What Is Tinder Age Verify?
When using dating sites, we’re all aware that we need to be wary of users who might not be who they say they are. Some of you may have even been catfished in the past.
With more and more people joining dating apps, it can become difficult to know who is genuine, and who is wasting your time.
Tinder is increasingly protecting its users by introducing mandatory age verification, meaning that users under 18 cannot use the app and those over 18 cannot lie about their age on their profile.
This is big news, as Tinder is one of the biggest dating apps globally with over 50 million users in its first 6 years, so this may lead the way for more ID verification in the world of online dating.
Tinder Age Verify is the process of Tinder checking your ID to ensure that you are over 18 years of age and that your profile says the same age as on your ID. This is done by taking a photo of your ID on the app when prompted, and within a couple of hours, your age is verified on the app.
At the moment, not every location requires age verification. However, Tinder is rolling this out as a requirement to more and more locations to keep users safe, so keep an eye out for this if you use Tinder and haven’t been asked to verify your age just yet.
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How Does Tinder Verify Age?
Tinder verifies your age in the same quick and simple way we are used to in person – by checking your ID.
If you are in a location where Tinder requires you to confirm your age, Tinder will make you aware of this in one of two ways:
In some cases, age verification is essential for you to be able to message your matches, for example in Japan this is a requirement.
If you’re within one of these locations, you can click on any one of your matches from your match queue, and then click ‘Verify My Age’ when prompted.
If you’re not in a location where age verification is required for chat, a reminder will appear on the home screen, and then click ‘Verify My Age’.
In both cases, you will be taken to a separate webpage where you will be directed to take a photo of your ID, so make sure you have it handy.
To ensure your age verification is confirmed as quickly and easily as possible, make sure you upload a clear photo of your ID with a full view of all the details and your ID photo.
ID’s Accepted
- Passport
- Driver’s License
- Individual Number Card (aka My Number Card) (Japan Only)
- Health Insurance Card (Japan Only)
This means that you cannot use:
- My Number Notification Card
- Pension Book
- Resident Card
- Temporary Driver’s License
- Student ID Cards
The variety of IDs accepted by Tinder means that most users should be able to verify their age quickly and easily with a type of ID that is most often on their person anyway.
When verifying my age, I found the process to be super easy; it scanned my driver’s license, confirmed that it was now under review, and then continued to let me use the app until it had confirmed my age was verified.
How Long Does Tinder Age Verification Take?
After uploading a photo of your chosen form of ID, your bit is done! Tinder only takes a maximum of a couple of hours to review your uploaded ID, and once your ID is approved, you will be able to message your matches.
Workers at Tinder know users like to strike while the iron’s hot and message new matches as soon as possible, so as soon as Tinder has reviewed your ID, you will be notified on the app.
This means that you’ll know exactly when you have access to the chat feature if this is restricted to verified users in your area.
Once Tinder has verified your age, this information will be saved, so there’s no need to worry about having to confirm this each time you open the app or message a new match.
It only takes a couple of seconds to confirm you are the same age you claim to be, but this information is so beneficial to users who are looking for matches within a certain age bracket and makes sure that users under 18 are unable to use the app.
How Long Does Tinder Hold Onto My ID Information?
These days, the websites we use seem to know more and more about us, and it is normal to feel a little wary about sharing your details with a dating site or app.
Tinder is aware of this – and promises to only use your ID to verify your age to ensure the safety of you and others.
Tinder keeps your ID information for up to 90 days following you submitting your details, for example, which of the accepted ID methods you used.
After these 90 days, Tinder does not hold on to any information about your ID, only that you are 18 years or above and therefore verified on the site, allowing you to use the app to its full capacity.
Basically, do not worry about Tinder using your ID for any other purpose than your age verification.
Your ID will not be anywhere on your profile or access to your matches, it just allows Tinder to tell other users that the age stated on your profile is correct.
Some users have expressed (strongly) that they disagree with having to upload an ID in order to use an app, fair enough.
Even though I mostly think this is a good thing for the Tinder landscape, each to their own. In my opinion, there are better dating apps out there anyway, so check out my list of the best dating apps.
Why Do I Need To Verify My Age?
Tinder wants to verify everything these days! Even your height.
No no, that was just a joke, but Tinder age verify is very real, and will be more prevalent on all users of Tinder accounts very soon.
Age verification is important to protect users of Tinder.
Those under 18 are prohibited from using the site, so verifying your age is a great step to ensure that not only others know that you are the age your profile states, but also guarantees that your matches are the age they claim to be also.
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By checking the age of users on the site, Tinder also deters users from creating catfish or spam profiles that make the site much less pleasurable to use.
If everyone’s age is verified on Tinder, you can relax knowing that who you are talking to is the age they claim to be, which lets you find what you’re looking for on the app more efficiently and without the worry of being told incorrect information.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think this is a great step in the right direction from Tinder.
With people having access to social media at a younger and younger age, it is important to protect those under 18 from accessing a site not designed for their use.
It is also reassuring for users to know that everyone on the site is above 18 and is the same age that they display.
Personally, I think this even hints at a future where there are almost zero catfish and scammer profiles cluttering dating apps, as it becomes harder and harder to lie about who you are online.
As we all get to terms with the increasing reliance on online dating in our daily lives, I think adding more features to help users stay safe can never be a bad thing.
If Tinder is not yet using age verification in your area, expect to see this on the app soon to ensure the safest swiping experience possible!
Once you have verified your account, you will need to stand out to maximize your chances of getting matches, the quickest way to do that is with your Tinder bio.
So go ahead and check out my free list of 50 bios that you can use as your own.
