11 Easy Ways to Make Your Guy Happy

Show him you appreciate him with these valuable expert tips

Co-authored by John Keegan and Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.

Last Updated: September 9, 2025 Fact Checked

The best way to help a relationship flourish is to do things that make your boyfriend feel happy. We’ve asked several relationship experts, including relationship coaches and a licensed psychologist, for the best tips to make your guy happy and feel loved. Keep reading to learn more!

Best Ways to Make Your BF Happy

Relationship coach John Keegan says it's important to make your man feel heard, listened to, and understood. Do this by giving him regular compliments and telling him how much you appreciate him. Offer your attention, and show him affection so he knows you love him.

1

Compliment him.

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Your boyfriend appreciates hearing nice things about himself. We all seek validation for how we look and what we do, especially when it comes from someone we care about. Giving your boyfriend regular, sincere compliments is good for his ego, his pride, and his happiness. Some example compliments to try: ^{[1]
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- Have I ever told you how adorable your smile is?
- You’re the best guy to share deep talks with.
- You’re amazing at always making me feel safe.
- You are the most thoughtful person I’ve ever met.
- I’ll never get over how understanding you are.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

John Keegan is a relationship coach and motivational speaker with over 15 years of professional experience.

Maya Diamond, MA , is a relationship coach helping people create healthy, loving, and lasting partnerships.

Connell Barrett is a relationship expert who helps people unlock their best selves.

Sarah Schewitz, PsyD , is a licensed clinical psychologist helping couples improve and change their patterns in love and relationships.

Alysha Jeney, MA, LMFT , is a licensed relationship therapist who specializes in relationship therapy and intimacy building.

2

Be affectionate.

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Actions usually speak louder than words when it comes to affection. Physical affection isn’t the only way that you can make a guy feel special. Licensed relationship therapist Alysha Jeney, MA, LMFT, says to try sending him affectionate texts even when you’re not together. She recommends “sending flirty messages by text to be playful." ^{[2]
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Expert Source

Alysha Jeney, MA, LMFT
Licensed Relationship Therapist

Expert Interview} Additionally, try some of these ideas to get started: ^{[3]
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- Hold his hand when you’re walking side by side. If he’s not the hand-holding type, let your hand brush against his from time to time.
- Kiss him for no good reason, or just slip him a quick peck on the cheek.
- Look him in the eyes when you talk to him.
- Put your head on his shoulder or sit on his lap.
- Praise him in front of others to show how important he is to you.
- Reader Poll: We asked 141 wikiHow readers how they like to show love to their partner, and 50% of them said through physical affection, like hugs and kisses. [Take Poll]

3

Give him your undivided attention.

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Focus solely on him when spending quality time together. According to Keegan, this means “paying attention to them and giving them your undivided attention. When you're with them, don't be distracted by other people texting you. Give them your undivided attention to make them feel heard.” ^{[4]
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Expert Source

John Keegan
Relationships Coach

Expert Interview}
- Make your man happy by doing something you both enjoy and will remember. Go on a surprise day trip, take a surfing lesson together, or just sit and talk with no distractions. ^{[5]
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- According to esteemed relationship researcher John Gottman, healthy relationships tend to have a ratio of at least five positive interactions for every negative one. The more often you show interest, concern, appreciation, and affection, all of which start by paying attention, the better your odds of reaching the "magic number" of positive interactions. ^{[6]
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  Research source}

4

Tell him you appreciate him.

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Let him know how thankful you are for him. One way to do this is to bring up things he does for you and for the relationship. Relationship coach Maya Diamond, MA, suggests saying something like: “Wow, when you planned that date for me, it made me feel so special. I’m so grateful for your thoughtfulness and care in doing that.’ Appreciation allows a relationship to keep expanding and growing.” ^{[7]
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Expert Source

Maya Diamond, MA
Relationship Coach

Expert Interview}
- Licensed psychologist Sarah Schewitz, PsyD, notes that, to love a man , remember that “more than anything, men want to be appreciated for what they do, and they want to be respected." ^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Sarah Schewitz, PsyD
  Licensed Psychologist
  
  Expert Interview} Be specific when you show him how much you appreciate everything about him.
EXPERT TIP

Connell Barrett
Dating Coach
Connell Barrett is a Relationship Expert and the Founder and Executive Coach of Dating Transformation in New York City. Connell has over five years of experience as an international coach who helps men connect with women by unlocking their best, true, most confident selves. He is the author of the Amazon bestseller “Dating Sucks but You Don’t,” and has appeared on Good Morning America, the "Today" show, Access Hollywood, and in Best Life, Cosmopolitan, and The Oprah Magazine. In 2019 he was named Datezie.com's “New York City’s Best Male Dating Coach."

