It’s no secret that an edgy new look can be a winner in the dating world. Bought a leather jacket and shaved your head? Time for a whole new set of pics, I guess.
And boasting that you’re banned from a few local establishments can only boost your air of intrigue… but when it comes to the Hinge app, getting banned isn’t going to help your chances.
So what have you been up to, you bad boy? Unless there’s been some kind of mistake, Hinge will only delete your account if you’ve violated their Terms of Service… but since that includes the stipulation that you’re seeking a meaningful relationship it’s fair to say they’re pretty strict.
So, assuming you’ve not been a total creep I’ll help you out. I know a thing or two about how Hinge works, after all.
If Hinge deleted your account, you’ll be asking how to get it back. Unfortunately, it’s not easy. You can appeal Hinge’s decision to ban you through the in-app flow. Open the app and find the link beneath the heading “Your account has been removed”.
You can also email Hinge directly to appeal your ban. Contact them at “hello@hinge.co” with Appeal Submission in the email header and provide the following information:
- Describe why you think any ban is unjustified (you are looking for a meaningful relationship… your definition of meaningful is just a bit more flexible!)
- Your Hinge name and the email address you signed up with.
- The phone number you signed up with.
Fingers crossed, Hinge will unlock the door and welcome you back in. But if not, you’ve still got options. Like the chimney, ho ho ho.
Is A Shadowban The Same As Being Deleted On Hinge?
If you’ve been hit with a Hinge ban, you’ll know about it. You’re going to get nowhere when you open the app. A shadowban is a different story altogether – it’s like you’re getting gaslighted by your own dating app. How could you, Hinge?
If all your Hinge-ing is falling flat, you might wonder if you’ve been shadowbanned. And is a shadowban the same as being deleted on Hinge? Definitely not. A shadowban lets you continue to use the app as normal, but your interactions are no longer visible to other users. This isn’t ghosting – kinda the opposite, you’re a literal ghost on the app.
First of all, if you’ve upgraded to Hinge’s “Preferred” membership I’m pretty sure they can’t shadowban you. That would be a serious misselling of the product and you’d have some legal recourse.
But do Hinge really shadowban users at all? There are a lot of reports from Hinge app users of sudden and mysterious drops in their interactions – leading to suspicion and paranoia. Welcome to the shady world of shadowbans.
Is It Smart To Reset Your Hinge Account?
Wow, things are getting pretty cold-war in here. If you’ve been getting fewer matches than you’d expect, the paranoia can start creeping in. Is Hinge the spy who loved you?
You might be asking, am I shadowbanned? Is the algorithm suppressing me in the dating pool? Is Donald Trump an alien from planet Lizard?
If these questions are going through your mind you have to wonder if it’s smart to reset your Hinge account. Resetting your Hinge account could give you a fresh start – a chance to interact with profiles you missed out on the first time around and an opportunity to hit three times as many matches. I’d say that sounds pretty smart.
But not so fast: if you reset your Hinge account you also run the risk of being banned. Hinge doesn’t want people deleting their accounts every week to get another chance with those high-value matches.
Not to mention you’re going to lose all the conversations and interactions you’ve built up with your current profile.
Resetting your Hinge account occasionally could be the smart move – but employ this tactic too often and you could get in hot water with Hinge.
What Is A Hinge Account Reset?
Just like how you reset a Tinder account, you can reset your Hinge account if you don’t like how the algorithm’s got you pegged.
So what is a Hinge account reset? It’s a fresh start on Hinge. It’s going to reset how the algorithm brings you matches, increase the quality of the deck and give you a second chance on profiles you might have missed on your first run.
But a Hinge account reset is a big step. You don’t change your name and move across the country every time you tell a waiter “You too” after they said, “Enjoy your meal”. Similarly, don’t go resetting your Hinge account after every hiccup.
That said, a Hinge account reset can have a big impact on both your potential and actual matches. If that sounds right for you, here’s how it’s done.
How To Reset A Hinge Account?
Hit with a Hinge ban? Or have your Hinge matches have dwindled from a tsunami to a trickle?
Or maybe your Hinge deck is nothing but people who don’t match your type. Where’s the one? Where is everyone?
