If your Reddit account was hacked and someone turned on two-factor authentication (2FA), changed your password, changed your email address, or locked you out, do not create a new account immediately.
The first thing to do is determine whether you can still access the original account or the email address connected to it.
For most hacked Reddit accounts, the recovery process starts with resetting your password. If the email address was changed by the attacker, Reddit says you may receive an email explaining how to change it back using the original email address associated with the account. If those steps do not restore access, Reddit’s official guidance is to submit a support request under Security problems → I think my account has been hacked and provide the affected username and details about why you believe the account was compromised.
If your problem is specifically that Reddit Support has not responded, you can also read our guide:
Reddit Support Not Responding? How to Contact a Real Person and Get Help
Reddit Account Hacked? Start Here
If you suddenly cannot access Reddit, see unfamiliar activity, or discover that your account information has changed, check these signs first.
Your account may have been compromised if:
- Your password was changed without your permission
- Your email address was changed
- You received a Reddit security email about a change you did not make
- You see posts, comments, votes, or chats you do not remember creating
- You find unfamiliar authorized applications
- Your account activity shows unusual IP activity
- You suddenly cannot log in
- Someone enabled 2FA that you did not set up
Reddit specifically lists unauthorized password or email changes, unfamiliar authorized apps, unusual IP activity, and activity you do not recognize as potential signs of a compromised account.
Quick recovery guide
| What happened | What to do first |
|---|---|
| Password changed | Try a password reset |
| Email changed | Check your original email for Reddit’s recovery message |
| 2FA is blocking login | Try backup codes or an existing logged-in session |
| Password reset email never arrives | Check your email access and account email status |
| Account still cannot be recovered | Submit a hacked-account support request |
| You lost access to the original email | Recovery may be limited |
| You see unknown posts or comments | Treat the account as potentially compromised |
The most important point is that different account problems require different recovery steps.
How to Recover a Hacked Reddit Account
Step 1: Try to Reset Your Password
If you still control the email address associated with your Reddit account, start with the normal password-reset process.
This is the simplest recovery method when an attacker has changed your password but has not taken control of your email account.
After resetting the password, try logging in again.
If you regain access, immediately review your account security and remove anything you do not recognize.
Reddit recommends using a strong, unique password and keeping a current verified email address connected to the account.
What If the Hacker Changed Your Email Address?
This is more serious because the attacker may have attempted to prevent you from resetting the password.
Reddit says that if the email address on your account was changed to an unfamiliar address, you may receive an email explaining how to change it back.
You need to use the original email address that was associated with the account before the hack and then reset the password.
What you should check
Search your original email inbox for messages from Reddit.
Look in:
- Inbox
- Spam
- Junk
- Promotions
- Trash
- Archived messages
Search for terms such as:
password
email address
security
account
If you find a legitimate Reddit security message explaining how to reverse an unauthorized email change, follow the instructions carefully.
Do not forward sensitive account information to strangers who contact you claiming they can recover the account.
Reddit Hacked and 2FA Turned On?
This is one of the most difficult login situations.
You may know your password but still be unable to access the account because Reddit asks for a two-factor authentication code.
There are two very different situations:
Situation 1: You enabled 2FA yourself
If you originally set up 2FA, Reddit recommends trying your backup codes.
When 2FA was enabled, Reddit provided backup codes that could be saved for situations where you cannot access your normal authentication method.
Situation 2: The hacker enabled 2FA
If you never enabled 2FA but suddenly Reddit asks for an authentication code, mention this explicitly in your support request.
Do not describe the problem only as:
“I can’t log in.”
Instead explain:
“I believe my account was compromised and two-factor authentication was enabled without my knowledge.”
Reddit’s current support form specifically asks whether 2FA was enabled without the user’s knowledge.
This makes the nature of the problem much clearer.
Can You Recover Reddit 2FA Without the Code?
It depends on the situation.
If you originally enabled 2FA, Reddit recommends:
- Use one of your backup codes
- Check whether you are already logged in somewhere else
- If you are still logged in, use your account settings to generate new backup codes
- Check that your authenticator app is updated
- Confirm that your device’s date, time, and time zone are correct
If someone else enabled 2FA on your account, treat the situation as a potential account compromise rather than a normal 2FA troubleshooting problem.
If the normal recovery options do not work, submit a support request and explain that the 2FA setting was not made by you. Reddit’s hacked-account guidance specifically directs users who cannot recover the account to submit a request under the security problems category.
What If You Are Still Logged In Somewhere?
