How to Delete Reddit History (2026)

If you’ve ever opened Reddit and thought, “I really don’t want this showing up anymore,” you’re not alone. Old searches, past comments, and viewing history can resurface at the worst times.

This guide explains how to delete Reddit history properly by breaking it into clear categories, then walking you through the exact cleanup steps for each one—on both mobile and desktop.

The quick answer (if you’re in a hurry)

If you only have 30 seconds, start here:

• To clear what you viewed on your phone: Reddit app → Settings → Privacy (or Privacy & security) → Clear local history
• To clear search suggestions: tap the search bar and remove searches (usually one by one)
• To remove your public footprint: delete posts and comments manually or use a reputable bulk tool (Reddit doesn’t offer a true “delete everything” button)

One important expectation-setting line: clearing local history mainly cleans up what’s stored on your device, not the posts/comments that other people can still find.

What “Reddit history” actually includes

1. Local Viewing History on Reddit (Device-Level)

This is what Reddit stores locally on your phone or in your browser—recently viewed posts, “continue browsing” suggestions, and convenience data meant to personalize your feed.

• Stored on: your device or browser
• Visible to others: no
• Risk level: low (but awkward on shared devices)

2. Search History (Recent Searches)

These are the search terms that appear when you tap or click Reddit’s search bar.

• Stored on: device + account UI
• Visible to others: no, but very obvious on your screen
• Risk level: medium

3. Posts and Comments (Public Activity)

This is your real footprint—everything you’ve posted or commented publicly.

• Stored on: Reddit’s servers
• Visible to others: yes
• Risk level: high (searchable, quotable, archivable)

4. Profile Visibility (Hiding vs. Deleting)

Reddit lets you control what appears on your profile page, but this affects presentation, not whether the content still exists in subreddits.

• Stored on: Reddit
• Visible to others: partially
• Risk level: depends on expectations

Why this matters:
Each type of Reddit history requires a different cleanup method. Clearing local history won’t remove posts. Hiding your profile won’t delete comments. Once you understand the difference, cleanup becomes much less frustrating.

Method 1. Delete Local Viewing History (Device-Level)

This is the easiest and lowest-risk cleanup. It’s especially useful if you:

• share a phone or computer
• don’t want Reddit surfacing what you recently viewed
• want a “fresh feed” feeling

If your only concern is what shows up on your device, this step alone may already be enough.

Delete Reddit History On Mobile (iOS & Android)

1. Open the Reddit app and log in.
2. Tap your profile icon (top-right in most versions).
3. Tap Settings.
4. Go to Privacy or Privacy & security.
5. Tap Clear local history.
6. Confirm.

What this does:
Removes locally stored viewing data on that device.

What it doesn’t do:
Does not delete searches, posts, or comments.

Delete Reddit History On Desktop (Browser-Level Local History)

Clearing your Reddit history on desktop is very similar to how it works on a mobile device. First, log in to your account, click your profile icon, select Settings, go to Privacy or Privacy & Security, click Clear history, and then confirm.

If clearing history doesn’t achieve your goal, it may be because Reddit relies heavily on your browser to store local data on desktop. In that case, clearing Reddit’s site data is usually the most effective way to remove device-level traces.

Option A: Clear Reddit Site Data (Recommended)

• Open your browser settings
• Find Cookies / Site data / Privacy
• Locate reddit.com
• Remove its stored site data
• Log back in if needed

This removes login sessions, preferences, and locally cached Reddit data.

Option B: Clear Visible “Recent” Lists (If Available)

Some users see a “Recent posts” panel with a Clear option. Use it if present—but treat it as secondary to clearing site data.

Method 2. Clear Reddit Search History (Recent Searches)

Search history is often the first thing people want gone. Even though it’s private, it can reveal a lot in a single glance—especially on shared devices.

Reddit usually requires manual removal, one search at a time.

On Mobile

1. Tap the search bar.
2. Under Recent searches, locate a query.
3. Tap the X next to it.
4. Repeat until the list is clear.

On Desktop

1. Click into Reddit’s search bar.
2. Wait for recent searches to appear.
3. Click the X beside each one.

If your goal is simply to hide awkward suggestions, this step alone may be all you need.

Method 3. Delete Reddit Posts and Comments (Public Activity)

If privacy is your main concern, this is the most important section.

Posts and comments:

• appear on your profile
• remain visible in subreddits
• may be indexed by search engines
• can be quoted or screenshotted

If this feels overwhelming, that’s normal. Most people don’t realize how much content they’ve accumulated until they scroll their own history.

If you only have a small amount to remove, manual deletion is fine. If you have hundreds or thousands of items, consider bulk methods later.

Manual Deletion (Mobile)

1. Tap your profile icon → Profile
2. Open Posts or Comments
3. Tap the ⋯ menu
4. Tap Delete → confirm
5. Repeat

Manual Deletion (Desktop)

1. Click your profile icon → Profile
2. Use the Posts and Comments tabs
3. Click ⋯ → Delete
4. Repeat

A Practical Privacy Upgrade: Edit Then Delete

For sensitive content:

1. Edit the post/comment to remove details
2. Then delete it

This doesn’t erase screenshots, but it reduces what survives in quotes or cached snippets.

Method 4. Reduce Profile Visibility (Hiding vs. Deleting)

Sometimes the goal isn’t full deletion—it’s preventing casual profile browsing from revealing everything.

Profile curation helps with presentation, not removal.

What Profile Curation Does

Profile curation is the process of selecting, organizing, and controlling what others see on your online profile

• Hides selected activity from your profile page
• Limits what strangers see at a glance

What It Does Not Do

• Remove posts from subreddits
• Prevent search engine discovery
• Delete content from Reddit’s servers

How to Use It

1. Go to your Profile
2. Open the ⋯ menu
3. Select Curate your profile
4. Choose what to show or hide
5. Save changes

Use this as a supplement—not a replacement—for deletion.

What Deletion Does and Doesn’t Do

Deletion helps, but it’s not a time machine.

What deletion usually achieves

✅ Removes content from your profile
✅ Removes it from subreddit feeds
✅ Reduces casual discovery
✅ Over time, reduces search visibility

What deletion can’t guarantee

❌ Screenshots or reposts
❌ Quotes in other threads
❌ Third-party archives
❌ Old search snippets until refreshed

Understanding this upfront prevents false expectations.

Privacy Tips Going Forward (VPN-Friendly, No Overpromising)

• Use separate Reddit accounts for sensitive topics
• Avoid repeating personal details across multiple subreddits
• Remember: deleting history fixes the past, not future tracking
• A VPN like X-VPN can help protect your IP address and browsing activity while using Reddit, especially on unsecured networks
• Review Reddit’s privacy and personalization settings periodically
• Think in terms of reducing future cleanup work, not achieving total anonymity

Related Reading

What Is a VPN? The Ultimate Guide for Beginners!

Everything you need to know about VPNs in the simplest way possible.

Conclusion

If you’re searching how to delete Reddit history, the most important step is identifying which type of history you actually want to remove.

• Device traces → clear local history
• Search suggestions → clear search history
• Public footprint → delete posts and comments
• Profile exposure → curate visibility

Once you match the method to the history type, Reddit cleanup becomes manageable—and far less stressful.

FAQs