlook Business, the status page also showed no incidents while tens of thousands of users reported problems. Treat a green status page as “no confirmed incident,” not “definitely working.”
2. Check an outage tracker
Sites such as Downdetector collect user reports and show spikes over time. A sudden jump in reports, especially with many people describing the same error, usually means a real outage. Look at the type of problem users report: app, website or server connection. If most reports mention the app but not the site, try the website instead.
3. Check social media
Search “Reddit down” on X, Bluesky or other platforms and sort by latest. If people across several countries are posting at the same time, it is likely a real outage. Reddit’s official status account has historically posted when it confirms problems.
4. Compare devices and networks
- Open Reddit in a browser if the app fails, or the app if the browser fails.
- Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, or the reverse.
- Try a different device.
If Reddit works on one network or device but not another, the issue is local to you.
5. Check whether other sites work
If other websites also fail to load, the problem is your internet connection, not Reddit. If other major sites fail too, a wider infrastructure problem may be the cause.
Is It Down for Everyone or Just You?
| What you see | Likely meaning |
| Status page shows an incident, outage trackers spike | Reddit is down or degraded for many users |
| Status page is green, trackers show a big spike | Probably a real outage not yet acknowledged |
| Works on mobile data but not on Wi-Fi | Problem with your Wi-Fi, router or DNS |
| Works in the browser but not the app | App problem, such as an outdated version or a corrupted cache |
| Only some subreddits or features fail | Partial outage, or a problem with that specific community |
| Only you cannot log in, others report nothing | Account, password, session or login issue |
Reddit Can Be Down Without All of Reddit Being Down
Reddit is not one single service. The website, mobile web, native apps, voting, comment processing, search, media delivery, moderation tools and the developer API can each have their own problems. That means a partial outage can feel exactly like a full one when the broken part is the feature you use most.
Run a quick component test to find out what is actually failing:
- Homepage vs a single subreddit. If the homepage fails but a direct subreddit link loads, the feed or login layer may be the problem.
- Posts vs comments. If posts load but comment threads stay empty or keep spinning, check whether other users report comment problems.
- Text vs images and video. If text loads but media does not, the media delivery layer may be affected.
- Search. If only search fails while browsing works, it may be a separate search incident.
- Voting, posting and editing. Errors on actions but not on reading often point to a partial incident.
- Website vs app. If the browser works and the app does not, treat it as an app problem first.
Knowing which part is broken also helps when you search for updates. “Reddit comments not loading” brings up different reports than “Reddit down.”
What Reddit Error Messages Usually Mean
Exact wording changes over time, but these are common ones reported during past outages.
- “Our CDN was unable to reach our servers.” Seen during a 2020 outage, according to Verdict’s report. A content delivery network sits between you and Reddit’s servers, so this points to a problem connecting the two, not a problem on your device.
- “upstream connect error.” A similar message reported by Tom’s Guide during a major outage. It suggests a failure between Reddit’s front-end systems and their back end.
- 503 error. A standard “service unavailable” response. The server is not able to handle the request right now, which is often caused by overload or maintenance.
- “Something went wrong” or a blank feed. A generic message. It can be a real outage or a local problem, so use the checks above.
- “Degraded performance.” Reddit used this wording on its status page during a November 2024 incident, as reported by PhoneArena. The site was partly working but sluggish and glitchy, especially for sign-ins and some posts.
A few standard web error codes also show up. They do not all mean Reddit itself is down:
- 500 Internal Server Error. Usually a server-side problem.
- 502 Bad Gateway. Trouble passing requests between servers or an upstream service.
- 503 Service Unavailable. The service cannot handle the request right now, often because of overload or maintenance.
- 403 Forbidden. Access to that resource was denied. This can come from your account, your region, a blocked VPN or a private community, so it is not automatically an outage.
- 404 Not Found. The page, post or subreddit does not exist or was removed. Reddit being down is rarely the cause.
