How to Edit a Reddit Post (What You Can and Can't Change)

You hit post, then spot the typo. Or you forgot the one detail that makes your question answerable. It happens to everyone, and on Reddit it matters more than on most platforms, because a sloppy post gets scrolled past in seconds. If you're posting to promote a small business or share your work, a clean edit can save the post.

The good news is that editing is quick. The bad news is that one part of a post is locked for good. Here's what Reddit's help article says, in the order you'll need it.

Editing your Reddit post on a computer, iPhone or Android

Reddit's help centre gives one set of steps for reddit.com, iOS and Android, so you won't need to learn three routes:

1. Open the post you wrote.
2. Select the overflow menu, which is the three-dot icon on the post.
3. Choose Edit Post.
4. Change the text you want to fix.
5. Save your changes.

Comments work the same way, except the menu option reads Edit Comment. If you can't see the option, you're probably looking at somebody else's post, because the edit choice only appears on your own.

What you can and can't change once a Reddit post is live

Reddit's article is clear on the main limit: you can change the content of a post, but not its title. Reddit's help describes editing for text posts and comments, so I wouldn't promise yourself that a picture, a video or a link can be swapped after the fact. The page doesn't say, so test it on your own post before you rely on it.

Part of the post	What Reddit's help says
Body text	You can edit it
Title	You can't change it after posting
Your comments	You can edit them with Edit Comment
Other people's posts	No edit option, only the author gets it

That locked title is the reason I'd slow down before you hit Post. Read the headline twice. Check names, spellings and any brand name you're mentioning. Titles are what people see in the feed, and they're also the part you can't polish later.

The asterisk that appears after you edit on Reddit

After you edit, an asterisk appears next to the post or comment. Reddit's help says it's there so other users know the item has changed. You can't switch it off, and you shouldn't want to. It signals honesty, and readers who scroll a long thread are used to seeing it.

Reddit's own etiquette page, Reddiquette, goes a step further. It recommends saying why you edited, for example with a short Edit note such as "Edit: fixed the spelling" at the bottom, so readers understand what changed. I'd always add one when the change affects meaning. If someone replied to your first version and you quietly rewrote it, the thread stops making sense.

When a Reddit post needs a new title: the delete and repost route

Because the title is fixed, a wrong headline leaves you with a choice. Leave it, or delete the post and write it again. Reposting is fine when the first version had a real error, but do it once and do it early. Comments and votes on the old post go with it, so the sooner you decide, the less you lose.

If the post was a hit and the title is only slightly off, I'd leave it and add a short clarifying edit at the top of the body instead. The asterisk will show, and the discussion carries on.

Fixing a Reddit post for business owners and creators

If you share your work or your company's updates on Reddit, an edit is rarely just a typo job. Here's the order I'd work in:

• Check the community's rules again. A post can read fine and still break a rule about self-promotion, and my write-up of using Reddit for lead generation covers why that matters.
• Move the useful bit to the top of the body so a skimmer sees the point first.
• Answer questions in the comments before you rewrite, then add what people asked for to the post.
• Keep your tone consistent with what's already been said, since earlier replies refer to your first version.

Reddit rewards posts that help people and punishes ones that feel like adverts. If you want the longer view on that, my breakdown of how brands build a Reddit presence that wins is worth a read before your next post.

If the Edit Post option won't show up on Reddit

A few simple reasons usually explain it:

• You're not signed in to the account that wrote the post.
• You opened a comment's menu instead of the post's menu, or the other way round.
• The post is a type Reddit's help doesn't list as editable. Menus vary by app version, so look in the overflow menu of the post itself.
• The app is out of date. Update it from your app store and look again.

If none of that works, try the same post on reddit.com in a browser. The menu is easier to find on a bigger screen, and it rules out an app glitch.

Frequently asked questions

How do I edit a Reddit post?

Open your post, select the overflow menu (three dots), choose Edit Post, change the text and save. Reddit's help centre gives the same steps on reddit.com, iOS and Android.

Can I change the title of a Reddit post after posting?

No. Reddit's help says you can change a post's content but not its title. If the title is wrong, your choices are to leave it or delete the post and write it again.

Will people know I edited my Reddit post?

Yes. An asterisk appears next to an edited post or comment so other users know it has changed. Reddiquette also suggests adding a short Edit note saying what you changed.

Why can't I see Edit Post on my own post?

Check you're signed in to the right account and that you're in the post's own overflow menu, not a comment's. Updating the app, or trying reddit.com, often shows it.

Should I delete and repost instead of editing?

Only if the title has a real mistake. Deleting removes the comments and votes with it, so a short clarifying edit in the body is usually the better call.