Yes, several extensions hide Reddit upvotes and downvotes, but they work differently depending on your browser and which Reddit interface you use

The most straightforward option is Reddit Enhancement Suite (RES), available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. RES has a built-in toggle called "Show/Hide Vote Counts" that removes upvote and downvote numbers from your view without affecting how Reddit's algorithm ranks posts. You turn it on in RES settings under the "UI" section, and the numbers disappear immediately.

If you use the old Reddit interface (old.reddit.com), RES is your best choice because it's designed specifically for that layout. If you use the new Reddit interface or the mobile web version, your options narrow — RES still works but less reliably on new Reddit, and some users report it doesn't hide votes consistently there.

A smaller alternative is Upvote Remover, which works on Chrome and hides vote counts on both old and new Reddit. It's simpler than RES and does one thing: it removes the numbers. The trade-off is that it has fewer other features if you want Reddit customization beyond vote hiding.

Key Takeaways

  • Reddit Enhancement Suite (RES) is the most reliable extension for hiding votes and works on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
  • You enable vote hiding in RES settings under "UI" — it's a toggle, not something you have to install separately.
  • Hiding votes on your screen does not change how Reddit's ranking system works or how other users see posts.
  • The new Reddit interface has weaker extension support than old Reddit, so vote-hiding extensions may not work as consistently there.
  • Mobile apps and the official Reddit app do not support third-party extensions, so you cannot hide votes on those platforms.

Why people hide vote counts

Hiding votes serves two purposes. First, it reduces social proof bias — the tendency to assume something is good or bad based on how many people already voted that way. When you see a comment with 5,000 upvotes, you're more likely to agree with it before reading it carefully. Hiding the numbers forces you to form your own opinion first.

Second, some people find vote counts distracting or anxiety-inducing. If you post something and watch the upvote counter, you're checking for social validation in real time. Hiding votes removes that feedback loop. Reddit itself tested hiding vote counts on posts for a period and found that it reduced groupthink in comments, though it eventually made vote counts visible again.

How to install and use Reddit Enhancement Suite

Go to the RES website (redditenhancementsuite.com) and click the download link for your browser. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all have direct links. Install it like any other extension — you'll see a prompt asking for permission to run on Reddit pages, and you approve it.

Once installed, go to any Reddit page and look for the RES settings icon (a gear symbol, usually in the top right). Click it and search for "vote" in the settings search box. You'll find "Show/Hide Vote Counts" under the UI section. Toggle it on, and vote numbers disappear from posts and comments immediately. The setting persists across sessions, so you don't have to turn it on every time.

If you want to see vote counts temporarily — say, to check if a post is controversial — you can toggle the setting back off. Some users keep it off by default and turn it on only for specific subreddits where they want to avoid bias.

What vote hiding does and doesn't do

Hiding votes on your screen is purely visual. Reddit's algorithm still ranks posts and comments based on actual votes, and other users still see the real numbers. You're not changing how the site works; you're changing what you see. If a post has 10,000 upvotes, it will still appear at the top of a subreddit for everyone else, even though your screen shows no number.

Vote hiding also doesn't hide the voting buttons themselves — you can still upvote and downvote. You just won't see the count change in real time. Some extensions offer an option to hide the buttons entirely, but RES's default behavior is to hide only the numbers.

One limitation: vote hiding doesn't work on Reddit's official mobile app or on mobile browsers viewing the app version of Reddit. It only works on the web version in a desktop browser with the extension installed. If you switch to your phone, you'll see vote counts again.

Differences between old Reddit and new Reddit

Reddit has two web interfaces: old.reddit.com (the classic layout) and reddit.com (the newer design launched in 2018). RES was built for old Reddit and works most reliably there. On new Reddit, RES still functions but sometimes misses votes in certain contexts, particularly in the sidebar or in moderation tools.

If you prefer new Reddit's design but want to hide votes, Upvote Remover is a more consistent choice. It's lighter-weight than RES and specifically targets the new interface. However, it has fewer customization options overall — it's designed to do one thing well rather than offer Reddit-wide tweaks.

You can also force Reddit to always load the old interface by adding old. to the beginning of any Reddit URL (old.reddit.com instead of reddit.com). Many users do this specifically because old Reddit has better extension support and feels faster on older computers.

Privacy and security considerations

Both RES and Upvote Remover are open-source projects, meaning their code is publicly available for anyone to review. That transparency is a security advantage — if either extension were collecting data or behaving maliciously, the community would catch it. Neither extension requires special permissions beyond the ability to run on Reddit pages.

That said, any extension you install can theoretically see everything you do on Reddit, including your browsing history within the site and any text you type in comments before posting. This is true of all extensions, not just vote-hiding ones. If you're concerned about privacy, stick to well-known extensions with active communities and regular updates. RES has been around since 2010 and is maintained by volunteers; Upvote Remover is smaller but also open-source.

Neither extension requires you to log in or create an account. They work entirely on your local browser and don't send data to external servers (beyond what Reddit itself collects).

Alternatives if extensions don't work for you

If you use a browser that doesn't support RES or Upvote Remover — like Opera or Brave — you have limited options. Some users resort to browser developer tools to manually hide vote counts using CSS, but that requires technical knowledge and doesn't persist across page refreshes.

The simplest alternative is to use a browser that does support extensions. Firefox and Chrome both have robust extension ecosystems and work on Windows, Mac, and Linux. If you're on Safari, RES is available but has fewer features than the Firefox or Chrome versions.

If you use Reddit primarily on mobile, there's no extension-based solution. Some third-party Reddit apps like Apollo (iOS) or Infinity (Android) have built-in options to hide vote counts, but they're separate apps, not extensions. The official Reddit app does not have this feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does hiding votes change how Reddit ranks posts for other people?

No. Hiding votes on your screen only affects what you see. Reddit's algorithm still uses the real vote counts to rank posts and comments for everyone else. You're not changing the site's behavior, only your view of it.

Can I hide votes on specific subreddits only?

Yes, with RES. In the settings, you can configure vote hiding to apply only to certain subreddits or to exclude specific ones. This is useful if you want to see votes on some communities but not others.

Will hiding votes work if I'm logged out?

Yes. Extensions work regardless of whether you're logged into Reddit. The extension runs on your browser, not on your Reddit account, so it functions whether you're viewing Reddit as a logged-in user or as a guest.

What happens if Reddit updates and breaks the extension?

RES and Upvote Remover are maintained by their developers, who usually update them within days of major Reddit changes. If an extension breaks, you'll typically see a notification in your browser, and an update will be available within a week. In the meantime, you can temporarily disable the extension and see votes normally.

Can I hide votes on comments but not posts, or vice versa?

RES allows you to hide votes on both posts and comments with the same toggle. Upvote Remover hides both by default. If you want finer control, you'd need to use browser developer tools or find a more specialized extension, but most users find the all-or-nothing approach sufficient.