Reddit is an amazing platform to find discussions regarding hot topics happening around the world. There are dedicated communities called subreddits where you can join and voice your opinion or discuss with other Redditors.
However, your excitement to browse through the Reddit feed can be shortlived if you encounter the “Upstream Connect Error” on the app. Primarily, when this issue occurs, the Reddit feed won’t load on your screen.
Also, When you access a subreddit, the posts on that community won’t show. From what I have learned, “Upstream Connect Error” is not exclusive to Reddit. It can occur on other apps such as X, and Spotify to name a few. In this guide, I have explained the possible reasons for the Upstream Connect Error on Reddit and how to fix it.
What Does “Upstream Connect Error” Mean on Reddit?
If the Reddit API is down due to some technical problem, it can cause the users to experience the Upstream Connect Error. When the API does not function, all associated features of an app become unresponsive.
API stands for Application Program Interface. An API of an app makes it more interactive and allows the developers to add features to the platform. Let it be accessing your Reddit feed or chats, viewing a subreddit, loading the comment section of a subreddit, or posting a comment, each action requires the app to make an API call.
Apart from that, it could be some bug in a specific build of Reddit causing the Upstream Connect Error. An unstable network may also stop loading the Reddit feed and your repeated attempts to view the page may be met with the “Upstream Connect Error” notification.
Tips to Fix Reddit Upstream Connect Error
Here are a couple of troubleshooting tips that have generally helped Redditors tackle the Upstream Connect Error.
1. Refresh the Reddit Feed
This trick has worked for me in many instances when Reddit would throw the “Upstream Connect Error” while launching the app instead of showing the posts on the feed. Some users have faced this error while accessing a subreddit.
Repeatedly refreshing the feed does the trick for me. Simply, pull down on the screen of your phone to refresh the Reddit feed/subreddit. If refreshing the page once doesn’t yield the result, try a couple more times. Also, make sure that the phone is connected to the WiFi network and that the latter is stable.
2. Log Out and Log in to your Account
Log out of your Reddit account and successively log back in. The feed will auto-refresh and load the posts from various subreddits.
- Tap the Reddit avatar.
- Press the downward arrow icon chevron to reveal the Accounts tab.
- Press the –> icon and tap on Log Out.
- To log in to your profile, tap the Reddit avatar and select Sign Up/Log in.
3. Update Reddit App
Check if Reddit has a new app build available on the Play Store or App Store. Install it to fix any bug on the current iteration of the app that may be causing the Upstream Connect Error.
On Android,
- Open the Play Store.
- Tap the Gmail account avatar > Manage Apps and Device > Updates Available.
- Go through the list of the apps waiting for software updates.
- Press the Update button next to Reddit.
For iPhones,
- Launch the App Store.
- Tap on the Apple ID avatar.
- Check if Reddit has a new update available.
- Press Update to install it.
4. Force Close Reddit
Random bugs on the app can be sorted out by force closing the app.
On Android devices, swipe up the screen to reveal the Recent Apps. Go to the Reddit app and swipe it up to force close. Launch Reddit from the app drawer.
If using an iPhone, double-tap the home button or swipe up on the screen to view the Recent apps. Scroll to the Reddit app card and swipe it up to force close. Relaunch the app from the iOS App Library.
5. Clear the Cache
Clear the app cache if you are using Reddit from an Android phone. It will remove the junk data saved in the app’s memory. Often junk data can pile up and make an application malfunction or slow down.
- Long press on the Reddit app icon.
- Select App Info from the shortcut menu.
- Go to Storage and Cache.
- Tap Clear Cache.
- Relaunch Reddit and check if the feed loads without any error message.
6. Connect the Phone to a Stable WiFi
If your home/office network is unstable, the phone will disconnect from the WiFi regularly. The Reddit feed won’t load if the network unlinks frequently. Also, you cannot access subreddits or participate in the comment section of a post. Find a stable and reliable network to connect your device and access Reddit.
7. Check if Reddit is Down
Reddit servers may have been down for maintenance or due to a surge in users. Head to the Downdetector website and check if Reddit is facing an outage. You can also know if other regions in the world are going through Reddit downtime.
If Reddit is down for most of the world, you have to wait until the servers are back again. You may contact the official subreddit r/help to get further information.
Bottom Line
Usually, refreshing the feed, updating the app, or clearing the cache would fix the Upstream Connect Error. If you continue encountering the issue after applying the various troubleshooting methods shared in this guide, contact Reddit support for further help.
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