How Does Tinder Work? Understanding the Dating App’s Algorithm

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Your guide to increasing your matches (based on expert advice)
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Frustrated by a lack of matches or new profiles to swipe through on Tinder? Learning more about Tinder’s algorithm and how it works can help you boost your own profile and get more matches. That’s why we’re here to reveal Tinder’s secrets and let you in on what everyone wants to know: how to use the algorithm to your advantage. Keep reading for our top Tinder tips and curated advice from dating coach and matchmaker Laura Bilotta.

What is the Tinder algorithm?

Tinder’s algorithm shows you potential matches with similar profiles to your own. To boost your Tinder profile and “beat” the system, write a creative bio and use pictures that show off your personality. Selecting matches carefully can also help show that you’re a high-quality profile who deserves the best matches.

Section 1 of 4:

How does Tinder’s algorithm work?

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  1. There are a few different things that Tinder takes into account when showing your profile to others: your photos, your bio, and how many people have swiped right on you. The better your profile is and the more right swipes you’ve gotten, the higher your profile goes in the algorithm (which means more people see it). [1]
    • Tinder also keeps track of who you’re swiping right on and will show you similar profiles. For instance, if you only swipe right on people with hiking pics in their profile, you’re likely to get more outdoorsy folks to match with.
    • As Bilotta explains, Tinder is “a more casual approach to dating, with a focus on swiping through profiles and matching with people based on physical attraction and mutual interest.”
    • Tinder does not track your religion, your ethnicity, or your social status. Your profile will never be boosted or throttled based on those factors.
  2. If you’ve been a Tinder user for a while, you may have heard of an “Elo score,” which is an algorithm that some dating apps use to rank profiles. However, Tinder has said that while they used to use Elo, they are not relying on it anymore. [2]
    • An Elo score is a rating system that determines skills or attractiveness, depending on its usage. The system was originally created for chess to predict the outcome of a match between two competitors. [3] Dating apps like Tinder have adopted a similar system to create their algorithms.
    • Some dating apps use the Gale-Shapley algorithm, which pairs users who are similar to each other.
    • It’s unclear exactly what kind of algorithm Tinder uses now, since their corporate team keeps that info under wraps. However, we know enough that we can tell you how to boost your profile with the tips below .
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Hack the Tinder Algorithm for More Matches

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  1. Tinder rewards users who have fun, engaging profiles with good photos and bios. If you haven’t already, be sure to pick out your best photos and write a funny, creative bio to get more matches . [4]
    • Make sure that your profile is complete and accurately represents who you are and what you are looking for in a potential partner, advises Bilotta.
    • Need more help filling out your profile? Check out our tips for creating a great Tinder profile at the bottom of this article.
  2. Yes, it’s true: Tinder rewards its users who swipe on the app often. It’s easy to forget about Tinder and come back to it after a week, but unfortunately, that could negatively impact your profile. Try to keep up a consistent schedule and use Tinder on a regular basis to hack the algorithm and boost your matches.
  3. New features like adding your relationship goals or including your pronouns are rolled out on the app fairly often. [5] If you open up Tinder one day and notice a feature you’ve never seen before, try it out! The algorithm will reward you because it wants its users to test new features.
  4. While swiping right on everyone might seem like a good strategy, it can actually backfire in a big way. Swiping right on everyone tells the algorithm that you’re not picky, so they’re going to show your profile to low-quality profiles (e.g., people with no photos or blank bios). [6] Since these low-quality profiles are likely bots, this severely decreases your chances of getting any matches.
    • On the flip side, when you’re picky about who you’re swiping right on, it tells the algorithm that you care about who you’re matching with, boosting your profile and showing you to higher-quality people.
  5. Super Liking a profile is like giving yourself a temporary boost: it forces Tinder to ignore the algorithm and push your profile to the top of that person’s queue. Use your 1 free Super Like that you get per day, and consider paying for more if you find success that way. [7]
  6. Tinder will bump your profile if you’re a paying customer. If you have the money and don’t mind spending a little extra, consider upgrading your profile to see if it makes a difference. If not, you can always cancel and go back to regular Tinder at any time. Here are your upgrade options: [8]
    • Tinder Plus: unlimited likes and rewinds, hides ads, and the ability to go incognito. [9]
    • Tinder Gold : unlimited likes and rewinds, hiding ads, weekly Super Likes, 1 Boost per month, and see who likes you.
    • Tinder Platinum: unlimited likes and rewinds, hiding ads, weekly Super Likes, 1 Boost per month, prioritized likes, and the ability to message someone without matching with them.
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Section 3 of 4:

