Reddit begins testing new audio and video format similar to TikTok stories

Reddit has kicked off early testing of a new format that turns popular posts into audio and video content, echoing how Reddit stories already circulate on other platforms such as TikTok and Meta's Reels. On those platforms, such stories are often narrated through text-to-speech tools or read aloud by creators, sometimes paired with unrelated background footage like gameplay or cooking videos.

The company first outlined its plans for this "video Reddit" experience in July, during its second-quarter earnings call, when CEO Steve Huffman told analysts that people were already consuming Reddit content in this way elsewhere online. He pointed to an emerging trend of podcast-style content built around people reading Reddit posts aloud, suggesting that a listened-to or spoken version of Reddit could prove similarly engaging.

How the test works

Reddit describes the current rollout as an early, limited experiment intended to gauge how useful these formats are to users and whether they can be introduced in a way that still feels authentic to the platform. Starting Monday, users in select communities will be able to choose whether to "read" or "play" a post. The test is limited to certain English-language posts and is available through Reddit's iOS and Android apps.

The company notes that these new formats won't replace the original text post — both the original post and its comments remain viewable and open to engagement as before. Reddit suggests some users may want to listen to content while exercising, walking, or running errands, while others may prefer watching written conversations brought to life through combined video and audio.

This isn't Reddit's first venture into video. In earlier years, the company introduced native video hosting and tested several versions of a TikTok-style video feed. More recently, it added video support within comments, which it says now accounts for more than 10% of video posts on the platform.