Reddit Post Date Finder

Instructions

1. Copy the full post URL from your browser's address bar — the one that contains /comments/. On mobile, open the post first so the address bar shows the full link (short /s/ share links don't contain the post ID and can't be looked up directly).
2. Paste the URL above into the Reddit Post URL field.
3. Click "Get Post Date" to retrieve the exact date and time.

Example URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/help/comments/115a9aq/how_to_see_exact_date_when_you_made_a_post/

How to see the exact date of a Reddit post

Reddit shows you a relative age — "3 months ago", "2 years ago" — and hovering only gets you so far. The exact creation timestamp is recorded, it just isn't put in front of you. This tool retrieves it and gives you the precise second the post was submitted.

By pulling the real timestamp, you drop the guesswork and rounding errors that come with relative post ages. "2 years ago" is not a date you can cite in a timeline, a citation, or a report.

How does it work?

Every Reddit post carries a created_utc value — a Unix timestamp marking the moment it was submitted. This tool reads the post ID out of the URL you paste (the code after /comments/) and looks that value up.

The lookup runs in your own browser against Arctic Shift, a public archive of Reddit submissions that covers posts from 2014 right up to today. Running it from your browser (rather than our server) is what keeps it working — Reddit blocks automated requests coming from datacenter servers, but a request from your normal connection looks like any other reader.

If a post is very new, the archive may take a moment to pick it up; if it's deleted, or from a private or quarantined subreddit, it won't be in the archive and the tool reports that it couldn't find the date.

A note on share links: Reddit's mobile app hands out short /s/ URLs that don't contain the post ID. Those can't be looked up directly — open the link in your browser first, then copy the full post URL (the one with /comments/ in it) and paste that.

Reddit timestamp: what you get

Results come back as a JSON block above with two fields:

Both describe the same instant in UTC. The raw createdUtc is there so you can drop it straight into a spreadsheet or a script and convert it to whatever timezone your work needs.

Reddit post date research

The Reddit Post Date Finder is a free, quick, and easy way to discover the exact moment a Reddit post was published. It's useful for:

• Research and investigations — journalists and researchers can confirm when a post first appeared, keeping timelines accurate.
• Verification — fact-checkers, moderators, and everyday users can validate claims by confirming a post's original publish date.
• Record-keeping — archivists and digital historians can keep precise records of internet discussions.
• Accurate citations — writers, bloggers, and students can reference Reddit posts with correct date and time stamps.

Working in UTC keeps things unambiguous when you're coordinating across time zones or ordering events chronologically. We don't store or share the URLs you enter; they're used solely to retrieve the creation date for you.

Frequently asked questions

When was this Reddit post made?

Paste the post's URL above and you'll get the exact second it was submitted, in UTC, rather than the "3 months ago" that Reddit shows.

Can I check the post time on someone else's post?

Yes. Any publicly viewable post works. You don't need to be logged in, and you don't need to be the author — the tool only reads what Reddit already publishes.

Does this work for comments, or only posts?

Posts only. The lookup is keyed to the submission ID in the /comments/ part of the URL, so a link to a specific comment returns the date of the post that comment sits under, not the comment itself.

Does it work with Reddit share links?

Not directly. The short /s/ links from Reddit's mobile share menu don't contain the post ID, and Reddit doesn't let the lookup follow them. Open the /s/ link in your browser first, then copy the full post URL from the address bar (it'll contain /comments/) and paste that instead.

Why can't it find the date for my post?

The post has to be in the public archive. Deleted or removed posts, posts in private or quarantined subreddits, and brand-new posts the archive hasn't picked up yet can't be resolved. Very new posts usually appear after a short wait — try again in a few minutes. Otherwise, double-check that the URL opens in a logged-out browser window.

What timezone is the result in?

UTC. The formatted dateUTC field carries a GMT suffix, which is the same thing for this purpose. Use the raw createdUtc timestamp if you need to convert to a local timezone.