Reddit is a platform where many people will freely express themselves and share their opinions or expertise about different things.
As such, you may often find yourself looking for someone on the platform for one reason or another, be it an expression you saw somewhere or someone you simply would like to keep tabs on.
In this article, I will give you ways to search and find someone on Reddit without a username; using their posts, comments, topics, their full name, nicknames, and third-party apps.
How to search for someone on Reddit
The most sure and obvious way to find anyone on Reddit is using their username. Open your Reddit app or log into your account on the web browser.
Type the username of the person you are looking for into the search bar in the top right corner of the page.
When you enter anything into the Reddit search bar, you get results grouped into different sets for example communities, posts, people, and so on.
Go to the people tab of the results and there you will find the person whose username you searched for.
Hint: Although it is not case-sensitive, the username you type must be specific right down to any asterisk that may be included.
Otherwise, you will be given a lot of options that may not even include who you are looking for.
But supposing you don’t know their exact username? Here are the other ways you can find someone on Reddit.
How to find a Reddit user without a username
1. Use their full name
Though it is highly unlikely that a person will use their full name on Reddit, it is not impossible, especially for people who are influencers.
There are all kinds of people including experts and enthusiasts in certain fields on the Reddit platform, so if the person you are looking for is one of those, then just type in their full name in the search bar.
If they exist and are using that name then they will show up under the people section of the results.
It will also help to know the person’s profile picture when sorting through the results.
Oftentimes, people will want to maintain the same name across all social media platforms.
Moreover, Reddit has the option of linking your Instagram or Twitter account to your Reddit account.
So if you know the usernames of the person you are trying to find on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or Facebook then put any of these into the Reddit search bar.
If this account and person exist on Reddit, then they will appear on the list in the people section of the search results.
Comparing the details and pictures of the profiles on different social media platforms will also help in narrowing down and confirming or disproving your search.
3. Use a known post or comment
Suppose you came across a post or comment that you are sure is from Reddit and want to find the person who shared it, then all you have to do is input that post in the search bar.
It does not have to be the full sentence, as long as you remember part of the phrasing, just type that into the search bar and you will get any outcomes associated with that.
Better still if you know what community it was posted in, then put that first in the search bar, click on the community you want, and then type in part of or the full comment.
Since this option usually brings too many results, you can filter through them by using the sorting option.
Knowing around what time the comment or post was shared, the number of comments, the topic of discussion, and the votes counter will all be very helpful.
Also Read: How To Delete All Reddit Comments
4. Use any known nicknames
When you are friends with someone or know something about them, then most probably you will know what other aliases they may have or like to use.
Try typing any of these in the search bar and check the given results. If by any luck the person is there, then you will find them.
However, you will be hoping that they are using their actual photo for their profile or you can read through their different posts and comments and see if that sounds like the person you are searching for.
5. Use keywords or topics
Generally, people rarely use their real names on Reddit as usernames, they will usually use phrases or words associated with something they love in their lives.
Keywords like someone’s life mantra, their favorite books, movies, fictional characters, celebrity actors or footballers, and even authors may also help you find that person on Reddit.
Just put that into the search bar and then go through the profiles of the different people given and look for something that stands out and can identify your person.
6. Third-party apps
There are also applications like Spokeo that have been said to help in providing as much information as possible on someone including their social media presence.
All you need is the email address that is attached to the person’s Reddit account.
However, you will have to spend a certain fee to get this data as these applications are not free.
Go to Spokeo email search by clicking on this link and type the person’s email address into the search bar.
Enter to search and then click on unlock results to load a page requesting payment before outcomes are sent to you.
FAQs
How do I find a user profile on Reddit?
Search the username of the person in the Reddit app or browser page to find the person you are looking for.
Click on their name on the results list to view their profile page which will include any comments and posts they may have shared and more details about them.
If you found the person on a post thread or comment, then it will depend on whether you are using the Reddit app or the browser.For the app, tap on their username or photo beside the post and choose to view profile.
For the browser just click on the username and it will take you to their profile page.
To view your profile, click on the profile picture in the top right corner of the app or browser and select my profile.
How do I find my lost Reddit account?
Depending on the exact nature of the lost account, there are various methods that you may apply.
If it is a lost password, then go to the Reddit login page and click on Forgot password. You will be asked to provide your username along with the email address associated with it.
Provide these details and click on reset password. An email with a link will be sent to you and then you can recover your account.
If it is a forgotten username, then tap on Forgot username on the Reddit login page. Provide your email address and your username will be sent to you.
If your Reddit account was lost for any other reason than the above, the best course of action is to contact Reddit help by submitting a request.
Be sure to clearly explain your problem including submitting any details that you may remember about the lost account like username, password, date when the account was created, how much karma you had, and the like.
Note that if you deleted your account, then you will not be able to recover it or re-use that username.
If you did not verify the email address associated with your Reddit account, then you may also not be able to get back your lost account.
Can other Reddit users see my username?
Yes. Your username is the one that appears beside all your posts and comments and in any search results on Reddit.
Even though there is a display name on Reddit, users will only see it if they go to your profile page.
Also, note that the only way to change your username is by creating a new account and deleting the old one.
However, you can change your display name as many times as you wish.
Can anyone see my real name on Reddit?
The only way users will see your real name on Reddit is if you used it as the username or as your display name for your profile page.
Also in instances where you sign in with your Google account and it has your real name, then it will be used as your username and will therefore be seen by other people.
Are you anonymous on Reddit?
No one will know for sure who you are on Reddit since pseudonyms are used and provided you avoid oversharing details about yourself on the platform, then you should be fine.
You can also limit exposure and try to stay ‘off the grid’ as much as possible on Reddit by;
- Changing your privacy settings for your account. You can limit who messages or chats with you as well as choose not to appear in any search results.
Click on your profile picture, and select settings at the bottom of the page. Proceed to account settings and customize as desired.
- You may also opt for private surfing when using the Reddit App. Just click on your Avatar, tap on the drop-down menu beside your username, and select anonymous browsing.
Note that this option is only available for the App version and not while using the web browser.
When anonymously browsing you cannot post, comment or vote.
Nevertheless, you should remember the popular belief that as long as it is on the internet, it is not anonymous.
How do you tell if a Reddit user deleted their account?
When a user deletes their account on Reddit, the name beside any posts or comments they may have shared changes to [deleted].
Unlike when a user is banned, all the comments and posts of a deleted account will still be seen on the platform and will appear in any search results.
Furthermore, when you search for a deleted account, the username will not appear in the results because it no longer exists.
Conclusion
Searching for someone without a username on Reddit is in the details and how much time you have.
The dates, number of comments, up-votes and down-votes, communities and topics involved, and even karma can be a deciding factor between two people you are confused about.
Just get as many details as possible and you will eventually find that person.
