Fix: “We have encountered an error” on Reddit
A red bar appears at the top of Reddit with the message “We have encountered an error. Please try again later.” This usually occurs when accessing a subreddit or posting content. It indicates a temporary communication or server issue, though sometimes it’s caused by cached or corrupted browser data interfering with Reddit’s scripts.
Other causes include server outages, maintenance, or network issues between your device and Reddit.
Troubleshooting Prerequisites
- Check Reddit’s Server Status: Before applying fixes, confirm if Reddit is down using this link.
- Refresh the Page: Temporary script errors can trigger this issue. Refreshing forces the browser to reload Reddit’s resources, often clearing the error.
- Try Incognito Mode or Another Browser: Extensions or cached sessions sometimes conflict with Reddit. Test Reddit in Incognito Mode or a different browser.
If the issue persists, continue with the detailed fixes below.
1. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies
Outdated or corrupted cache and cookies can cause conflicts with Reddit’s scripts. Clearing them refreshes your browser’s data and often fixes the problem.
These steps apply to most Chromium-based browsers (Edge, Chrome, Brave):
- Click the three dots in the top-right corner and open Settings.
- Go to Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data.
- Select Choose what to clear.
- Set Time range to All time.
- Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
- Click Clear now.
- Restart your browser and test Reddit again.
Note: On the Reddit mobile app, switch to the web version or reinstall the app, as corrupted cached data can cause the same issue.
2. Switch to the Old Reddit Layout
The new Reddit layout relies heavily on JavaScript, which can fail to load and trigger this error. The old layout is simpler and often works without issues.
- Visit https://old.reddit.com/.
- Continue browsing Reddit using this version to check if the problem disappears.
