r/redditrequest: The Complete Guide to Getting Your Request Approved (2026)

r/redditrequest is Reddit's official system for adopting abandoned communities. It's been around since 2010 and has helped thousands of users take over subreddits where the moderators walked away.

The process is straightforward, but the details matter. Wrong post format? Denied. Forgot to send modmail? Denied. Missed an active mod? Denied.

This guide covers everything: eligibility rules, exact post formatting, reply templates, what happens during review, and how to handle denials. If you're submitting a request to r/redditrequest, this is the reference you need.

Table of Contents

• What Is r/redditrequest?
• Who Can Submit a Request?
• What Subreddits Qualify?
• How to Check Mod Activity
• The Modmail Step
• How to Format Your r/redditrequest Post
• Replying to request_bot
• What Happens During Review
• After Approval
• After Denial
• Full Approval Checklist
• FAQ
• Finding Subreddits to Request
• Find Your Dead Subreddit Now

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What Is r/redditrequest?

r/redditrequest is an official subreddit run by Reddit's admin team. It exists for one purpose: letting users request moderator access to subreddits that have been abandoned by their moderators.

The subreddit was created in 2010 and has been a consistent feature of the platform since. Reddit's position is clear: they'd rather have someone actively moderating a community than let it sit dormant.

Here's how it works at a high level:

1. You find a subreddit with inactive moderators
2. You send modmail to the subreddit's mod team
3. You wait 5 days
4. You post a request on r/redditrequest
5. A bot (u/request_bot) asks follow-up questions
6. Reddit admins review your request
7. You either get approved or denied

The current review team processes requests consistently. As of April 2026, the average review time is approximately 5 days from submission.

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Who Can Submit a Request?

Reddit doesn't publish strict minimum requirements, but based on approved and denied requests, here's what you need:

Required:

• A Reddit account in good standing (not suspended, not shadowbanned)
• No active request already pending (one at a time)
• At least 15 days since your last r/redditrequest submission

Strongly recommended:

• Account age of at least 90 days
• Positive karma (both post and comment karma)
• Some history of genuine participation on Reddit
• No recent spam or rule violations

Reddit admins have discretion. A brand-new account with zero karma asking to moderate a 50K-subscriber subreddit is a red flag. An account with a year of active participation in relevant communities is a strong signal.

Key rule: You can only have one active r/redditrequest submission at a time. If you submit a request, wait for it to be resolved before submitting another. You're also limited to one request every 15 days, even if the previous one was resolved quickly.

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What Subreddits Qualify?

Not every subreddit is eligible for a takeover request. Here's the full eligibility checklist:

The 60-day inactivity threshold is measured across all of Reddit, not just the target subreddit. If a moderator hasn't posted or commented anywhere on Reddit for 60 days, they count as inactive. If they posted in a different subreddit yesterday but haven't touched your target subreddit in 2 years, they're still considered active.

This is the single most common reason for denied requests. People see that the subreddit has been dead for months and assume the mods are inactive. But the mods might be posting actively in completely unrelated communities. Always check.

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How to Check Mod Activity

This is the most important research step. Here's the exact process:

Step 1: View the Moderator List

Go to:

reddit.com/r/SUBREDDITNAME/about/moderators

This shows every moderator of the subreddit.

Step 2: Identify Human Moderators

Go through the list and separate humans from bots. Common bots to ignore:

• u/AutoModerator
• u/FlairHelperBot
• u/BotDefense
• Any account with "Bot" or "Mod" in the name that has automated post history

If you're unsure whether an account is a bot, click on it and check the post history. Bots post repetitive, automated content.

Step 3: Check Each Human Mod

For every human moderator:

1. Click their username to visit their profile
2. Click the Posts tab. Note the date of the most recent post.
3. Click the Comments tab. Note the date of the most recent comment.
4. The more recent of those two dates is their last activity.

What to Record

Create a simple table for your reference:

Edge Cases

• Deleted accounts: Count as inactive. Note "account deleted" in your records.
• Suspended accounts: Count as inactive. The profile page will say the account is suspended.
• Accounts with no visible history: Some users have their history set to private. If you can't see any activity, note this in your request. Reddit admins can see full activity regardless of privacy settings.

Critical: If even one human moderator has been active on Reddit within the last 60 days, do not submit a request. It will be denied, and you'll have to wait 15 days before trying again with a different subreddit.

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The Modmail Step

Before posting to r/redditrequest, you must send a modmail message to the target subreddit's moderators. This is mandatory. Reddit requires proof that you attempted to contact the existing mod team.

How to Send Modmail

Option 1: From the subreddit page Visit the subreddit. In the sidebar (desktop) or community menu (mobile), find "Message the mods" and click it.

Option 2: Direct compose Go to reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/SUBREDDITNAME and send your message.

