Can You Delete a Reddit Post After Several Years?

Published October 30, 20265 min readBy the RedditPostRemove team

"I posted that eight years ago. Can I still delete it?" We hear versions of this question every week. The short answer is that, for posts you wrote yourself, age is usually not the barrier. What matters is whether you can still log in, what the post's menu offers and what copies exist.

Key takeaways

If you can log in to the account that wrote the post, you can generally delete it, however old it is.
Deleting the account does not delete posts. Delete first.
Archived threads can limit comments and votes, but check the options on the post itself.
Deleted content can survive in search results, screenshots and third-party archives.

What "old" changes, and what it does not

On Reddit, time changes some things. Older threads are archived, which stops new comments and votes. Search engines may have indexed the post. Other users may have quoted it. What time does not do is give anyone a right to keep your post online if you want to delete it. As the author, you can generally remove your own content, and you are the person best placed to do so.

How to delete an old post you wrote

Log in to the account that made the post.
Go to your profile and open the Posts or Comments tab. You can also use the link to the post.
Open the post's menu and choose Delete.
Confirm. The post should now show as deleted.
Refresh and check. If the option is missing, note the exact post, because that detail helps when you ask for help.

Reddit's interface changes over time, so menu names may vary between the website and the app. The idea is the same.

What if you lost access to the account?

This is where many people get stuck. If you cannot log in, you cannot delete the post yourself. Your options are:

Recover the account. Use Reddit's password reset and account recovery. Gather the username and the email address you used.
Report the content. If it breaks a rule, such as publishing personal information, you can report it even if you cannot log in.
Ask the moderators. If the post sits in a community you can contact, they can remove it if it breaks their rules.

Be careful of anyone who claims to recover accounts for a fee and asks for your details. Reddit passwords and recovery codes should never be shared.

The account deletion trap

If you have decided to leave Reddit, it is tempting to delete the account and consider the job done. Reddit's own guidance is that deleting an account does not delete the posts and comments you made. They remain visible, but your username is unlinked. After the account is closed, you cannot log in to remove them. If your goal is to remove old content, delete the content first.

Archived posts

After a period of time, Reddit archives posts so that people can no longer comment or vote on them. Moderators in some communities can change this, but by default it applies. An archived post is still a post. Whether you can delete it depends on the options available on the post, and we recommend checking the menu rather than assuming either way.

What happens after you delete

Reddit. The post shows as deleted. Reddit has said deleted content may still be reachable by its direct link for a time, and may be kept for limited purposes.
Google. Search engines update on their own schedule. Google provides a tool to request that outdated results be refreshed once a page has changed.
Screenshots and quotes. Other people may have saved or quoted your post. Deletion does not reach those copies.
Third-party archives. Some websites archive web pages. Each has its own removal process, and some do not accept requests.

Should you edit before you delete?

Some people edit a post to remove sensitive details before they delete it. This may help if the content is still visible somewhere, but it is not reliable, because copies made earlier will still contain the original text. It is better to think about prevention: do not post details you would not want public later.

Need help with an old post you cannot delete yourself?

Send us the link and tell us what you have already tried.

Request a confidential consultation

When someone else wrote the post

If you did not write the post, you cannot delete it. The routes are asking the author, asking moderators, reporting to Reddit if the post breaks a sitewide rule or using a legal process. Age does not make a post more or less removable, but a post that is clearly harmful, such as one with your home address, is a strong candidate for a report. Our guide on how to remove old Reddit posts covers each route in more detail.

Practical tips

Search your own username and name to find forgotten posts.
Make a list before you delete, so that you can verify afterwards.
Never give your Reddit login to a third-party tool you do not trust.
If a post exposes private information, report it quickly rather than waiting.
Keep dated records of what you did, in case you need to follow up.

Getting a second opinion

If the post is old, the account is lost and you are not sure whether the content breaks a rule, we can review it. Our old Reddit post removal service gives you an honest assessment of what is possible. We cannot guarantee removal, because decisions rest with Reddit and moderators, but we can save you time and tell you what is unlikely to work. See also Reddit reputation management if the issue is how old content affects what people find about you.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a time limit for deleting a Reddit post?

Reddit does not publish a general time limit for authors deleting their own posts. The practical limits are access to the account and what the post's menu allows.

What if I forgot my password?

Use Reddit's account recovery with the email or username on the account. If that fails, you can ask Reddit for help, but there is no guarantee. Never give your credentials to third-party services that promise to recover accounts.

Will anyone know I deleted it?

A deleted post shows as deleted. Others who saw it earlier may remember it, and third parties may have copied it.