Restoring a Reddit Comment After Refreshing
Accidentally hit refresh? Don't rewrite that 5-paragraph argument. Here is how to handle Reddit data loss.
We’ve all been there. You’re deep in a debate on r/technology or writing a heartfelt advice post on r/relationships. You go to fix a typo, your finger slips, and you hit F5 or swipe back on your trackpad.
The page reloads. The text box is empty. The rage is real.
Why Reddit doesn’t always save you
While Reddit’s “New” design has a draft feature for posts, it is surprisingly unreliable for comments. If you are replying to someone else, your browser often treats that text input as temporary data. When the page refreshes, the browser dumps that data to free up memory.
Can Ctrl + Z save me?
Sometimes, but rarely.
If you haven’t navigated away yet (just a clear field), try pressing Ctrl + Z (Undo) immediately. Occasionally, the browser’s internal undo history might still have the text buffer in memory.
But if the page has fully reloaded? Ctrl + Z won’t work.
The Solution: Local Form History
The only foolproof way to handle this is to have an extension that records your input before the disaster happens.
Form Recover is designed specifically for this “Reddit scenario”.
- It detects the text area you are typing in.
- It saves a snapshot of your text every few milliseconds.
- It associates that text with the specific Reddit thread URL.
So, if you accidentally refresh:
- Form Recover sees the empty text box.
- It checks its encrypted local database.
- It flashes a recovery icon.
- You click it, and your 5-paragraph argument is back.
Don’t let a slip of the finger silence your voice.