How do you know whether your post was removed and why?

Detecting a post removal requires knowing what to look for, because Reddit does not always send clear notifications and removed posts remain visible to their author when logged in, creating a false impression that the post is live. This is a known source of confusion for new users. The first sign of removal is that your post does not accumulate any votes or comments despite appearing in the community. When you are logged in, you can see your own content regardless of its moderation status. Logging out or opening the post URL in an incognito browser window is the most reliable test: if the post page shows a "Sorry, this post was removed by Reddit's spam filters" message or simply appears not to exist, it has been removed. Reddit now surfaces removal notifications in several places. When you navigate to your profile and view your posts, removed submissions are typically labeled or grayed out. Some moderators configure AutoModerator to send a comment or a private message upon removal, explaining which rule was violated and sometimes providing instructions for resubmission or appeal. When a human moderator removes a post, best-practice moderation includes leaving a sticky comment or sending a modmail notification with the specific rule cited. If no removal reason was provided, checking the community's sidebar and rules is the logical next step — often the reason for removal is obvious once you read the rules carefully. The removal may have been triggered by something as specific as a title format requirement or a link to a disallowed site that only becomes apparent on reading the detailed rules. If you have reviewed the rules and still cannot determine why the post was removed, contacting the moderators via modmail is the appropriate channel. Posting to r/help or r/NewToReddit with specifics can also surface guidance from experienced community members.