What to Write

Keep it simple and genuine:

Subject: Interested in helping moderate r/SUBREDDITNAME

Hi,

I noticed that r/SUBREDDITNAME hasn't had any new activity in a
while. I'm interested in this topic and would like to help revive
and moderate the community.

I plan to [brief description of what you'd do: post content,
moderate spam, grow the community].

Would you be open to adding me as a moderator, or are you still
actively managing this subreddit?

Thanks for your time.

Save the Modmail Link

After sending, go to your Reddit inbox. Find the sent modmail. Click on it. Copy the URL from your browser's address bar.

You will need this link later when replying to request_bot. Without it, your request is incomplete.

What If They Respond?

If a mod responds and says they're still active, your takeover request won't work. Move on to another subreddit.

If a mod responds and says they're happy to hand off moderation, that's great. You may still want to go through r/redditrequest for the official transfer, but mention the mod's agreement in your request.

If nobody responds within 5 days, proceed with your request. That's the expected outcome for truly abandoned subreddits.

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How to Format Your r/redditrequest Post

Post formatting on r/redditrequest is specific. Deviating from the expected format can delay or prevent approval.

Post Type

Must be a Link post. Not a text post. This is the most common formatting mistake.

Title

Must be exactly the subreddit name. Nothing else.

Correct:

• r/twitchstreams

Incorrect:

• Requesting r/twitchstreams
• r/twitchstreams - requesting moderator access
• Can I take over r/twitchstreams?

Just the subreddit name with the r/ prefix. No extra words.

Link URL

The URL field must be the full subreddit URL:

https://www.reddit.com/r/SUBREDDITNAME/

Flair

After posting, add the appropriate flair. The available flairs may change, but typically include:

• "Requesting Inactive Top Mod Removal"
• Similar variations depending on the situation

Choose the flair that best matches your situation.

Body Text (Optional but Recommended)

You can add body text to provide context. This isn't required, but it helps the reviewing admin understand your request quickly:

Requesting r/SUBREDDITNAME.

The subreddit has been inactive for approximately [X] months.
The last post was on [DATE or approximate timeframe].

Moderator status:
- u/[MOD1]: Last active [X] months ago (last seen in r/[OTHER_SUB])
- u/[MOD2]: Account deleted
- u/AutoModerator: Bot (not counted)

I sent modmail on [DATE] and have not received a response.

I plan to revive this community by [2-3 sentences about your plan].

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Replying to request_bot

Within minutes of posting, u/request_bot will automatically comment on your post. The bot asks standard questions that you must answer.

What the Bot Asks

The bot typically asks:

1. Why do you want to moderate this community?
2. Please provide a link to the modmail you sent to the current moderators.

How to Reply

Reply directly to request_bot's comment (not as a top-level comment on your own post). Here's a template:

1. I'd like to revive r/SUBREDDITNAME as an active community
focused on [topic]. My plan includes:
- Posting [X] original content pieces per week about [specific topics]
- Creating a community wiki with resources for [audience]
- Running weekly discussion threads on [topic]
- Moderating spam and enforcing rules to keep content quality high

I have experience with [relevant background] and have been
active in related communities like r/[RELATED_SUB].

2. Here is the modmail I sent on [DATE]:
https://www.reddit.com/message/messages/[YOUR_MODMAIL_ID]

What Makes a Good Reply

Be specific. "I want to help the community" is too vague. "I'll post 3 original guides per week about home brewing, create a beginner FAQ wiki, and moderate daily" is specific and believable.

Show relevant experience. If you have posting history in related subreddits, mention it. If you have experience moderating other communities, mention that too.

Include the modmail link. This is not optional. Without the modmail link, your request is incomplete. If you forgot to save the link, go to your Reddit inbox, find the sent modmail, and copy the URL.

When to Reply

Reply as soon as possible after request_bot comments. Within a few hours is ideal. Waiting days to reply can slow down the review process. If you don't reply at all, your request may be closed as incomplete.

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What Happens During Review

After you've posted and replied to request_bot, your request goes into a review queue.

Who Reviews

Reddit admins (paid employees, not volunteer moderators) review r/redditrequest submissions. This is an official Reddit process.

What They Check

Based on approval and denial patterns, admins verify:

• All human moderators are genuinely inactive (60+ days, no activity anywhere on Reddit)
• You sent modmail and waited the required 5 days
• Your post follows the correct format
• Your Reddit account is in good standing
• Your stated plans are reasonable
• You replied to request_bot with complete information

Current Review Time

As of April 2026, the typical review time is approximately 5 days from the date of your submission. This can vary. High-volume periods may take longer.

How to Check Status

Visit your post on r/redditrequest periodically. When a decision is made, request_bot will add a new comment to your post. You'll also get a notification in your Reddit inbox.

