Reddit will allow users to upload NSFW images from desktop

Reddit announced Thursday that it will now allow users to upload NSFW images from desktops in adult communities. The feature was already available on the social network's mobile app.

The company made the announcement on the r/modnews subreddit, saying that this step will bring feature parity across platforms.

"This now gives us feature parity with our mobile apps, which (as you know) already has this functionality. You must set your community to 18+ if your community's content will primarily be not safe for work (NSFW)," the company said.

Reddit's announcement comes days after Imgur said that the image hosting platform was banning explicit photos from May 15. At that time, the company said that explicit content formed a risk to Imgur's "community and its business". Banning this type of content would "protect the future of the Imgur community."

Many of Reddit's communities rely on Imgur's hosting services. However, the social network allowing native NSFW uploads through desktop might be the most logical solution going forward.

Image hosting is not the only hurdle for NSFW communities. Last month, when Reddit announced that it will start charging for its API, the company also said that it will limit access to mature content available through its API. This would directly impact the experience on third-party Reddit apps. In yesterday's announcement about desktop upload for NSFW images, a Reddit staff members said that the company is discussing how to navigate this situation.

Christian Selig, the developer of the popular iOS Reddit client Apollo, said in a reply that developers are ready to accept guardrails from Reddit if they allow third-party app users to access NSFW communities.