Before logging out of every device, check whether you are already signed in to Reddit somewhere else.
For example, you may be unable to log in through the Reddit app but still be signed in through:
- A desktop browser
- Another browser
- An old computer
- A tablet
- Another mobile device
Reddit specifically recommends checking whether you are already logged in elsewhere when you have a 2FA login problem.
If you still have access, go to your account settings and review the security information available to you.
You may also be able to generate new backup codes.
Important
If you discover that you are still logged in, do not immediately log out.
Use the existing session to review your account and secure it first.
What If Reddit Password Reset Email Is Not Arriving?
This is another common account-recovery problem.
Before assuming that the Reddit recovery system is broken, check whether you still have access to the email address associated with the account.
Reddit states that it cannot help users gain access to an account when they have lost access to the account’s email and cannot otherwise establish access.
Check these things first
1. Confirm the email address
Make sure you are requesting the password reset for the correct email address.
If you have several email accounts, check each one.
2. Search your entire mailbox
Search for:
Then check spam and junk folders.
3. Check whether the account email was changed
If a hacker changed the email address, your normal password-reset process may no longer behave as expected.
Look for an earlier Reddit message notifying you that the email address was changed.
4. Check whether you still have access to the original email
This can be critical for account recovery.
Reddit’s current guidance states that users who have lost access to the email associated with an account may not be able to recover the account through support.
Reddit Says My Account Is Locked
A locked account is not necessarily the same as a hacked account.
Reddit says accounts may be disabled or locked because of suspicious activity or violations of sitewide rules.
If Reddit locked the account because of security concerns or technical irregularities, the current support documentation says you need to reset your password to unlock it.
What should you do?
First try the password-reset process.
If the reset works, log back in and review the account.
If you cannot reset the password because the account’s email was changed or removed without your knowledge, Reddit directs users to submit a request under:
Security problems → I think my account has been hacked.
What If You Lost Access to Your Reddit Email?
This is one of the most important limitations to understand.
If you no longer have access to the email address associated with your Reddit account and you also cannot remember your password, recovery may not be possible.
Reddit says that it cannot help users log in when it cannot verify that they are the legitimate account owner through login access or access to the account email.
That means an old Reddit account with no registered email and a forgotten password can be extremely difficult to recover.
If you still know your password
If you can still access the account, add a current email address to the account settings.
That gives you a recovery method for future password resets.
How to Contact Reddit About a Hacked Account
If the normal recovery methods do not work, use Reddit’s official support request system.
The current Reddit request form asks for information such as:
- Email address
- Type of account problem
- Reddit username
- Unfamiliar username, if applicable
- Whether 2FA was enabled without your knowledge
- Whether you can log in
- Whether you received the password-reset email
- Contact email
- Subject
- Details of the problem
- Optional attachments
For a hacked account, select the security-related option indicating that you believe the account was hacked.
Reddit’s official hacked-account guidance specifically instructs users who cannot recover their account through the normal methods to submit a request under Security problems / I think my account has been hacked.
What Should You Write to Reddit Support?
Make your request specific.
Instead of:
“My account was hacked. Help.”
provide a short timeline.
Example
Username: u/ExampleUser
Problem: My Reddit account appears to have been compromised.
What happened: I can no longer access the account and noticed changes that I did not make.
Security issue: Two-factor authentication appears to have been enabled without my permission.
Recovery attempts: I tried resetting my password and checked the email address associated with the account.
Current status: I still cannot access the account.
Request: Please review the account-security issue and advise me on the appropriate recovery process.
This gives the support team the key information immediately.
What Information Should You Never Send?
When trying to recover a hacked account, be careful about what you disclose.
Never publicly post:
- Your Reddit password
- Your email password
- 2FA authentication codes
- Backup codes
- Recovery codes
- Credit card numbers
- Banking information
If someone contacts you privately claiming to be able to recover your Reddit account, verify who they are before giving them any information.
A person knowing your Reddit username does not prove that they work for Reddit.
What If Reddit Support Does Not Respond?
If you have already submitted a hacked-account request and are waiting for a response, avoid immediately creating multiple identical requests.
First check:
- Did you use the correct support category?
- Did you provide the affected username?
- Did you explain that you believe the account was hacked?
- Did you mention unauthorized 2FA?
- Did you provide the correct contact email?
- Did you check your spam folder?
- Did you receive any follow-up email from Reddit?
If the problem is that Reddit Support is not responding at all, see our related guide:
Reddit Support Not Responding? How to Contact a Real Person and Get Help
That article covers the broader problem of contacting Reddit Support, choosing the right support route, and what to do when your request does not receive a useful response.
