Reddit enjoys millions of users across its various communities, resulting in thousands of daily posts and comments. With these large numbers, finding communities, users, or specific content on the platform may be overwhelming and slightly difficult. As a result, Reddit intuitively added a search function to help users find other users, communities, and specific content. This article will teach you how to use the search function across the various Reddit platforms.
Searching on Reddit
The Reddit search bar is everpresent across all Reddit platforms, with the variation being only as to its location. The search bar is usually consistent in its location across all Reddit platforms except the mobile website, where you need to tap the three-line icon at the top right to reveal the search bar.
You can use the search bar for various functions, including searching out a user, community, or content. To search for a user, input the user’s username into the search box, with or without prefixing it with u/. This will reveal a list of users with that user name from which you click on the appropriate username.
The same steps apply to communities and content as you simply need to input the relevant keywords into the search bar, as you would any other search bar.
How to follow a Reddit user
If you want to follow a user after searching them out, there are various ways to do so, depending on the platform you use:
Desktop website
Following a user has never been easier than it is on the Reddit desktop website. Ideally, you search out the person’s username via the search bar at the top middle of your screen. When the search bar reveals the user, clicking on their name will take you to their profile.
While on the user’s profile, you can simply click on the “follow” text next to the “chat” text. Alternatively, if you discover the user on your homepage or in any subreddit, hovering your cursor over the user’s username will display a small pop-up that includes a “follow” option.
Reddit app
On the Reddit app, you can equally search for the user you intend to follow and click on the name when the search result brings it. Doing this will take you to such a user’s profile. You can follow the user by clicking on the “follow” icon at the top right corner of your device’s screen.
Likewise, if you randomly come across a user you intend to follow while scrolling through a community, you can click such a user’s username above the post. This will display a pop-up that includes the option to follow the user.
Mobile website
Similar to identifying your followers on the Reddit mobile website, following a user is slightly trickier on the mobile website than on other platforms. On the website, posts do not include the users who make them, unlike on the desktop website and mobile application. As such, you require clicking on the post to view the user.
After the website reveals the user, clicking on their username will take you to their profile, where you can easily follow such a user. Likewise, the search bar is not readily displayed. To search for a user, you need to click on the screen’s three-line icon at the top right corner. This will reveal a left panel that discloses the search bar. Here, you can search for the user you wish to follow.
How to block a user
However, if you want to block the user you search out, On the desktop website, you can block a user by clicking on such user’s username, which is usually above their posts. Searching them out will lead you to their profile, where you can find all their posts.
Click on it to go to such a user’s profile. Here you will see several options on the right-side panel, including following and chatting with the user. Click on “more options” to reveal the block feature. Selecting it will promptly block the user. The steps are very similar on the old Reddit website version as well.
You can also follow the same steps on the mobile app to block a user. Click on the user’s username above their post to view their profile. Select the three-dot icon at the top-right corner of the user’s profile. A panel at the screen’s bottom will pop up with different options. Select block user to block the user.
The steps are slightly different on the mobile website version as a user’s username is not above the post. Instead, you click on the three-dot icon at the top-left corner of the post. This will reveal options, including a link to the user’s profile. Click on the three-dot icon next to the “Follow” icon on the profile. This will disclose the “permalink” and “block” features. Select block to block the user.
Users will be unable to contact you If you block them on Reddit. Furthermore, the account will stay blocked until you manually unblock them from any device you are logged in to.
To prevent abuse of the block and unblock feature, Reddit only allows you to block a user you have previously unblocked after 24 hours have elapsed since you unblocked such a user. Nevertheless, Reddit allows users to block a user even after unblocking them.
Reddit will also not communicate to the blocked or unblocked user that they have been blocked or unblocked. However, if the user tries to search for your account on Reddit actively, they will be able to see that you blocked or unblocked them on the platform.
How to join a community
However, if you want to join a community after searching it out. Simply input the community you want to join in the search bar and click on it when it appears; this will take you to the community’s homepage. Simply click “Join” on the community’s homepage to join the community, and you will continue to receive content from the community on your feed.
If you join a community and you want to keep abreast of the popular conversation topics, Notifier, our social listening tool, can help you track words and phrases on the platform.