In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to automate Reddit posts using Zapier and the Reddit API, including handling authentication, setting up OAuth, and ensuring everything works smoothly.

If you’re looking to streamline your Reddit posting workflow, this guide will help you set it up without writing a single line of code after the initial setup!

📌 Step 1: Creating a Reddit App

Before connecting Reddit to Zapier, you need to create a Reddit app to get your Client ID and Secret.

🔹 How to Create a Reddit App

1. Go to Reddit Developer Portal

2. Scroll down and click "Create App".

3. Choose "script" as the app type.

4. Enter:

   • App Name: "Zapier Reddit Bot" (or any name you like)

   • Redirect URI: https://www.reddit.com

   • Personal Use Script (Client ID): Found under the app name.

   • Secret (Client Secret): Found below the Client ID.

   • They also email the client ID to you after you create the app

5. Click "Create App".

📌 Step 2: Generating an Access Token

To connect Zapier to Reddit, you need an OAuth token.

🔹 Generate a Reddit OAuth Token

Run this command in your terminal (replace placeholders with your credentials):

curl -X POST "https://www.reddit.com/api/v1/access_token" \-u "CLIENT_ID:CLIENT_SECRET" \-d "grant_type=password&username=YOUR_USERNAME&password=YOUR_PASSWORD"

If successful, you’ll get a response like:

{  "access_token": "your_token_here",  "token_type": "bearer",  "expires_in": 3600,  "scope": "*"}

📌 Step 3: Connecting Zapier to Reddit

Once you have your Reddit app credentials, it’s time to set up Zapier.

🔹 Setting up the Zap

1. Go to Zapier and create a new Zap.

2. Select Reddit as the app.

3. Choose “API Request (Beta)” as the action.

4. When prompted, log in to Reddit (Zapier will request API permissions).

5. Set up the post format in Zapier:

   • Subreddit: MySubreddit (replace with your subreddit)

   • Title: "🚀 The World is Yours"

   • Text: "Put the Body field here or whatever you are trying to automate in my case the body of the email"

   • Kind: "self"

Make Sure to set your Reddit Zap like this

• Zapier workflow setup

📌 Step 4: Testing & Debugging

🔹 Verify Reddit API Connection

Run these URLs in your browser (with your OAuth token) to test:

• Check your account details:https://oauth.reddit.com/api/v1/me

• Check your subreddit settings:https://oauth.reddit.com/r/PaloConfigs/about.json

📌 Step 5: Handling Token Expiry

🔹 Monitor Token Refresh

• Reddit OAuth tokens expire after 1 hour.

• Zapier may be handling token refresh automatically, but if posts fail after 1 hour:

  1. Re-authenticate in Zapier.

  2. Turn 2FA off, re-authenticate, then turn 2FA back on if needed.

📌 Conclusion

🎉 That’s it! You’ve successfully automated Reddit posts using Zapier!

This setup allows you to schedule, trigger, or automate posts based on external events—perfect for status updates, blog posts, or announcements. If you see that "Response Data Success" Says True you know its working.

🚀 Next Steps:

• ✅ Monitor token expiration in Zapier.

• ✅ Refine post formatting (add dynamic content from other Zaps).

• ✅ Explore other API actions (reply to comments, delete posts, etc.).