Reddit AutoModerator Explained: Why It Removes Your Posts and How to Work With It
What Reddit AutoModerator is, the kinds of rules communities give it (karma, account age, keywords, links, flair), how to tell it removed your post and how to post so it lets you through.
AutoModerator, usually called AutoMod, is a bot every Reddit community can switch on. Moderators give it a list of rules, and it applies them to every post and comment the moment they are published. It never sleeps and never makes exceptions.
For promoters, AutoMod is the reason most posts vanish within seconds. The good news: it is predictable. Once you understand the kinds of rules it runs, you can post so it lets you through.
What AutoModerator actually does
AutoMod reads each new post or comment and checks it against the community's settings. If something matches, it can remove the post, hold it for a moderator to review, add a flair, or leave an automatic comment. Each community writes its own settings, and they are usually private, so you can't read them directly.
That's why two communities with the same written rules can behave very differently. One may remove anything from accounts under a certain age, while another only checks for flair.
The kinds of rules AutoMod runs
| Rule type | What it checks | How you pass it |
|---|---|---|
| Account age | How old your account is | Wait, keep the account active |
| Karma minimum | Post or comment karma, sometimes community karma | Earn karma with real participation |
| Keywords | Words in the title or body | Avoid spammy words, read the rules |
| Links and domains | Which sites you link to | Link only where allowed, to allowed domains |
| Flair or title format | Required tags or flair | Add exactly the format asked for |
| Frequency | How often you post there | Respect posting limits |
| Verification | A verified user flair | Complete the community's verification |
How to tell AutoMod removed your post
- The post disappears from the community's New feed within seconds or minutes.
- An automatic comment or message appears, often signed as the community's AutoModerator.
- It happens every time in one community but not in others.
- It happens with posts that contain a certain link or word, but not others.
If posts vanish everywhere, it's probably not AutoMod. Check for site-wide issues with our shadowban guide or read why Reddit posts get removed.
How to post so AutoMod lets you through
- 1Read the rules, sidebar, wiki and pinned posts. AutoMod settings usually follow the written rules, even if they don't show every number.
- 2Use the exact flair and title format asked for. Small differences count.
- 3Build karma and age on the account before posting to bigger communities. Our Reddit karma guide shows how to do it honestly.
- 4Keep links to where they are allowed, and don't use link shorteners in communities that block them.
- 5Space out posts and never post identical content in many communities at once.
- 6If a post is held for review, wait. Don't repost; that only adds to the queue.
What not to do
Don't try to trick AutoMod with misspelled words, hidden characters or new accounts made to dodge a filter. Moderators see these tricks all the time, and they turn a removed post into a ban. If you think AutoMod removed a post by mistake, send one polite modmail with a link to the post.
Treat AutoMod as a sign of what each community wants. Note every filter you hit in your community sheet, as in how to find subreddits that allow promotion, and your removal rate drops fast. More on Reddit as a channel on our Reddit page.
FAQ
What is AutoModerator on Reddit?+
A bot that each community can configure with its own rules. It checks every new post and comment and can remove, hold or reply to them automatically.
Can I see a subreddit's AutoModerator rules?+
Usually not. The settings are private to moderators. The written rules, sidebar and pinned posts are your best guide to what AutoMod checks.
How much karma do I need to avoid AutoModerator?+
Each community sets its own minimum, and many don't publish it. Build steady karma through real comments and posts before posting in bigger communities.
Does AutoModerator ban accounts?+
AutoMod mostly removes or holds posts. Bans are usually done by human moderators or by Reddit, often after repeated rule breaks that AutoMod flagged.
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