Connell Barrett
Dating Coach

Keep making him feel like he’s number one. Ask yourself, ‘How can I make my partner feel significant, appreciated, and loved today?’ Do that every day and you're going to have a great chance for a long-lasting, mutually connected, passionate relationship.

5

Be honest with him.

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Let him know that he can trust you above all things. Even when it’s difficult, being honest is one of the best ways to keep your boyfriend happy . If you have issues in your relationship, be straightforward about them and avoid playing games. It’s possible to reflect honesty in other ways, too. Keegan suggests “keeping your word and valuing both his time and your commitment.” ^{[9]
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Expert Source

John Keegan
Relationships Coach

Expert Interview}
- Use “I” statements to express your feelings.
- When being honest, always show respect for him.
- Focus your honesty on connection instead of a way to show blame.
- Be open to receiving honest feedback in return.

6

Give him space.

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Everyone needs a little time for themselves occasionally. Keegan states that giving him space means not “smothering him.” ^{[10]
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Expert Source

John Keegan
Relationships Coach

Expert Interview} Encourage him to spend time with hobbies and interests, or that passion project he keeps putting off. By allowing him the space he needs to focus on himself, you'll also gain the time to pay attention to your individual needs. Remember the phrase, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” It may make him realize he loves you even more . ^{[11]
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- Every solid relationship requires some personal space—some need more than others. As long as he’s with you when it counts, be thankful. Don’t make him be with you; make him want to be with you.

7

Accept him for who he is.

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Believe in both his good parts and his not-so-perfect ones. Resist the urge to think of the little things you’d like to change about him to make him even better. This means loving him without judgment, being empathic, and remaining realistic about your expectations of him. Try to understand the life experiences that have made him who he is. Dating & relationship coach Mark Rosenfeld believes that “relationships are an opportunity to feel accepted, especially for parts of yourself that may not have been accepted before." ^{[12]
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Expert Source

Mark Rosenfeld
Dating & Relationship Coach

Expert Interview} ^{[13]
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- Embrace his life story and the person it’s made him into.
- Place yourself in his shoes whenever possible.
- Know that everyone is imperfect and that struggles are a part of everyday life.
- Focus on the present and don’t get caught up in his past.
- Be patient as he navigates challenges while being there to support him.
- Avoid comparing him to others.
- Recognize how far he’s come and any growth he’s made.

8

Learn what his love language is.

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Show love by finding out the way he expresses love the most. If his love language is acts of service, do something nice for him, like cleaning up or cooking dinner. If he loves getting gifts, “give him something that reminds you of him,” says Keegan. ^{[14]
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Expert Source

John Keegan
Relationships Coach

Expert Interview} When a guy appreciates quality time, carve out an afternoon to do anything he wants to. Give him a cute card if he craves words of affirmation, or surprise him with some private time in the bedroom if physical touch is his language of love.
- Words of Affirmation: Give him words of encouragement and compliments to show appreciation.
- Quality Time: Share meaningful experiences when you’re able to give your undivided attention.
- Receiving Gifts : Get him thoughtful gifts (which don’t have to be huge or expensive).
- Acts of Service: Do helpful things for him, like running errands or cleaning/organizing his home or closet space.
- Physical Touch : Practice regular physical closeness, like hugging, holding hands, or other forms of physical intimacy.
- Take our love language quiz to see what your love language is!

9

Look your best for him.

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Even if you’re comfortable together, try to look your best now and again. Your boyfriend may be more than content to hang around with you while you’re in sweats, but deep down, he probably wants to see you make the effort to get “fancied up” for him at least sometimes. Focus on looking your best to show him that you care about how you present yourself to the world. ^{[15]
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- The longer you’re together, his love for you as a whole person will make your appearance on the outside beautiful to him, no matter what. But the fact that you’re putting in the effort to be attractive can show that you care about both yourself and him.