So now you need to know how to reset a Hinge account. First, delete your Hinge account altogether – don’t just delete the app. You can do this from ‘Settings’ within the app. Second, you’ll need to disconnect your socials from Hinge in the “Linked Accounts” section on Facebook.
Think you’re ready to reinstall with a blank slate? Think again. Let’s take a closer look at how to reset your Hinge account.
Step One: Deleting Hinge
- Open up the Hinge app.
- Open up Settings in the app.
- Find “Account” and tap through.
- Hit “Delete” and confirm that you want to delete the app.
Step Two: Disconnecting Your Socials
If you’ve linked Facebook and Hinge, you’ll have to disconnect Hinge from your Facebook page.
- In the top right corner of Facebook (on your browser) go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Find the Apps & Websites section on the left.
- If you don’t see Hinge right away, click See More to expand the full list.
- Find Hinge and click Remove.
- Confirm it by clicking Remove again.
Step Three: Your New Hinge Account
Now it’s time to make a new Hinge account. But you can’t sign up with the same details as before, or Hinge is going to cotton on.
- Use Google Voice to generate a new phone number to use when signing up.
- Re-download the Hinge app.
- Instead of clicking “Continue with Facebook” choose “Continue with phone number” and sign up with the number generated from Google Voice.
- Enter the verification code Hinge sent to your Google Voice.
- Hit Create Account (avoiding ‘Pre-fill with Facebook’ of course).
- Rebuild your new Hinge account from scratch!
If you want to be really cautious, you shouldn’t give Hinge any hints that you’re back. Don’t link your Instagram or Spotify, and never connect your Hinge and your Facebook.
And if you want to upload the same photos, you can strip the metadata from them before you do so. That way Hinge can’t recognize it as the same image.
How Do I Reset My ELO Score?
C’mon Hinge, I’ve hit the gym and got a haircut. Surely that should bump me up the algorithm? Unfortunately, the things you do outside the app won’t make the slightest bit of difference to how the algorithm sees you. Is there anything you can do?
And maybe an account reset sounds like a lot of work and you’re asking how do I reset my ELO score? Well – then you need to know that Hinge doesn’t actually use an ELO score to rank its users. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a fresh start in the algorithm.
While Tinder’s algorithm relies on ELO for ranking users, Hinge uses an algorithm called the Gale-Shapley to match users based on preferences – and now that you mention it, I’m sure I met a shapely Gale on Hinge a while back.
While the Gale-Shapely algorithm is designed to pair users who’ll go well together, you might disagree from the look of your Hinge deck. And if that’s the case you need to reset the algorithm.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to do that without resetting your Hinge profile for a whole new Hinge account, so we’re back to that old chestnut.
And be warned – Hinge keeps your information for three months after you delete your account. If you’re back on Hinge within that time, you could end up back where you left off.
When To Reset Your Hinge Account?
From shadowbans to shapely Gales, I bet you never knew the back end of Hinge was as exciting as a spy drama. And now the curtain has been pulled back, you’ve got some questions.
Namely, when should you reset your Hinge account? First, this is a tool to use sparingly. If you reset your account too frequently, Hinge will catch on and you’ll be straight-up banned. But if you feel like you’re being shown potential matches that don’t meet your expectations, the algorithm has you all wrong. It’s time for a Hinge reset.
Resetting your Hinge account will give you a fresh start. With a new Hinge account, you’ll see old users you may have passed over previously, or new accounts the algorithm may never have shown you.
You could get three times as many matches, so if Hinge is getting stale, hit the reset button.
Final Thoughts
I get it – the world of online dating can be kind of a headf*ck. We’ve all had dry spells, but in the revolving door of dating app matches, you can quickly begin to feel invisible… like a shadow.
And maybe day after day Hinge is showing you inappropriate matches. It’s easy to start distrusting the algorithm.
But don’t be too hasty – while a new Hinge account might boost your chances, it’s just as possible that you’re having a run of bad luck, and your luck’s about to change.
Save resetting your Hinge account as a measure of last resort. If you’re struggling with the algorithm, try a profile makeover first.
And if you’re sure you want to delete your Hinge account, then you don’t even need to make another – try my dating app quiz to see which app might work better for you.