- 429 Too Many Requests. You, or a tool using your connection, sent too many requests and were rate limited. If you build or use apps that call Reddit’s API, investigate 429 responses separately from a general outage.
What Causes Reddit Outages?
Most outages come from a small set of causes. Reddit does not always explain, so these are the general patterns seen in public reports:
- Infrastructure and CDN problems. The delivery layer between users and servers fails.
- Traffic surges. One older incident reported by VentureBeat quoted Reddit saying it was dealing with additional load.
- Cloud provider issues. Reddit has had outages tied to its cloud hosting provider in the past, according to earlier press coverage.
- Software releases and configuration changes. A bad update or setting can break features.
- App-specific bugs. Sometimes only the mobile apps fail while the website works, as reported in June 2026.
Often the company’s only public statement is something like “we are investigating elevated errors,” followed later by a note that a fix was implemented.
On the status page, an incident usually moves through three stages: Investigating (the team knows something is wrong), Monitoring (a fix is in and they are watching the results) and Resolved. “Monitoring” does not always mean you are back to normal. Press reports of past incidents describe service returning gradually, so expect some lingering slowness or errors after a fix is announced.
Could It Be Something Bigger Than Reddit?
Reddit depends on layers of infrastructure underneath it: cloud hosting, networking, content delivery and databases. When one of those layers fails, it can look like a Reddit-specific outage even when the root cause is elsewhere. Reddit has had incidents tied to its cloud provider in the past, according to earlier press coverage, and some outages have coincided with wider internet disruptions that affected several major sites at once.
A quick way to tell: try a few unrelated big sites and apps. If several are failing at the same moment, the cause is probably upstream or in your own connection, and waiting is the best response. If everything else loads normally, the problem is more likely Reddit-specific or local to you.
This is also why uptime matters when you choose software for your own work. If your team depends on cloud tools, ask vendors how they handle outages, what their uptime commitment is and what you get if they miss it. Our CRM scalability guide shows the questions to ask, and our cloud based CRM software buyer’s guide explains how hosting choices affect reliability and data ownership.
Quick Fixes If Reddit Is Down Only for You
If the status checks say Reddit is fine, try these in order:
- Refresh or restart the app. Fully close it, then reopen it.
- Update the app. Outdated versions can break after a server-side change.
- Switch networks. Move between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
- Turn off VPN or proxy. Some Reddit endpoints block or throttle certain VPNs.
- Clear the app cache (Android) or offload and reinstall the app (iPhone).
- Clear your browser cache and cookies, or open Reddit in a private window.
- Restart your router and device.
- Change your DNS server to a public one if sites generally load slowly or fail.
- Check your account. Make sure you are not suspended and that your password and two-factor details work.
- Check the time and date settings on your device. Wrong settings can cause secure connections to fail.
What to Do While Reddit Is Down
- Wait and recheck. Many outages last from minutes to a couple of hours. Check the status page every 10 to 15 minutes instead of refreshing constantly.
- Do not log out and back in repeatedly. During a real outage this can make things worse for you and gets you nowhere.
- Avoid posting or editing long comments. Drafts may not save. Copy long text somewhere safe first.
- Use the browser if the app is down, and vice versa.
- Look for archived content if you need a specific thread, using web archives.
- Find an alternative for the discussion you need, such as the topic’s official forum or community on another platform.
Past Outages: What They Looked Like
These examples show how real outages unfold, based on public press reports. Dates and figures are as reported by the cited outlets.
| When | What was reported |
| February 2020 | A CDN problem led to the message “Our CDN was unable to reach our servers”; Reddit said a fix was implemented about an hour and a quarter after reports began (Verdict) |
| November 2024 | Reddit’s status page acknowledged “degraded performance for reddit.com,” affecting sign-ins, posts and comment processing; user complaints on Downdetector reached the tens of thousands (PhoneArena) |
| April 2025 | Reddit’s status page confirmed “elevated errors across reddit.com and the apps,” later marked resolved (9to5Mac) |
| 22 June 2026 | Mostly the mobile app was affected, with reports above 2,800 on Downdetector at one point, while the status page showed all systems operational; Downdetector indicated recovery the same afternoon (Android Authority) |
Patterns worth noticing: outages tend to be hours rather than days, the status page does not always match user reports, and app-only failures happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Reddit down right now?
