Reddit plans login requirement test outside the US
Reddit will test a logged-in-only experience in select overseas markets, while Old Reddit faces a separate login requirement.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
Reddit’s planned login requirement is not yet a worldwide rule for the site. The company will first test a logged-in-only experience in select markets outside the US in the coming months, CEO Steve Huffman said, according to The Verge; Reddit has not set a date for a broader rollout or explained what logged-out visitors will be able to see.
The distinction matters for people who use Reddit links from search engines or browse without an account. Huffman said the company would assess effects on users, its business and the wider Reddit ecosystem during the test before deciding its next steps, The Verge reported.
When will Reddit require users to log in?
Reddit has given no timetable for applying the broader change to all users. The initial test will take place in an unspecified number of markets outside the US, and the company has not detailed how shared links or search results will work for visitors who are not signed in, according to The Verge.
Old Reddit is a separate case. In a post to moderators, Reddit said it would begin requiring everyone to log in to use Old Reddit over the following month. Users who are logged in will retain access to that version of the site, the post said.
Why is Reddit planning a logged-in-only experience?
Huffman said Reddit believes the change would improve the user experience, help its advertising business and better protect Reddit data. He said the vast majority of unauthorized access to Reddit occurs through logged-out experiences, according to The Verge.
Those are the company’s stated reasons, rather than independently established results. Huffman also said that having more signed-in users would allow Reddit to show more relevant advertising.
Logging in does not necessarily mean disclosing a real-world identity, according to Huffman. He said Reddit needs to know that a user has signed in, rather than who that person is. Reddit has also rebuilt and is rereleasing an incognito mode in its app, The Verge reported, though the company did not specify in that report exactly how the feature will work.
The announcement came alongside Reddit’s third-quarter 2026 results. Reddit said search traffic fell meaningfully during the quarter, with logged-out and web traffic most affected; Huffman said October search referrals had declined by more than 1 million per week on average. He also said app users and logged-in daily active users accounted for more than 80% of the company’s monetization.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.