It is not uncommon to find Reddit links in the results of Internet searches. If you click on a link to Reddit, one of two things may happen: the actual page on Reddit may open right away and you may read the original post and the replies right away. Or the content may be blocked and you may get a prompt to either sign in to an account or use the official Reddit app to access the content.
The first scenario happens on the desktop and the second exclusively on Reddit mobile at the time of writing. The screenshot below [on the left] shows the prompt that mobile users may get when they open a page in a mobile browser without being signed in. It appears that the content is not blocked for all mobile users, but only a section of users. This forcible action has annoyed a lot of netizens.
ADVERTISEMENT
In that case, Reddit states "to view posts in r/*** you must continue in the Reddit app or log in". Others may see the list of topics in a subreddit or the homepage, and any tap on a link opens the dreaded sign-up page.
Reddit wants users to use the app on mobile or sign-in at least. While the company has not revealed why it is putting a block in place for some mobile users, it is likely that it wants more information about its users to boost registrations and revenue on the site.
ADVERTISEMENT
As a user, it is a nuisance, especially if you followed a link to a specific discussion. You may have no interest in registering an account or installing the official Reddit app [despite it being free] just to read that one page on the site.
So, how can you bypass the sign-up and app download prompts on Reddit mobile?
Ways around Reddit's mobile blocking
If you just want to access the content without having to sign in or use the Reddit app on mobile devices, then you have the following options.
Option 1: Use the "Old" Reddit
Reddit maintains two versions of the site currently [at least at the time of writing]: the new version that is loaded by default and the old version. The latter may be removed in the future, but it works fine currently. The old version does not enforce the use of the app or an account to access content on the site. Even better, it is very easy to access, especially if you are on Reddit already.
ADVERTISEMENT
All you have to do is replace the www part of the address with old. For example:
Option 2: Free Use Desktop Reddit
Instead of using the old version of Reddit, you may also load the desktop site. Some mobile browsers support this out of the box; this is the case for Brave or Firefox.
Just select Menu > Desktop Site in those browsers to request the Reddit desktop site instead of the mobile site. The downside of this solution is that the desktop site is not optimized for mobile use. The Reddit mobile app is a lot faster and doesn’t require you to log in again and again.
Option 3: Free use Reddit by using another browser
ADVERTISEMENT
If you have multiple browsers installed, you may get the full view in some while others may be blocked. On my device, Reddit was blocking access in Brave by default but not in Firefox. Firefox displayed all posts and there was no block in place.
Closing Words
To access Reddit on mobile, you may also install a third-party app. But many of those may display advertisements by default. Only some users experience the blocking of the content on Reddit Mobile; those may use any of the methods listed above to access the content on Reddit without signing in or using the official application.
Now You: do you use Reddit? Do you prefer Reddit mobile or the app?
ADVERTISEMENT
Summary
TL;DR: Profile headers on the official apps have a new look. You can add up to 5 social links to your profile [but you don't have to if you don't want to]. We're still rolling out the feature, so if you haven't gotten access to it yet, you will over the next few weeks.
Hi everyone,
Today, we are excited to announce a new look to profiles for the official iOS and Android apps. Additionally, we have shipped a new feature that enables you to add links to your profile that will not take up precious bio character limit space. With this launch, we are taking one step forward in making profiles a place where redditors have the opportunity to share all facets of themselves with the Reddit community.
The visual change to profiles is primarily in the profile header — you’ll notice that the Posts, Comments, and About tabs remain unchanged.
The change is still being rolled out incrementally, so some of you may not see it just yet. Over the next few weeks, it will become available to all users on Reddit.
The previous profile experience
The new profile experience, with social links added
The new profile experience, without any social links
Some things to note about the new links feature:
You can add up to 5 links to your profile at this time
There are a list of different platforms to choose from, but you can also choose to enter a custom URL
Links can be reordered via drag and drop [i.e. you will not have to delete and re-add in order to change the position of your links]
You don’t have to use it if you don’t want to!
As a friendly reminder, in profile settings, you’re able to add a display name to your profile [if you want something other than your username to show up], and can add an image to your profile header as well!
Adding a social link on the edit profile screen
Editing an existing social link
Reordering social links via drag-and-drop
Deleting a social link
If it's available to you, give it a spin and let us know if you run into any bizarro bugs or issues. If you don't see it yet, hang tight — it's coming! We’ll stick around a bit to answer any questions.