Is background sync automatic?

Yes. Once you enable Background Sync in the Readdit Later settings, it runs automatically at regular intervals even when you do not have the dashboard open. It checks for new saves and pulls them into your library without any manual action. This is the foundation of continuous backup and is what prevents saves from falling past the 1,000 item limit.

What if a post is deleted from Reddit after I saved it?

If Readdit Later synced the post before it was deleted, the metadata and body text are preserved in your library and in any exports you have made. The URL will still point to the Reddit page, but the content there will show as deleted. Your backup effectively preserves the content that Reddit no longer has. Posts deleted before you installed the extension cannot be recovered.

Can I backup saved comments, not just posts?

Yes. Readdit Later syncs both saved posts and saved comments. They are stored in your library alongside your saved posts and are included in exports. Saved comments are subject to the same 1,000 item limit as saved posts, so syncing them continuously is just as important.

Backup GuideHow-To Guide

Backup All YourReddit Saved Posts

Posts get deleted, accounts get suspended, and Reddit only shows your last 1,000 saves. Here is how to protect everything.

8 min readJune 29, 2026

Why You Need a Backup Strategy

Reddit content is more fragile than most people realize. Posts get deleted by their authors, sometimes years after they were published. Subreddits go private or get banned, taking all their content with them. Accounts get suspended or deleted, removing every post that user ever made. Moderators remove posts that violate rules, and sometimes entire threads get nuked in the process. On top of all this, Reddit's API only shows your most recent 1,000 saved items, so anything older than that is already invisible to you. If you have been saving valuable content on Reddit for years, a significant portion of it could disappear at any time with no warning and no recovery option.

The Three Layers of Backup

A robust backup strategy for Reddit saves works on three layers. Layer one: continuous sync using Readdit Later to capture every save as it happens and store it outside of Reddit's ecosystem. This is your live, always-current archive. Layer two: periodic export to a file format like CSV, JSON, or Notion that you store on your own device or cloud storage. This is your independent copy that does not depend on any extension or service. Layer three: content preservation where you save not just the link to a post but its actual content, because the original post might be deleted from Reddit. Between these three layers, you are protected against every realistic scenario: Reddit API changes, post deletions, account issues, and even the extension itself being discontinued.

Setting Up Your Backup System

Install Readdit Later for Continuous Sync

Go to https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/jdceogapnjfcfdklbpnllbmnjbfmfejk and install the Readdit Later extension. Connect your Reddit account and let the initial sync complete. This captures your most recent 1,000 saves, which is the maximum Reddit's API allows in a single pull. From this moment forward, every new save will be captured during subsequent syncs.

Enable Background Sync

In the Readdit Later settings, enable Background Sync. This is the most important setting for backup because it ensures new saves are captured automatically even when you do not open the dashboard. Background sync runs at regular intervals and pulls in any new saves since the last sync. This is how you prevent saves from falling past the 1,000 item limit, as new saves are captured before they push older ones out of the API's return window.

Background sync uses minimal system resources and runs quietly. You will not notice any performance impact during normal browsing.

Run Your First Export

Navigate to the Export section and choose a format for your backup. For maximum portability and longevity, JSON is the best choice because it preserves all data structures and will be readable by any programming language for decades. CSV is a close second and has the advantage of being openable in spreadsheets. If you use Notion for knowledge management, a Notion export gives you both a backup and a usable database. Download the export file and save it somewhere safe.

Store Your Export Securely

Copy the exported file to at least one location outside your primary device. Good options include Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive, or an external hard drive. The goal is to have your backup survive even if your computer is lost, stolen, or has a hardware failure. Cloud storage with automatic sync is the most convenient option because it requires no manual effort after the initial setup.

Create a folder called Reddit Backups in your cloud storage and keep all your exports there, dated by export date. This gives you a version history so you can go back to any point in time.

Set Up a Regular Export Schedule

Continuous sync through the extension handles day-to-day backup, but periodic exports give you an independent copy. Set a monthly reminder to open Readdit Later, run an export, and save the file to your cloud storage. This takes less than two minutes and gives you peace of mind that your saves exist in a format you fully control. If you are on the Pro plan, you can also export to Notion regularly and let Readdit Later handle deduplication automatically.

Verify Your Backup Periodically

Once every few months, open one of your export files and spot-check a few entries. Click through to the original Reddit posts and verify that the data in your export matches the live post. This helps you confirm that the sync and export processes are working correctly and that your backup files are not corrupted. It also surfaces any posts that have been deleted from Reddit, which your backup now preserves.

When a post is deleted from Reddit, either by the author or by moderators, the content is removed from Reddit's servers. If Readdit Later synced the post **before it was deleted**, the metadata (title, URL, subreddit, author, score) and body text (for text posts) are preserved in your Readdit Later library and in any exports you have made. The saved link will still point to the Reddit URL, but clicking it will show a deleted post page on Reddit. This is one of the strongest arguments for continuous sync: the earlier you start syncing, the more content you capture before it potentially disappears. For posts that were deleted before you installed Readdit Later, the content is unfortunately not recoverable through any tool.

Choosing the Right Export Format for Backup

For pure backup purposes, here is how the formats compare. JSON is the most complete format: it preserves all data types, handles nested data like arrays of labels cleanly, and is universally parseable by any programming language. It is the best choice for long-term archival. CSV is nearly as good and has the advantage of being human-readable in any spreadsheet application. It is the best choice if you want to be able to open and browse your backup without any special tools. Notion is an excellent choice if you actively use Notion because your backup doubles as a usable database. Markdown is great if you use note-taking tools like Obsidian that work with plain text files. For most users, exporting as JSON or CSV and storing the file in cloud storage is the simplest and most reliable backup strategy.

Backup Saved Comments Too

When people think about Reddit saves, they usually think of posts, but many users also save valuable comments. That insightful reply deep in a thread, a detailed how-to buried under a top-level post, or a personal story that resonated with you. Saved comments are subject to the same 1,000 item limit as saved posts, and they are even more vulnerable to disappearing because individual comments get deleted or removed more frequently than top-level posts. Readdit Later syncs saved comments alongside saved posts, and they are included in your exports. Make sure your backup strategy covers your complete save history, not just the posts.

The Cost of Not Backing Up

Consider the time and attention you have invested in curating your Reddit saves over months or years. Every post you saved represented a moment where you found something valuable enough to want to revisit. Without a backup, all of that curation is held hostage by Reddit's infrastructure decisions, the original poster's whims, and a 1,000 item display limit you probably did not know about. A single Reddit policy change, a subreddit going dark, or simply accumulating more than 1,000 saves can erase years of collected knowledge. Setting up a backup takes ten minutes and costs nothing on the Free plan. The downside of not doing it only becomes apparent when it is too late.