How to bypass Reddit age verification in the UK

Reddit has implemented age verification software to comply with the UK Online Safety Act as of July 2025. Users in the UK cannot view adult or sensitive content without proving their age through face scanning or governmental IDs. However, it’s not an ideal option for privacy-conscious Redditors.

Luckily, there’s a simple solution – using a VPN to bypass age verification technology. A VPN service changes your IP address, so your virtual location changes to another country where age checks aren’t required, and you can browse NSFW (Not-Safe-For-Work) content on Reddit freely.

Continue reading to learn how to bypass the Reddit age verification using a VPN. I’ll introduce you to my hand-picked VPNs that effortlessly bypassed age checks during my tests.

Why does Reddit want to verify my age?

Reddit was obliged to implement age verification technology as of 25 July 2025 to comply with the UK Online Safety Act. It’s a UK age verification law that requires protecting minors using verification methods that confirm user age through personal information.

Reddit lets you choose how to confirm your age – via government IDs or face scanning. This means sharing your sensitive data, which isn’t the best option for privacy-concerned users.

What happens if you try to access Reddit without age verification?

If you try opening NSFW servers or posts on Reddit from the UK, you won’t be able to see the content without verifying your age using face scanning or your governmental ID.

You’ll be met with a message that states: “Verify your birthday to continue. This page may contain mature content.”

Here’s what it looks like:

Once you click “Verify,” you’ll be taken to the Persona online identity verification software with the verification options.

If you don’t want to give out your photo or ID to third parties, you can use a VPN. It changes your virtual location, so you appear to be connecting from another country. If age verification isn’t required according to that country’s laws, like the US, you will automatically access NSFW content.

Step-by-step guide: Bypassing age verification on Reddit

Bypassing the Reddit age verification technology using a VPN is easy, even for users who aren’t tech-savvy. Here are the detailed instructions on how to access NSFW content without verifying your age on Reddit:

1. Choose a VPN for bypassing geo-restrictions. What worked best for me was ExpressVPN, now 61% off.
2. Register an account or log in. Download and install the VPN app.
3. Connect to a server. You have to use servers in locations where age verification doesn’t require sharing your personal data. For example, the US or any European country, like Germany or Switzerland.
4. Open Reddit and browse NSFW or adult content freely.

That’s it. Note that this method works on both desktop and mobile devices.

Best VPNs for Reddit age verification in 2025

I spent hours testing the highest-quality VPNs out there to figure out which one is the best for bypassing the Reddit age verification. Here are my hand-picked options:

1. 1. ExpressVPN – best VPN for Reddit age verification in 2025
2. 2. NordVPN – privacy-focused and fast VPN for Reddit
3. 3. Surfshark – VPN for Reddit age verification bypass on multiple devices

 

I also took into consideration their privacy features and tested speed retention rates. Let’s look through my insights and test results in more detail:

1. ExpressVPN – best VPN for Reddit age verification overall

ExpressVPN

1

9.7

/10

Visit ExpressVPN

Pros & cons

• Bypassed Reddit’s age verification
• 8 simultaneous connections
• One of the fastest VPNs
• Servers distributed across 118 countries

• No free trial

I found ExpressVPN to be the best VPN for bypassing age verification on Reddit. When I tested it with servers in the US, Norway, Poland, Germany, and other European servers, I could instantly access NSFW content without verification.

I also took the time to test the VPN’s speeds. ExpressVPN retained an average of 89% initial connection speeds. There were no disconnections throughout my sessions either.

In terms of security, ExpressVPN comes with an independently audited no-logging policy, ensuring your browsing activities are private. You also get DNS leak protection and a kill switch to ensure no data leaks.

You can get ExpressVPN starting from £4.03/month, together with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Find more details in our ExpressVPN review.

2. NordVPN – private and fast VPN for Reddit

NordVPN

1

9.6

/10

Visit NordVPN

Pros & cons

• Accessed Reddit’s NSFW content
• 10 simultaneous connections
• Double VPN feature

 

• May take longer to reconnect

NordVPN is another great VPN for bypassing the Reddit age verification methods. My tests showed that it’s capable of bypassing age verification technology with servers in Germany, Norway, and the US without issues.

NordVPN is an excellent geo-blocking VPN because of its performance as well. It showed a 92% speed retention rate on average, so none of the content will lag. However, I found that NordVPN takes a bit longer to reconnect compared to ExpressVPN.

NordVPN comes with an audited zero-log policy, so your browsing activities are private. You also get a double VPN feature that routes your traffic through multiple servers for extra security.

The prices of a NordVPN subscription start from £2.69/month. If you’re using Android, you can also leverage its free 3-day trial.

Learn more in our NordVPN review.

3. Surfshark – multiple-device VPN for Reddit age verification bypass

Surfshark

1

9.5

/10

Visit Surfshark

Pros & cons

• Bypassed Reddit’s age verification
• Lower monthly subscription prices
• Can be shared with others

• Based in a 14-Eyes alliance country

Surfshark is a multiple-device VPN that can be shared with others, making it an affordable solution for bypassing the Reddit age verification methods. During my tests, I had no trouble bypassing the age-checking technology by connecting to servers in European countries like Germany or France and the US.

My performance tests revealed that Surfshark is another speedy VPN, retaining an average of 88% initial connection speeds. So, when I tried watching sensitive content, I experienced no buffering throughout the 10-minute stream.

Unlike ExpressVPN or NordVPN, Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which is a 14-Eyes surveillance alliance country. However, I checked that their no-logging policy is independently audited, so privacy won’t be a worry.

You can get Surfshark for just £1.49/month. It’s an affordable option that also comes with a free 7-day trial.

Read more in our Surfshark review.

Is bypassing age verification on Reddit legal?

Bypassing age verification technology on Reddit is legal since the platform’s terms of service don’t prohibit the use of VPNs. As for the UK Online Safety Act, it only prohibits companies from promoting VPNs to bypass age checks specifically.

Please note that while you can use a VPN to access and browse Reddit, you cannot use it for posting illegal content or malicious purposes, like spamming or harassment.