Reddit Starts Blocking Its Mobile Web Version Almost Entirely

Some users have been completely unable to access Reddit’s web version on mobile. Apparently, Reddit has been testing a new mobile web popup on iPhone that asks some users to “get the app to keep using Reddit.”

The pop-up cannot be dismissed and appears for some users visiting reddit.com on iPhone.

Reddit’s Response

A Reddit spokesperson told Ars Technica that the prompt is part of a test for a small group of frequently logged-out mobile users.

The spokesperson said the test asks those users to download the app after visiting the site.

Reddit said these users are already familiar with the platform and that the app provides a better experience, including more personalization and easier discovery of communities.

I am not really a Reddit user.

However, from time to time I am checking few subreddits, like r/Monero, on my mobile device.

But it seems like this is over now, since Reddit decided to not let me use their website anymore:

"Get the app to keep using Reddit", it now says. No way… pic.twitter.com/UuTd6FIwpu

— CR1337 (@CR1337) May 6, 2026

User Complaints

Some users have complained on subreddits such as r/bugs and r/help after being blocked from using the mobile website.

One user asked whether their days of browsing anonymously were over.

Futurism’s Victor Tangermann wrote last week that the aggressive ad may be another sign of the platform’s “enshittification,” a term coined by author Cory Doctorow to describe tech companies degrading services to increase profit.

Monetization Pressure

Reddit has continued to grow and now has 121 million daily active users.

However, the company has struggled to build a clear path to monetization since going public two years ago.

Advertising remains Reddit’s main source of revenue, which helps explain its push to get users into the mobile app, where activity can be tracked more consistently.

Data and Search Traffic

In 2024, Reddit signed a controversial contract with OpenAI that allowed the ChatGPT maker to train AI models on user-submitted posts.

Reddit is also in legal disputes with Perplexity and Anthropic over alleged unlawful use of its data. According to the Financial Times, more than half of the US population visits Reddit each week.

However, much of that discovery comes through Google searches, leaving Reddit to balance monetization with engagement growth.

Previous User Backlash

This is not the first time Reddit has upset parts of its user base. In 2023, Reddit stopped allowing users to opt out of ad personalization.

That same year, before its IPO, Reddit began charging developers for API access. The move led to the shutdown of several popular Reddit clients, including Apollo.