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Reddit will force everyone to log in

Software2 min read

Reddit says it will soon require users to log in to see its site. Right now, anyone can browse Reddit without an account. The change will first be tested in some countries outside the US.

Reddit will require log-ins

Reddit is changing its rules so people must have an account to use the site. Today, people can read Reddit without logging in. CEO Steve Huffman announced the change along with the company's quarterly earnings report. Reddit will first test the rule in "select markets outside the US" in the coming months. The company has not said when it will reach all users or how logged-out visitors will be treated.

Why Reddit is making this change

Reddit has long been a place where people share real answers and advice. Many people add "reddit" to their web searches to find these answers. But bots and automated programs often copy large amounts of Reddit's content without permission. Reddit has filed lawsuits about this. It has also limited access to "Old Reddit," the site's older version.

Key numbers and facts

  • Search traffic was "down meaningfully" in the third quarter of 2026, according to Huffman.
  • In October, search traffic dropped by more than 1 million referrals on average each week.
  • App users and logged-in daily users make up "over 80%" of Reddit's monetization.
  • Reddit has allowed logged-out access to almost all of the site for about two decades.

Why it matters

This is a big change for a site that many people use as a free source of answers. Reddit says logins will protect its data and help its ads business, because it can show more relevant ads to logged-in users. Huffman says Reddit does not need to know who each user is, only that they are logged in. Still, some users may be unhappy about having to sign up, and sharing links with people who are not logged in is still unclear.

What to watch

  • Which countries get the log-in test first, and how it works there.
  • Whether Reddit announces a full timeline for all users.
  • What logged-out visitors will see when they open a shared link.
  • How search traffic and user numbers change after the rule starts.
  • Whether Reddit keeps its data deals with AI companies such as OpenAI and Google.

Glossary

Reddit
A website where users post, discuss, and vote on topics in communities called subreddits.
Steve Huffman
The CEO and co-founder of Reddit.
Old Reddit
An older version of Reddit's website that Reddit has now limited.

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