How to Reset Tinder’s Algorithm

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  1. While deleting and remaking your account too often can result in a shadowban (meaning Tinder won’t show your profile to many people at all), you can do it once without any repercussions. If you think your algorithm is messed up for whatever reason, delete your entire profile and remake it using a different phone number or Facebook account. This resets your Tinder , giving you a whole new experience. [10]
    • Since Tinder uses your number or Facebook account to track who you are, it will think you’re a different person and start your algorithm over from scratch.
    • Like we mentioned previously, be cautious about deleting and remaking your account too many times. If Tinder notices that your profile with the same name and similar photos keeps popping up, it might think you’re a bot (and then throttle your profile).
Section 4 of 4:

Creating a Great Tinder Profile

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  1. Selfies are great, but what do they say about you? When you’re looking through your best pics, try to find ones where you’re doing a fun hobby or hanging with friends. The more your photos let your personality shine, the more matches you’re likely to get. [11]
    • Try taking a quick pic when you’re on a hike or out walking your dog. These tell potential matches a little bit about you before you even start chatting.
    • Bilotta recommends choosing a high-quality profile picture that clearly shows your face.
  2. Blank bios are a huge turnoff and are bound to get you fewer matches. Take a few minutes to write a bio that’s both humorous and engaging to make a great Tinder profile . Bilotta advises highlighting your interests to show off your personality. Write an awesome Tinder bio , like: [12]
    • “Pros: Great at making pasta. Cons: Can only make pasta.”
    • “Last time I was somebody’s type, I was donating blood.”
    • “Looking for someone to watch horror movies with.”
  3. Show potential matches that yes, you’re a real human! Use Tinder’s feature to link your Spotify account to your profile. That way, people swiping will be able to start convos about what music you’re into right now.
    • To link your Spotify account to your Tinder profile, tap the profile icon, go to “Edit Profile,” scroll down to “My Top Spotify Artists,” and fill in your information. [13]
    • Matches won’t be able to see your Instagram handle or your Spotify name, just the pics and songs on your profile.
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How Do You Get More Matches On Dating Apps?


Join the Discussion...

Tinder hacks that actually work to get more matches
WikiNarwhalJammer458
WikiNarwhalJammer458
I've (24yo man) been on the apps for 4 years now and it's been mostly frustrating. I feel like I spend hours on Tinder every week and only ever actually get a few dates a YEAR from it! What am I doing wrong? I have revamped my profile so many times over the years and I feel like it just isn't working. I know some people who have used Tinder Gold and seem to like it but I'm hesitant to take the plunge. Is it worth it? I'm not sure what else can I do to get more matches.
Jeremy Sharvit
Dating App Developer
Once you've set up your profile, I think you really should have minimal interaction on the app. Have a little bit of back and forth, a little bit of get to know you, and then just try and have something casual set up, whether it's coffee or drinks or even a walk just to meet in real life because finding a partner is essentially a numbers game. Just getting to the point where you can meet someone and see if there's potential there faster will increase your feedback loop and increase the likelihood of something more coming of it, which may get you more dates.
Maya Diamond, MA
Relationship Coach
Make sure your profile really showcases your interests, lifestyle, and personality, and that you make it very clear about what you're looking for. Some people avoid being upfront about what they want because they want to cast a really wide net of people, but then they get frustrated because they've attracted the wrong people. So be very explicit about why you're on Tinder (or other dating sites) and this will both filter out the people who aren't right for you as well as attract more people whose dating goals match yours.
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about online dating, check out our in-depth interview with Laura Bilotta .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/7606685697037-Powering-Tinder-The-Method-Behind-Our-Matching
      2. ↑ https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/7606685697037-Powering-Tinder-The-Method-Behind-Our-Matching
      3. ↑ https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/1967/1967_08.pdf#page=26
      4. ↑ https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/7606685697037-Powering-Tinder-The-Method-Behind-Our-Matching
      5. ↑ https://www.tinderpressroom.com/2022-12-14-Tinder-Introduces-Relationship-Goals,-Because-Sharing-What-You-Want-Is-Sexy
      6. ↑ https://www.vidaselect.com/reset-tinder/
      7. ↑ https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004493543-Super-Like
      8. ↑ https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004487406-Tinder-Subscriptions
      9. ↑ https://tinder.com/feature/subscription-tiers/
      1. ↑ https://textgod.com/tinder-shadowban/
      2. ↑ https://www.gq.com/story/how-to-make-a-successful-tinder-profile
      3. ↑ https://www.gq.com/story/how-to-make-a-successful-tinder-profile
      4. ↑ https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003357846-Connecting-Spotify-to-your-Tinder-profile

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