So Tinder deleted your account? Well as long as you weren’t being an absolute creep, in which case you would deserve to have your account deleted, I’ll help you get it back!
Even if you just wanted a fresh start or wanted to reset your ELO score this guide will apply to you. Unfortunately, you are unable to reset your Tinder account the “traditional” way. Things have changed…
You would be forgiven for thinking that deleting and reinstalling your Tinder account is easy because up until the back end of 2018, it always was.
Unfortunately, Tinder has caught on that people have been liberally resetting their accounts and has made it much more difficult to do so.
Before, to reset your Tinder account you would uninstall, reinstall, and voila, you can have a redo.
Now, Tinder recognizes you based on a few factors, and if they catch you resetting your account, you could earn yourself a shadow ban. Which essentially means your profile will be invisible.
These factors are:
- Facebook account
- Phone number
- Linked Instagram
- Linked Spotify
- Your previous purchases on Google Account or Apple ID
There are definitely a few ways to get around this, but at the same time, many ways to screw up.
So if you’re wondering, why did Tinder randomly delete my account and how do I get my Tinder back after being banned, you’re in the right place.
Get your goggles on. Let’s dive into the murky world of Tinder bans.
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Why Does Tinder Keep Deleting My Accounts?
Your Tinder conversations are going great, you’ve just uploaded a hunky new shirtless pic and you expect the Likes to roll in. And then, bang. You’re banned.
So you’re wondering, why does Tinder keep deleting my accounts? Tinder users are banned when they violate the Terms of Use or the Community Guidelines. This includes sexually explicit content, being under 18, or using harmful or offensive language.
Tinder gives themselves plenty of leeway in their T&Cs. Tinder bans happen for lots of reasons:
- Nudity in your Tinder pictures.
- Offensive messages in the chat.
- A sexually explicit bio.
- Underage profile.
- Joint account with your partner.
- Giving out personal information like social security numbers.
- Inactivity (after two years).
- Impersonating someone else.
- Using Tinder for “any harmful or nefarious purpose”.
- Being reported by multiple users.
- Basically, doing anything Tinder doesn’t like!
So what happens when Tinder deletes your account? The next time you open up the app, you will have been logged out of Tinder and you won’t be able to log back in. And if you try to create a new account, you won’t get a text to verify your details.
And if you’re reported multiple times then your account is frozen and placed under review. Often, this ends in a ban on Tinder even if you were on your best behavior.
Hint: it doesn’t take a few minutes. Yup, you’ve fallen into a Tinder ban black hole.
Important! If you’re a Tinder Plus, Gold, or Premium subscriber, a Tinder ban won’t stop your payments! Head over to the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store to cancel your membership.
Can I Get My Deleted Tinder Account Back?
Your matches, your conversations, your one-off witty bio. Gone! Naturally, you want them back.
So you want to know, can I get my deleted Tinder account back? No. Tinder states that a ban is for life and you won’t even be able to create new accounts in the future. Fortunately, you can get around this by resetting your account using new details.
You can try contacting Tinder Support if you think you were wrongly banned – but I don’t know a single person who’s had any success in reaching out to them.
I think Tinder uses an algorithm to assess reports and distribute bans, and it’s almost impossible to get a second chance. If your account is gone, it’s gone.
But every cloud has a silver lining. I recommend you use it as an opportunity to start from scratch. Reset your account, up your ELO, and come back with next-level Tinder profile pictures.
Why Reset Your Tinder Account (Other Than If Tinder Deleted It)?
So you most likely clicked on this article as Tinder deleted your account but there are many reasons you would want to delete your Tinder account yourself and get a brand new one.
That’s because, unfortunately, the only way to fix your ELO score is to reset your account.
So why reset your Tinder account? Deleting and resetting your Tinder account gives you a fresh start with everyone who swiped left. It resets your ELO and makes Tinder think you’re a more desirable user – meaning better matches.
If you’re unaware, your ELO score is assigned by Tinder to determine which profiles you are shown and shown to. It’s basically a secret ranking.
Related: What Are You Looking For On Tinder? How To Answer This Tricky Question
You might want to reset your ELO score because there are many activities that can lower your score quite dramatically and it’s very hard to raise it back up.
Yes, you could get some better photos, improve your bio and be really picky about who you swipe to improve your score, but the improvement could take months.
So the main reason I suggest you do this is to make up for the couple of mistakes you most likely would have made to lower your score.
It may even be as simple as being fairly inactive on Tinder, which would lower your score.
Does Tinder Boost New Users?
The other reason I suggest resetting your account is because of what I like to call the ‘New User Boost’. In order to determine your new ELO score, Tinder will show your new profile to a wide variety of people over a 2-day period, giving you way more exposure than usual.
This is different from the ‘Boost’ function, which you would typically pay for. This is organic (and free).
When you successfully reset your account, your previous ELO score goes out the window, showing your new and improved profile to a bunch of new people, which will inevitably get you more matches.
