Reddit, the ninth most popular website globally, is a bustling hub of conversations, debates, and information exchanges. It’s a place where topics of any nature, from the most mundane to the most profound, find a home in the form of subreddits.
But what happens when you, as a subreddit creator, decide you want to discontinue one of these bustling forums?
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of understanding how to delete a subreddit and explore the alternative options at your disposal.
Understanding Subreddits
As a start, it’s important to understand what a subreddit is. A subreddit is a dedicated forum, a community within the larger Reddit platform, where users discuss specific topics.
Anyone on Reddit can create their own subreddit, and these communities range widely in topic and scale. As a creator, you have responsibilities, including moderating discussions and ensuring community members adhere to Reddit’s rules and guidelines.
However, there might come a time when you no longer wish to maintain or be associated with the subreddit you created, leading you to explore how to delete a subreddit.
The Reality of Deleting a Subreddit
One of the first things you need to know about how to delete a subreddit is that, in reality, Reddit doesn’t allow the actual deletion of a subreddit once it’s been created.
Instead, you have two primary options if you no longer want to manage or be a part of the subreddit you created: you can set the subreddit to private, or you can remove yourself as a moderator of the subreddit.
How to Set Your Subreddit to Private
Setting your subreddit to private essentially restricts access to the subreddit. While it won’t delete the subreddit, it will make it unaccessible to non-members, and they won’t be able to see or post content on the subreddit’s page. Here’s how to set your subreddit to private:
- Step 1: Log into your account and navigate to your subreddit. On the right side of the page, select ‘Mod Tools.’
- Step 2: Look for the gear icon to access ‘Community Settings.’
- Step 3: Scroll down until you find the ‘Type of Community’ section. Here, select the ‘Private’ option.
- Step 4: To prevent anyone from posting, including other moderators, choose ‘Only Approved Users Can Post And Comment.’ Leave the username field blank.
By setting your subreddit to private, you’re effectively placing it in a dormant state. It stays in existence but becomes inactive.
Resigning as a Subreddit Moderator
Another option when you’re pondering how to delete a subreddit is to remove yourself as a moderator. This action essentially lets the community self-moderate. Here’s how to do it:
- Step 1: Sign in to your Reddit account and navigate to ‘Moderator Tools.’
- Step 2: Click on the ‘Leave As Moderator’ icon.
- Step 3: Confirm your decision, and you’re done!
By resigning as a moderator, you disconnect yourself from the community you created, meaning you won’t receive notifications related to the subreddit. However, you retain the ability to create more communities on Reddit.
Also Read: How to Delete Your Snapchat Account?
The Fate of Abandoned Subreddits
Subreddits that have been set to private or left without a moderator by their creators are considered abandoned. What happens to these abandoned subreddits? It’s up to the community and any remaining moderators to keep the subreddit alive. However, if the subreddit was set to private such that no user can post or comment, the community will remain inactive until a user or moderator petitions Reddit staff to regain control of the subreddit. If Reddit grants the request, the new moderator gains full control of the subreddit.
Preserving Your Privacy
Even after you’ve set your subreddit to private or resigned as a moderator, your Reddit account will still be associated with the subreddit as its creator. If you wish to remove this association, the only way to do so is to delete your Reddit account entirely. This action will eliminate all your content, karma, and ties to any subreddits, but it will also ensure your privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Rename a Subreddit?
No, renaming a subreddit is not an option. Once created, a subreddit’s name is permanent.
How To Lock Subreddit?
The closest thing to locking a subreddit is setting it to private. When a subreddit is private, only existing community members and moderators can post or see the content.
In conclusion, while you can’t technically learn how to delete a subreddit in the sense of completely removing it from the platform, you do have options to distance yourself from a subreddit you’ve created, whether by setting it to private or resigning as a moderator. Reddit is a dynamic platform with mechanisms that allow for the evolution of communities and the shifts in interest and capacity of its users.