Why You Can't Delete Reddit Account Settings and How to Actually Fix It

You click the button. Nothing happens. You refresh the page, head back into your user settings, and there it is—your username staring back at you like a ghost that refuses to leave the house. It’s incredibly frustrating. Most people assume that hitting "deactivate" or "delete" on a major social platform is a one-and-done deal, but Reddit is notoriously finicky. If you’re currently stuck thinking "I can't delete reddit account no matter what I try," you aren't alone, and it’s usually not a conspiracy to keep your data. It’s almost always a technical glitch or a specific account state that Reddit’s automated system can't handle.

The internet is littered with old threads of users complaining about this exact issue. Sometimes the "deactivate" button is greyed out. Other times, you get a vague error message saying "Something went wrong." Honestly, it’s a bit of a mess.

The Google and Apple ID Trap

One of the biggest reasons people run into a wall is how they signed up in the first place. If you used the "Continue with Google" or "Continue with Apple" option, your account isn't technically controlled by a standard Reddit password. It’s linked through a third-party token.

You can't just delete the account because Reddit requires a password to "confirm" the deletion for security reasons. But wait—you never made a password, right? This creates a loop. To break it, you have to go into your account settings and disconnect the Google or Apple account first. Reddit will then prompt you to create a password. Once that password exists, the deletion process usually goes through without a hitch. It’s a clunky extra step that most users don't realize is mandatory.

Connected Accounts and the Deactivation Loop

Let's talk about the mobile app versus the desktop site. If you're trying to do this on your phone, stop. The Reddit mobile app is famous for "session timeouts" that happen right when you try to perform a sensitive action like account deletion. It’s way better to open a mobile browser or, even better, get on a laptop.

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If you are on a desktop and it still fails, it might be your browser extensions. Ad-blockers like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger can sometimes see the "confirm deactivation" pop-up as a malicious script and kill it before it loads. Try opening an Incognito or Private window, logging in there, and then trying the deletion. It clears out the "junk" that might be blocking the request.

Sometimes the issue is purely server-side. Reddit has millions of users and, occasionally, their database just won't talk to the deactivation script. If you’ve tried everything and it still says "error," wait 24 hours. Seriously.

What Happens to Your Data?

A huge misconception is that deleting your account deletes your posts. It doesn't. When you finally manage to kill the account, your username becomes [deleted], but your posts and comments stay right where they are. They become orphans.

If your goal is to scrub your digital footprint because of a privacy concern or a "doxxing" scare, simply deleting the account is useless. You have to manually go back and delete your comments or use a script like "Shreddit" or "Power Delete Suite" before you hit that final deactivation button. Once the account is gone, you lose the "key" to those posts forever. You can't ask Reddit support to delete them later because you can no longer prove you owned the account.

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Common Error Messages and What They Actually Mean

• "Something went wrong": This is the "Check Engine" light of Reddit. It could mean your internet flickered, or it could mean Reddit's servers are having a bad day. Usually, this means you need to clear your cookies and cache.
• "Incorrect password": Even if you’re sure it’s right, try resetting it. Reddit’s system sometimes gets "stuck" on an old hashed version of your password during the deletion phase.
• Greyed out button: This almost always means there is a mandatory field you haven't filled out, like the "reason for leaving" (though that's usually optional) or a tick-box acknowledging that deletion is permanent.

There's also the "Redesign" vs "Old Reddit" factor. If the current Reddit interface is giving you grief, try going to old.reddit.com. The legacy site is much more "bare bones" and often works when the flashy new interface fails. The deactivation link on Old Reddit is found under the "preferences" tab in the top right corner.

The Technical Reality of Account Persistence

Behind the scenes, Reddit is a massive web of interconnected databases. When you click delete, a request is sent to "mark" your account for deletion. It’s rarely an instant "wipe" of the hard drive. If you try to log back in immediately after "deleting" it, you might actually reactivate it or cause a conflict in the database that makes the account look like it’s in limbo.

If you’ve successfully submitted the request, stay away. Don't try to log in to "check" if it worked. Give it a few days to propagate through their systems.

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Practical Steps to Force a Deletion

If you've hit a wall and still can't delete reddit account access, follow this specific sequence. It works for 99% of people who think they're stuck.

1. Log in on a desktop computer, not a phone. Use a browser like Chrome or Firefox in Incognito mode.
2. Go to your Google or Apple account settings (outside of Reddit) and revoke Reddit's access.
3. Go to Reddit’s "User Settings" and see if a password is set. If not, set one.
4. If you are a Moderator of a subreddit, you must leave the mod team first. You cannot delete an account that is the "sole" owner of a subreddit without either handing it off or leaving it empty.
5. If you have Reddit Premium, cancel the subscription through the platform you bought it on (App Store, Google Play, or Stripe). While it shouldn't stop a deletion, it sometimes creates a billing conflict that pauses the process.
6. Navigate to old.reddit.com/prefs/delete and try the "Old Reddit" method. It’s often more reliable than the modern UI.
7. If all else fails, and you've waited 48 hours, you have to contact Reddit Support. Use their specific "Account Help" form. Be prepared to wait—they aren't exactly known for lightning-fast responses when it comes to people who want to leave the platform.

Once the account is gone, it’s permanent. There is no "30-day grace period" like on Facebook or Instagram. Your username is burned, and nobody—not even you—can ever use it again. It’s a total exit. If you’re sure, follow the steps above, clear your cache, and finally get that "Account Deactivated" confirmation.

Actionable Next Steps:

• Check your connection type: Immediately verify if you are linked via Google or Apple ID; if so, disconnect and set a manual password first.
• Switch to Old Reddit: Navigate to old.reddit.com to bypass modern script errors that often plague the "Deactivate" button.
• Audit your content: Before finalizing the deletion, use a tool like Power Delete Suite to overwrite your comments if privacy is your main concern, as account deletion does not remove your post history.