If you’ve ever blurted out the wrong thing on a first date, then you’ll know the feeling of wanting to turn invisible.
The waiter said “Enjoy your meal” and you replied, “You too!”. Or your date talked about their enduring respect for the works of Karl Marx and you agreed that he and his brothers were titans of mid-20th century comedy… Oops.
Oh, let the ground open up and swallow me whole!
Well, the bad news is that you can’t turn invisible mid-date. But actually, on Tinder, you do have that option, at certain times.
Figuring out exactly how Tinder works is an investment you need to make. And turning invisible on Tinder can be a useful tool. So let’s take a look at how to…
Hello?
Hello?
Oh, there you are! Let’s take a look at how the trick of going invisible on Tinder works.
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Can You Go Invisible On Tinder?
The veil of anonymity can be empowering – it lets famous authors pen terrible novels and it’s the main reason the comment section of any news website is a living nightmare. And when it comes to online dating, invisibility can be tempting.
So you’ve just installed Tinder and now you’re wondering if you can go invisible on Tinder? Well, you can – you can choose to hide from Tinder’s feed by turning off “Show Me On Discover”. However, this limits Tinder’s functionality in a big way.
Here’s how to go invisible on Tinder in three easy steps:
- Open up “Settings” by clicking on the gear symbol in the top left of your screen.
- Scroll down to “Show Me On Discover”
- Turn it off!
Congratulations! You are now invisible on Tinder – what are you going to do with your newfound anonymity? Unfortunately, let me tell you, not a lot. When you turn off “Show Me On Discover”, you can no longer access the discovery screen, so you can’t use Tinder to find new matches.
But ongoing conversations with previous matches are still accessible and anyone you liked before going incognito can still match with you. The big wide world of Tinder might have closed its door to you, but there are a few people on the inside with you.
Why Do People Want To Be Invisible On Tinder?
Invisibility is a superpower we’ve all dreamed of. Imagine the possibilities – from spying on your friends to robbing banks…. Well, going invisible on Tinder won’t let you do all that but there are still a few good reasons why you might want to browse Tinder invisibly, or even without joining.
But why do people want to be invisible on Tinder? Well, some people might want to hide from certain people in particular – maybe an ex or even a current partner if they’re doing the dirty. For others, going invisible on Tinder might just be about taking a break from finding new matches for a while.
There really are a lot of reasons why people want to be invisible on Tinder. These reasons might include:
- Taking a break from finding new matches. Swipe fatigue is real!
- Avoiding bumping into an ex on the app (awkwarrrrd).
- Hiding an account from snooping partners.
- The Tinder user might be trying to have a surreptitious affair.
- Or just keeping their friends from seeing their cringy profile (fix that cringe here, guys).
- They have too many ongoing chats and don’t want to match anyone new.
- They’re sensitive to digital security and online safety concerns.
- It makes them feel like Harry Potter throwing on the invisibility cloak.
Like I said, there are a lot of reasons to step back behind the curtain and go invisible on Tinder. But ultimately, you’re not really using Tinder if you’re invisible. Okay, you can still chat to certain matches, but you can’t find new profiles so it begs the question… what are you still doing on Tinder?
Can You Hide Your Profile From Someone Specific on Tinder?
Online dating sometimes feels like a game of cat and mouse… or at its worst, like a game of catfish and mouse. And what do you do when there’s someone you really want to avoid?
So can you hide your profile from someone specific on Tinder? Actually, yes! There are a few ways to prevent someone from seeing you on Tinder. Tinder has introduced a new “Block Contacts” feature that allows you to hide from specific users who may not even be on Tinder.
But it only works if you already have their contact details – an email or a phone number – saved in your phone. Here’s how it works:
How To Use Block Contacts On Tinder
So you have to give Tinder access to your contacts first – but they seem like trustworthy guys, right? Let’s open up the Tinder app and block away!
- Go to Settings on Tinder. That’s the little gear symbol in the upper left corner, remember.
- Find the “Block Contacts” feature by scrolling down.
- Give Tinder access to your contacts.
- Enter the “Contacts” tab and select everyone you’d like to hide your Tinder profile from.
- Tap “Block Contacts” and breathe a sigh of relief. Anonymity at last!
But a word of warning: Tinder can only hide your profile from people who have signed up with the same contact details you have for them. That means if your ex signed up with a burner email address or your Mom got a new phone, you could pop up in their feed.
And if you change your mind, you can unblock them at any time. That’s handy if you’re holding a candle for an old flame!
Blocking Tinder Users You’ve Matched With
Blocking contacts is a great way of preempting the awkward encounters online dating can create. But sometimes you won’t know someone’s worth hiding from until you actually match them and the red flags start creeping in.
You can also block individual Tinder accounts from seeing your profile, even if you’ve matched with them in the past. Fire into your messages and open the user’s chat – then click the Safety Toolkit icon. You’ll have the option of “Unmatch and Report” or “Unmatch Only”. Wield this power wisely!
Poof – this Tinder user will vanish and you’ll be hidden from their feed in the future. They won’t be notified that you blocked them, but you won’t show up in their messages or feed in the future.
Can I Find Someone On Tinder If They Have Turned Off ‘Show Me On Discover’?
The ephemerality of online dating can breed some anxiety – it’s easy to fall in love at first swipe, and start worrying you might never see them again.
My advice would be to not get carried away planning a wedding after one swipe. But it’s understandable to worry that someone might disappear if they turn off “Show Me On Discover”.
So what if someone turns off “Show Me On Discover” and can you still find someone on Tinder if they have turned it off? Fortunately, turning off “Show Me On Discover” doesn’t lock a profile away for good: if this person has liked you, you’ll still get a chance to like them back and match.
Equally, if someone turns off “Show Me On Discover” they can still be found in your messages if you’ve matched in the past. After all, they’re just hiding from the swiping world – not disappearing altogether.
To be honest, I’m not sure how you’ll know they’re on Tinder at all if they’ve turned off “Show Me On Discover” because they’re sure not popping up in your feed.
Maybe they told you they were on Tinder at a party? What even was that conversation – you were in a room together already. Are your social skills so atrophied you can’t just do a real-life flirt?
I know I’m an online dating expert, but I do advise practicing in the real world sometimes too, or those first dates will be awkward.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of good reasons to go invisible on Tinder, or to block specific users from seeing your profile. These features give you more choice of how to use the app and can even help keep you safe.
But ultimately, you’re not here to be invisible. Take the plunge into the world of Tinder and start matching. And for a head start, get my “Tinder Hacked” here for free to master the art of Tinder.
And although Tinder’s user-friendly features such as blocking contacts and unmatching make it a great place to look for love, it might not be right for you. Try my dating app quiz to find out which app is the perfect match for your love life.
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