How to know if you're banned on Reddit
Leadhoot teamOctober 27, 20264 min read
Reddit has three kinds of ban, and only two of them tell you. Here is how to recognise each one in under a minute.
To know if you're banned on Reddit, check three things. A subreddit ban sends you a message and shows a banner in that subreddit. A site-wide suspension shows a notice when you log in and marks your profile as suspended. A shadowban sends nothing: you can still post, but nobody else sees it. Open your profile logged out, or use a shadowban checker: if it says the account does not exist, you are shadowbanned.
The three kinds of Reddit ban
| Type | Do you get told? | How it looks | How to appeal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subreddit ban | Yes, a message | Banner in that subreddit; you can't post or comment there | Reply to the ban message (modmail) |
| Suspension | Yes, on login | Profile says suspended; temporary or permanent | reddit.com/appeal |
| Shadowban | No | You post normally; nobody else sees your profile, posts or comments | reddit.com/appeal |
Signs you might be shadowbanned
- Every post and comment stays at 1 upvote and gets no replies, in every subreddit.
- Your profile shows a page-not-found error in a private window.
- Your posts are missing from the subreddit's New tab when you look logged out.
- Check in seconds with the free Reddit shadowban checker.
Removed, not banned
If one post disappears but your profile is visible, it was probably removed in that subreddit only: by AutoModerator for low karma or a new account, by the spam filter for a link, or by a moderator for a rule. That is not a ban. Read the subreddit's rules, check its karma and account-age requirements, and message the moderators if you think it was a mistake. More on karma rules in Reddit karma explained.
Common reasons accounts get banned
- Posting the same link to many subreddits in a short time.
- Mostly posting your own links with little else, which breaks the spirit of the 9:1 rule.
- Sending unsolicited DMs to people who posted.
- Vote manipulation: asking for, buying or swapping upvotes.
- Making a new account to get around an existing ban, which is ban evasion and usually makes the ban permanent.
Find the Reddit posts where your reply is wanted, without spamming. Leadhoot alerts you to buyer-intent posts so you answer as yourself.
Try Leadhoot