Reddit does not need a phone number. You can sign up with an e-mail address, Google or Apple, and the phone route is offered only in some countries. Reddit asks for a number when you choose that route or add one in your settings, and then confirms it with a code by text. If you sign up by phone, add an e-mail address straight away: without it you can neither remove the number nor set a password.
Does Reddit need a phone number?
| What Reddit checks | |
|---|---|
| E-mail address | A 6-digit code sent to the e-mail |
| Phone number (some countries only) | A one-time code sent by text |
| Google or Apple | The account you sign in with |
The phone option only appears if you are in a country where Reddit offers it.
Reddit's help treats the number as one way to sign in, next to e-mail, Google and Apple, not as a gate you must pass. Accounts created by e-mail work fully without one.
When a phone number is requested
- You picked "continue with phone number" at sign-up, in a country where Reddit offers it.
- You add a number in your account settings as an extra way in.
- You add an e-mail to a phone-made account: on reddit.com, Reddit asks you to verify the phone number again before it sends the e-mail link.
Reddit at a glance
- Virtual numbers
- Usually accepted
- Code sent by
- SMS
- Code length
- 6 digits
- Asks for the number again later
- No
- One number per account
- No
Adding or removing a number
- On reddit.com Click your avatar, top right → Settings. Under General in Account Settings, open Phone Number.
- In the iOS or Android app Tap your avatar → the three-line menu → Settings → your username under Account Settings → Basic Settings.
- Confirm with the code Reddit texts a code to the number. Enter it to finish.
- To remove the number Add an e-mail address first. Then the remove option works, as long as you still have the number.
Signed up with Google or Apple and never set a password? Then Reddit does not show the phone option at all until the account has one.
Which number makes sense
Reddit accepts most number types and does not usually come back for the number after sign-up. That makes it one of the easier places for a one-time code, as long as the account does not depend on that number afterwards.
- Sign up with e-mail, then decide whether you want a number on the account at all.
- Sign up by phone only with a number you keep, or add e-mail and a password before the number expires.
- Never share a code with anyone who messages you about it. A code is proof that you hold the number, and only you need it.
Common questions
Does Reddit need a phone number?
No. E-mail, Google and Apple sign-ups need no number. Phone sign-up is an extra option in some countries.
Why can't I remove my phone number from Reddit?
You need an e-mail address on the account first, and you need access to the number. If either is missing, the option does not work.
Why don't I see a phone number option in Reddit settings?
Accounts created with Google or Apple that never got a password do not show it. Add a password first.
Will Reddit ask for my number again later?
Not usually, if you added the number in settings. If you signed up by phone, the number is how you sign in, so keep it or add e-mail and a password right away.