How to Secure Your Reddit Account After Recovery
Getting your account back is only the first step.
Once you regain access, secure the account immediately.
Change your password
Use a strong and unique password that you do not use on another website.
Reddit recommends using a strong, unique password.
Check your email address
Confirm that the email associated with the Reddit account is yours and that you can access it.
Review account activity
Look for unusual activity or sessions that you do not recognize.
Review authorized apps
Reddit lists unfamiliar authorized applications as one possible sign of account compromise.
Enable 2FA
If you have regained control and your account supports the feature, Reddit recommends adding two-factor authentication as part of securing the account.
Save your backup codes
Do not leave your backup codes only inside the same device or account that you could potentially lose access to.
Store them somewhere secure.
How to Prevent Another Reddit Account Hack
Several basic security habits can reduce the risk of another account compromise.
Use a unique password
Do not reuse your Reddit password on other websites.
If another service suffers a credential breach, reused passwords can put multiple accounts at risk.
Use a password manager
A password manager can generate and store unique passwords for different services.
Keep your email account secure
Your email account is especially important because it may be used for password recovery and security notifications.
Use strong authentication on your email account as well.
Do not share your account
Reddit recommends not sharing accounts.
Be careful with third-party applications
Review which applications have permission to access your Reddit account.
Remove anything you do not recognize.
Avoid saving passwords on shared computers
If you use a public or shared computer, make sure you log out and do not allow the browser to save your credentials.
Reddit also recommends using its account activity page to log out of active sessions.
Reddit Hacked Account Recovery Checklist
Before submitting a support request, go through this checklist.
| Check | What to do |
|---|---|
| Password | Try resetting it |
| Confirm you still control the original email | |
| Security email | Search inbox and spam |
| 2FA | Check whether you enabled it |
| Backup codes | Try them if you originally enabled 2FA |
| Existing sessions | Check whether Reddit is still open on another device |
| Account activity | Look for unfamiliar activity |
| Authorized apps | Remove anything you do not recognize |
| Support request | Select the hacked-account/security category |
| Username | Include the affected Reddit username |
| Explanation | Clearly describe what happened |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a hacked Reddit account?
Possibly. Reddit recommends first trying to reset your password. If the account email was changed, check for Reddit’s instructions for reversing the change. If you still cannot recover the account, submit a request under the security problems category and identify the account as compromised.
What if a hacker enabled 2FA on my Reddit account?
Explain clearly that 2FA was enabled without your knowledge. Reddit’s current support request form specifically asks whether 2FA was enabled without the user’s knowledge.
What if I have my password but Reddit asks for a 2FA code?
If you originally enabled 2FA, try your backup codes or check whether you are already logged in on another device. Reddit also recommends checking your authenticator app and device time settings.
What if I never receive the Reddit password reset email?
Check that you are using the correct email address, search your spam and junk folders, and confirm whether the account email was changed. If you no longer have access to the account email, Reddit says recovery may not be possible.
Can Reddit Support recover my account if I lost access to my email?
Reddit states that it cannot help someone log into an account when it cannot verify that they are the legitimate owner through account access or access to the associated email.
Should I create a new Reddit account?
Not immediately. If your original account contains important posts, comments, karma, saved content, or communities you manage, try the official recovery process first.
Should I contact a Reddit moderator?
A subreddit moderator may be able to help with a problem inside that specific community, but account-security problems such as hacking, password recovery, and unauthorized 2FA should be handled through Reddit’s account-support process.
What should I do after recovering my account?
Change your password, confirm your email address, review account activity and authorized apps, enable 2FA, and securely save your backup codes. Reddit recommends these types of security measures for protecting an account.
Final Takeaway
If your Reddit account was hacked, the most important thing is to identify what changed before choosing the recovery method.
If you still control your original email, start with a password reset.
If the hacker changed your email address, check your original email for Reddit’s recovery instructions.
If you are blocked by 2FA, determine whether you originally enabled it. If you did, try your backup codes or an existing logged-in session. If you did not enable it, clearly tell Reddit that 2FA was enabled without your knowledge.
If none of these steps restore access, submit an official Reddit support request under the security-related hacked-account option and include your username and a concise explanation of what happened.
Most importantly, never give your password, 2FA codes, or backup codes to someone who claims they can recover your Reddit account.
If your bigger problem is not just account recovery but Reddit Support itself is not responding, continue with our related guide:
Reddit Support Not Responding? How to Contact a Real Person and Get Help