Reddit is shutting down RSS feeds, marking a major shift for users who rely on open web tools to follow communities, track discussions, and monitor new posts outside the platform.
The company confirmed that RSS support will end on November 13, citing concerns that RSS feeds have become a frequent target for large-scale scraping and automated abuse. While Reddit acknowledged that RSS has long been an important part of the open web, it says the feature is no longer sustainable in its current form.
RSS, short for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary, is a standardized feed format that allows websites, apps, and readers to receive updates automatically. It became especially popular during the blogging era, giving users a simple way to follow websites without visiting each one manually. Many people still use RSS readers today to keep up with news, forums, blogs, and online communities in one place.
For Reddit users, RSS feeds offered a convenient way to follow specific subreddits, new posts, and community activity without relying entirely on Reddit’s website or app. Moderators also used RSS-based workflows to receive alerts and monitor activity across communities.
Reddit says moderators who currently depend on RSS for alerts should move their workflows to the Discord Relay Devvit app before the November 13 cutoff. The company is urging moderator teams to review their existing systems and make changes early to avoid disruption. However, Reddit also made clear that there will be no direct replacement for RSS feeds used outside moderator-related workflows.
The decision has raised concerns among moderators and longtime users. Some moderators say RSS helped them manage busy communities more efficiently, while many users say RSS was their preferred way to read Reddit content. Without it, they may need to depend more heavily on Reddit’s native interface or approved tools.
The RSS shutdown also comes at a time when Reddit’s user-generated content has become increasingly valuable. The company has been expanding revenue beyond advertising, including through data licensing arrangements related to artificial intelligence. In its second quarter, Reddit reported that its “other revenue” category grew 24% year over year to $43 million. As demand for high-quality conversation data rises, Reddit appears to be tightening control over how its content is accessed and distributed.
RSS is not the only feature being restricted. Reddit also announced that public API access will end by March 2027. This change will affect tools that rely on programmatic access to Reddit conversations, including social listening platforms, research tools, bots, and AI-related products. Once public API access is closed, companies and developers that want broad access to Reddit data may need to enter commercial agreements with the platform.
Developers building approved third-party apps and bots are being told to register them with Reddit before January 12, 2027. After that deadline, Reddit plans to remove API access for developers who have not completed registration.
Reddit is also making changes to Old Reddit, the classic text-heavy version of the site still preferred by many longtime users and moderators. The company says it is adding safeguards to reduce abusive scraping and automated traffic. In the coming months, access to Old Reddit will be limited to logged-in moderators and logged-in users who have accessed Old Reddit within the past six months.
Alongside these platform changes, Reddit also provided updates related to its Rules Hub and automated moderation tools. The broader message is clear: Reddit is moving toward a more controlled ecosystem, with tighter limits on automated access and stronger oversight of how its data is used.
For supporters of RSS and the open web, Reddit’s decision is a significant loss. RSS has long represented a user-controlled way to follow online content without algorithms, notifications, or locked-down apps. Its removal from Reddit reflects a larger trend among major platforms: limiting free access to public data while pushing users, developers, and businesses toward official channels.
For everyday Reddit users, the biggest immediate change will arrive on November 13, when RSS feeds stop working. Moderators and power users should review their tools now, especially if their workflows depend on feed readers, automated alerts, or third-party systems connected to Reddit activity.