There is no way to expedite the review. Do not message the admins asking for updates. Do not post a second request for the same subreddit.

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After Approval

If your request is approved, request_bot will comment on your post:

"Your request to moderate r/SUBREDDITNAME has been granted!"

You now have full moderator access to the subreddit. Here's what to do in the first 48 hours:

Immediate Actions

1. Review existing moderators. You may want to remove inactive mods from the mod list to prevent confusion.
2. Update the subreddit description. Write a new description that reflects the community's purpose going forward.
3. Add rules. Create clear community rules in the sidebar and Rules page.
4. Update visual branding. Add a banner image and subreddit icon.
5. Clean up. Remove or unpin outdated, spammy, or irrelevant pinned posts.
6. Set up AutoModerator. Configure basic spam filtering rules.

First Week Actions

1. Post a welcome announcement. Pin a post explaining that the subreddit is being revived, what the community is about, and what content is welcome.
2. Post 3-5 pieces of content. Show that the subreddit is active. Mix discussion posts, resource posts, and original content.
3. Respond to every comment. Early engagement sets the tone for the community culture.
4. Add sidebar links. Include useful resources, related subreddits, and your own relevant content.

Ongoing

Consistency matters more than volume. Post at least 2-3 times per week. Moderate daily (check the mod queue, respond to reports). The subscribers who are still in the community will notice the activity and start engaging.

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After Denial

If your request is denied, request_bot will comment with a reason. Common denial reasons and what to do about them:

Common Denial Reasons

Can You Appeal?

There's no formal appeal process. However, you can submit a new request for the same subreddit after 15 days, provided the issue that caused the denial has been resolved.

For example, if you were denied because you didn't send modmail, you can send modmail, wait 5 days, and submit a new request after 15 days from your original submission.

Moving On

If the denial reason is something you can't fix (like an active mod), move on to a different subreddit. There are thousands of abandoned communities out there. Use DeadSubs to find alternatives quickly.

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Full Approval Checklist

Use this checklist before submitting your request. Every item must be true.

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FAQ

How long has r/redditrequest been around?

Since 2010. It's one of the oldest administrative features on Reddit and has been running continuously for over 15 years.

Is there a minimum account age to submit a request?

Reddit doesn't publish a specific minimum, but older accounts with established karma have higher approval rates. Accounts less than 30 days old are unlikely to be approved for large communities.

Can I request a subreddit I was banned from?

Technically yes, but it's unlikely to be approved. Reddit admins can see your ban history, and being banned from a subreddit then requesting to moderate it is a red flag.

What if the subreddit has no moderators at all?

Subreddits with zero moderators are even easier to claim. Follow the same process, but you can skip the modmail step since there's nobody to contact. Mention in your request that the subreddit has no moderators.

Can I request a NSFW subreddit?

Yes, NSFW subreddits are eligible for r/redditrequest, provided they meet all the other criteria (inactive mods, public, not banned).

What happens to the old moderators after approval?

By default, you're added as a new moderator. The old inactive mods remain on the mod list unless you remove them. You'll have the permissions to remove them after approval.

Can I request multiple subreddits?

Yes, but one at a time. Submit a request, wait for it to be resolved (approved or denied), wait 15 days, then submit the next one. You cannot have multiple active requests simultaneously.

What if request_bot doesn't comment on my post?

Wait a few hours. The bot usually comments within minutes, but occasionally there are delays. If it's been more than 24 hours, your post may have a formatting issue. Delete it, double-check the format, and repost.

Do I need to be active in the subreddit's topic area?

Not strictly required, but it helps significantly. Admins may review your profile to see if you have genuine interest in the topic. Having comment history in related subreddits strengthens your request.

Can a previous mod reclaim the subreddit after I take over?

Not through r/redditrequest, since you're now an active mod. However, they could message you asking to be re-added. That's your decision as the current moderator.

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Finding Subreddits to Request

The hardest part of the r/redditrequest process is often finding the right subreddit to request. Manually searching Reddit, checking last post dates, and verifying mod activity across dozens of communities is time-consuming.

DeadSubs automates this process. Enter your niche keywords, and the tool:

• Searches for subreddits matching your keywords
• Checks the last post date for each subreddit
• Calculates how many days since the last activity
• Flags subreddits as Eligible (60+ days inactive), Borderline (30-59 days), or Active
• Shows subscriber counts so you can prioritize high-value targets

You can scan 25+ subreddits across multiple keywords in about 60 seconds. Each result includes a "Check Mods" button that links directly to the subreddit's moderator page, and a "Request" button that opens r/redditrequest with the subreddit name pre-filled.

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Find Your Dead Subreddit Now

Use DeadSubs to search for abandoned subreddits in your niche.

Already know what you're looking for? Browse eligible subreddits we've already found.

New to the process? Read the step-by-step guide to claiming abandoned subreddits.