Other than those reasons, you may have run out of people to swipe in your area, have had a profile makeover, or would just like to start fresh.
Whatever the reason, I’ll take you through some steps to make sure you aren’t getting the exact same ELO, or worse, receiving a shadow ban.
Just remember, following these steps could be a risk to you. There are specific steps to follow to reset your account, but due to the nature of those steps, you only get a couple of shots of doing this.
So if I were you, I would save it for when you feel like you’ve really hit a wall.
People can and do reset their Tinder accounts. Let me show you how.
How To Reset Your Account
This might be a bit of a headache for you, but the only way to successfully get a new profile is to remove any trace of your old account.
How do I reset my Tinder account? You have to use a new Facebook account and phone number when setting up the account. Don’t upload any of your old pictures and don’t add your Instagram or Spotify to prevent Tinder from identifying your new Tinder account.
When I say ‘new’ I mean one that has never been associated with your Tinder account. So if you happen to have an old phone lying around with a different number and it’s never been used on Tinder before, go for it!
Note: it doesn’t have to be the same phone you’re using Tinder on, just one that you have access to.
A Couple Of Other Points To Consider When Resetting Your Account:
- You can’t connect your Instagram if you used it on your previous account.
- You can’t connect your Spotify if you used it on your previous account.
- You will need to use a new email address.
- If you have previously purchased anything, including Tinder Plus or Gold, you will need a new Apple ID or Google Play Account.
- If you had Tinder Plus or Gold active before resetting your account, restoring purchases will lead to Tinder immediately recognizing you and giving you your old ELO score back or deleting your account again.
- You will need to have access to the new phone number to receive SMS confirmations.
I’ve said that you should only make a new Apple ID or Google Play account when you have purchased something previously, but even if you hadn’t, I suggest you do so just to be safe.
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Even though it works for most who haven’t purchased something, Tinder is obviously cracking the whip with people resetting their accounts, so in my opinion, it’s best to not give them any way to trace you to your old account.
As I mentioned earlier, this can be a little risky, so make sure you follow these exact steps if you do decide to refresh your account.
How To Reset Tinder Using Facebook (Step by Step):
- (If your Tinder account got deleted skip this step) Delete your Tinder account in Tinder’s settings, as well as the app from your phone’s home screen.
- Create a new Facebook account if you haven’t done so already – make sure you are logged in to this new account (and logged out of your old one) on the Facebook app or in your phone’s web browser.
- Download Tinder again and create a new account.
- Use a new phone number on sign-up process.
How To Reset Tinder Account Using A Phone Number Only:
- (If your Tinder account got deleted skip this step) Delete your Tinder account in Tinder’s settings, as well as the app from your phone’s home screen.
- Download Tinder again and create a new account.
- Use a new phone number on sign-up process.
How To Know You Have Successfully Reset Your Tinder Account
If Tinder deleted your account, the giveaway will be pretty obvious – if Tinder now works, that’s it!
Though if you just wanted to reset your ELO score the giveaway will be if your new user boost has been set off.
There’s no concrete way to know this has worked other than the fact that it seems like you are getting more matches than usual.
If it appears so, congratulations, it worked!
Now look after that ELO. Be selective with your swipes and initiate conversations with your matches. Be active on the app to keep your ELO high.
Important Note: Now just because it has worked, doesn’t mean you can go ahead and connect your Instagram or Spotify, otherwise Tinder will figure you out and you’ll go back to your old score or delete your account again.
How to Permanently Delete Your Tinder Account
Of course, maybe Tinder didn’t delete your account. Maybe you tracked down your office crush on Tinder, matched up and you’re starting your new life together. It’s time to delete Tinder altogether.
Here’s how to permanently delete your Tinder account:
- Open up the Tinder app on your phone, or go to www.tinder.com.
- Tap the Profile icon at the bottom right-hand corner.
- Hit the gear symbol to open Settings.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap “Delete Account”.
- Choose “Delete My Account”.
- Give a reason why (or hit “Skip”).
- Hit “Delete My Account”.
If you had a Tinder Plus subscription then I recommend canceling those payments in Google Play or Apple’s App Store.
When you delete your Tinder account, Tinder will keep all your data for three months, or one year if you’ve been banned.
After this window elapses, they’ll still keep some data for a period of five to ten years and, you guessed it, their privacy policy is pretty vague about what that means.
Final Thoughts
Tinder’s slapdash banning is incredibly frustrating, especially when you were following the law to the letter.
And Tinder should be fun, so you don’t deserve a ban for a risque bio or some harmless flirty chat.
Nevertheless, if Tinder deleted your account it’s an opportunity for a dating profile do-over. Don’t use your crappy old Tinder photos or low-effort bio.
Before you reset Tinder, check out my completely free 6-Step Tinder Tune-Up. My Tinder tips will let you come back stronger, boost your ELO, and get better matches than ever before.
Just don’t get banned again!