This page cannot show live status. Check Reddit’s official status page at redditstatus.com and an outage tracker, then test the site and app on another network.
Why is Reddit not loading?
It could be a Reddit outage, a problem with your app, a network or DNS issue, a VPN interfering or an account problem. The checks above separate these quickly.
Why does Reddit say “Our CDN was unable to reach our servers”?
It means the delivery network could not connect to Reddit’s servers. It points to a Reddit-side problem rather than something on your device.
Why is the Reddit app down but the website works?
App-specific problems happen. Update the app, clear its cache and try the browser version. If many others report app-only issues, wait for a fix.
Is Reddit down for everyone?
Look for a spike on outage trackers, an incident on Reddit’s status page and many people reporting at once on social media. If those are missing, the problem is probably on your side.
How long do Reddit outages last?
Public reports show a wide range, from under an hour to a few hours. Some partial issues last longer.
Why does the Reddit status page say everything is fine when it is not working?
Status pages often lag behind user reports, and some issues affect only certain features or platforms. Use outage trackers and social media as additional signals.
Why is Reddit working on my phone but not my computer?
That points to your computer, browser, extensions, VPN, DNS or network rather than a full Reddit outage. Try another browser, open a private window, turn off extensions temporarily, and test the computer on a different network.
Why are Reddit comments not loading?
Comments can fail on their own while posts still load. If threads stay empty or keep spinning, check whether others report comment problems before changing your settings.
Why is Reddit search not working?
Search can have its own incident while the home feed and subreddits work normally. If only search fails, look for reports about search specifically.
How can I tell if Reddit is down in my country?
Compare outage reports from your region with reports from elsewhere. If problems cluster in one area while Reddit works in other countries, the cause may be regional routing, your ISP or DNS rather than a global outage.
Should I reinstall the Reddit app?
Only after you have ruled out a real outage. Try restarting the app, updating it and switching networks first.
Will I lose my posts or drafts during an outage?
It is possible that unsent comments or edits will not save. Copy long text elsewhere before submitting during unstable periods.
Where can I report a Reddit problem?
Use the report function in the app, Reddit’s help center or the official status channels. Outage trackers also let you submit a report.
The Verdict
When Reddit seems down, resist the urge to guess. Check the official status page, look at an outage tracker, test another network and try the website versus the app. Those four checks will tell you in a minute whether you are waiting on Reddit or fixing something at home.
If it is a real outage, give it time and avoid hammering refresh. If it is only you, work through the quick fixes from top to bottom, starting with the app update and a network switch.
Bookmark this page and Reddit’s status page so you can run the checks next time something looks off. For more guides like this, browse our Technology section.
Sources and Further Reading
Based on publicly available press reports and official status resources. Verify current details before relying on them:
- Reddit Status: https://www.redditstatus.com/
- Android Authority, report on the 22 June 2026 Reddit outage: https://androidauthority.com/reddit-june-2026-outage-3679942
- PhoneArena, report on the November 2024 Reddit outage: https://www.phonearena.com/news/Reddit-is-officially-down-UPDATED_id165054
- 9to5Mac, report on the April 2025 Reddit outage: https://9to5mac.com/2025/04/21/reddit-is-down-outage/
- Verdict, report on the February 2020 Reddit outage: https://www.verdict.co.uk/reddit-down-outage/
- Tom’s Guide, live updates on a Reddit outage: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/live/reddit-down-live-updates-on-outage
- Outlook Business, report on a December Reddit disruption: https://www.outlookbusiness.com/ampstories/deeptech/tech/is-reddit-down-what-caused-the-december-19-outage-in-the-us
This article is a general troubleshooting guide. It does not show live service status. Outage details are as reported by the cited outlets and may change.
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