Reddit's new update makes upvotes more dynamic

Its other new features may also seem familiar.
 By 
Amanda Yeo
 on 
Reddit logo on a smartphone.
Reddit is looking to encourage more interaction. Credit: Avishek Das / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

Reddit is changing how it displays votes and comments, making them more dynamic to encourage user interaction and make the platform feel more "lively."

Previously, Reddit's vote and comment counts were displayed as static numbers which would only update when users refreshed their page. Now, vote and comment counts will be animated, with redditors able to see the numbers go up and down in real time. 

This is similar to how likes and retweets are already displayed on Twitter, though Reddit will let you turn it off in your animation settings if you prefer.


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Reddit's new upvote animation in action, showing a red upvote arrow below a post surrounded by a burst of dots.
Making upvotes just a bit more satisfying. Credit: Reddit

Reddit's changes don't stop at simply showing users when comments are added, though. The social media platform is also adding notifications showing how many new comments have been added as you've been scrolling through a post, encouraging you to check out the current conversation. 

Further, a new indicator in the comment window will show when two or more users are simultaneously typing up a comment, and another indicator at the top of the comment section will show when five or more redditors are reading a post at the same time. Similar features are already used in messaging apps such as Slack and Discord.

All of these indicators will be anonymous, so usernames won't show up in the aggregation, however they'll still appear alongside the actual comments themselves.

Screenshot of Reddit's new typing indicator, showing a small popup over a Reddit thread reading "7 people are typing".
It's just like Discord. Credit: Reddit
Screenshot of Reddit's new reading indicator, showing text that read "12 people here".
You're not alone. Credit: Reddit

Reddit's new features are rolling out on both desktop and mobile today.

Topics Reddit

Amanda Yeo
Amanda Yeo
Assistant Editor

Amanda Yeo is an Assistant Editor at Mashable, covering entertainment, culture, tech, science, and social good. Based in Australia, she writes about everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets.

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