10

Encourage him to engage with things he loves.

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Indulge his interests even if you don’t share them. This may mean spending a Sunday afternoon eating pizza and watching sports with friends. All relationships require some sacrifices and compromises. To show him you love him , treat him kindly by supporting his pastimes, hobbies, passions, or interests. Of course, you deserve to expect the same from him as well. ^{[16]
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- If he loves playing video games, play alongside him now and again.
- Go to see his favorite sports team play a game.
- Assist him if he needs help with a project-focused hobby.
- Get him a hobby-related gift to show you care about his interests.
- Show you’re interested in his passions by listening attentively and asking questions.
- Give him time alone to pursue his hobbies if he likes to keep them to himself.

11

Satisfy his desires.

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Yes—we’re talking about intimate relations here. While you should never feel obligated to do anything you’re not ready for, showing intimacy at whatever level you’re willing to can become a big part of making him happy. Making time for intimacy can also keep a great relationship going strong. ^{[17]
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- Of course, no matter how long you’ve been together, no matter what you’ve done or not done, you always have the right to say no. If he can’t accept that, get a new boyfriend.

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Question

How can I make my boyfriend happy?

John Keegan
Dating Coach
John Keegan is a Dating Coach and motivational speaker based in New York City. With over 10 years of professional experience, he runs The Awakened Lifestyle, where he uses his expertise in dating, attraction, and social dynamics to help people find love. He teaches and holds dating workshops internationally, from Los Angeles to London and from Rio de Janeiro to Prague. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Humans of New York, and Men's Health.

John Keegan

Dating Coach

Expert Answer

Be a good listener. The best thing you can do to make your boyfriend happy is to let him feel heard and understood. Do your best to support him, and even be nurturing at times, in a gentle, kind way. However, don't smother him, because it's important that he still has his space, as well.

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Question

How do I show my effort to my boyfriend?

John Keegan
Dating Coach
John Keegan is a Dating Coach and motivational speaker based in New York City. With over 10 years of professional experience, he runs The Awakened Lifestyle, where he uses his expertise in dating, attraction, and social dynamics to help people find love. He teaches and holds dating workshops internationally, from Los Angeles to London and from Rio de Janeiro to Prague. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Humans of New York, and Men's Health.

John Keegan

Dating Coach

Expert Answer

Learn how your boyfriend communicates his love, and make sure that's being reciprocated. For example, if you know he's a very physical person who likes to touch and hold hands, and you're not doing that, he's going to feel hurt and upset, even if you're giving him gifts and words of affirmation.

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If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Make sure he gets space sometimes. If he wants to go do something with his guy friends, don't get defensive and feel like you have to argue. You don't want your boyfriend to feel bad for hanging out with his friends.
Instead of talking all the time, listen to what he says and gaze at him in a way that makes him feel special. It will make him happy to see that you like listening to him and what he has to say.
Let him know your thinking of him. A simple message or a quick call goes a long way. Not to much, though. You don't want to scare him off!
When he's upset and wants to talk to you, listen to him. Try not to take what he says personally and just hear him out.
Invite him to events that are important to you. This will make him feel included in your life.
Don't tell him what to do all the time or try to change him.
Hold his hand when you're going for a walk.
Don't let him go through things alone.

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[1]

[2]

Expert Source

Alysha Jeney, MA, LMFT
Licensed Relationship Therapist

[3]

[4]

John Keegan
Relationships Coach

[5]

[6]

[7]

Maya Diamond, MA
Relationship Coach

[8]

Sarah Schewitz, PsyD
Licensed Psychologist

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

Mark Rosenfeld
Dating & Relationship Coach

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

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11 Easy Ways to Make Your Guy Happy

Best Ways to Make Your BF Happy

Steps

Compliment him.

Be affectionate.

Give him your undivided attention.

Tell him you appreciate him.

Be honest with him.

Give him space.

Accept him for who he is.

Learn what his love language is.

Look your best for him.

Encourage him to engage with things he loves.

Satisfy his desires.

Overcome Dating Challenges with this Expert Series

Expert Q&A

Video

Tips

Tips from our Readers

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