How to Fix Reddit Search Not Working

Reddit is a major social media network known for its community-driven threads and topics. Founded in 2005, it has since become a central hub for news aggregation and discussion, segmented into various subreddits. Despite its widespread use and popularity, users sometimes experience difficulties with the platform’s search functionality. This article explores the common reasons for these issues and provides practical solutions to improve your search experience on Reddit.

In this article, we’ll go through all of the reasons this problem emerges and what you can do to fix Reddit search is not working.

We concluded that this problem has numerous manifestations after examining it on our own and incorporating the results from user cases.

The following are some of the instances why Reddit search could not work:

Common Issues with Reddit Search

1. Search Filter is Enabled: By default, Reddit filters out all mature content from search results. Without any clear indication that this filter is active, you might not realize why your searches seem incomplete.
2. Backend Issues: Occasionally, the problem could be with Reddit’s backend. When Reddit’s developers recognize such issues, they typically address them quickly.
3. Ad-Blockers: Certain browser extensions, especially ad-blockers, are known to interfere with Reddit’s search functionality. These tools might block parts of the website, including the search feature.

Ways to Fix Reddit Search Not Working

Check for Backend Issues

Before you try other solutions, it’s important to determine whether Reddit itself is experiencing technical difficulties. Visit the Reddit Status Page to see if there are any alerts about current problems. If there’s a known issue, the best course of action is to wait until it’s resolved.

How to Fix Reddit Search Not Working by Disabling Ad-Blockers

Ad-blockers can enhance your browsing experience by removing unwanted ads, but they can also interfere with certain functionalities on websites like Reddit, particularly the search feature. If you’re experiencing issues with Reddit’s search function, here’s a step-by-step method to disable your ad-blockers and see if it resolves the problem:

1. Open Your Browser Settings: Launch the browser where you usually access Reddit. This example uses Google Chrome, but the steps should be similar in other browsers.
2. Access Extensions Settings:
   • Type chrome://extensions/ in the address bar of Google Chrome and press Enter.
   • This will take you to the Extensions page where all your installed extensions are listed.
3. Locate and Disable Ad-Blockers:
   • Look through the list to find any extensions that function as ad-blockers.
   • Click the toggle switch to disable each ad-blocker. This switch is typically located at the bottom right corner of the extension box.
4. Restart Your Browser: After disabling the ad-blockers, close and reopen your browser to ensure the changes take effect.
5. Test Reddit Search:
   • Go back to Reddit and try using the search function again.
   • Check if the search results are now appearing as expected.
6. Identify Specific Extensions:
   • If disabling all ad-blockers resolves the search issue, you might want to re-enable them one at a time to identify which specific ad-blocker was causing the problem.
   • This can help you decide whether to keep it disabled or replace it with a different ad-blocking extension that doesn’t interfere with Reddit.

Note: Try disabling each extension one by one. This may aid in determining whether a particular application is causing the issue.

Disable Search Filter

If you’re missing content in your search results, it might be due to Reddit’s NSFW filter:

1. Access User Settings: Click on your profile image at the top-right of the Reddit page, then select ‘User Settings.’
2. Modify Feed Settings: Navigate to the ‘Feed Settings’ tab and adjust the filter to include NSFW content.
3. Save and Test: Save your changes and try searching again.