Tinder setup guide (2024)
New to Tinder or hitting the reset button? This guide’s for you. Get set up for swiping success by prepping your pictures, bio, and prompts ahead of time. Remember, a fully fleshed-out profile doesn’t just look good—it ranks higher too.
heads up
Tinder's paid users can filter for effort—yes, really! In settings, they can hide profiles without enough photos or a proper bio. Don’t get swiped-BYE for not putting in the work during setup. Make every swipe count!
tinder key stats
PICTURES: 9 (max)
BIO: 500 letters (max)
PROMPTS: 3 (max)
Pictures
maximum 9
Your photos are proof points that convince someone to swipe right, and Tinder lets you upload up to 9.
But remember, it's about quality over quantity. Your profile is only as strong as your weakest photo.
It’s not just about filling slots—it’s about crafting a compelling visual story. A story of who you are that gets your matching “What could we be?”
Quick tip
Always preview how your pics have uploaded. Since they dominate almost 2/3 of the screen (see below)—there’s absolutely no excuse for blurry or poor-quality images that hurt to look at. When every single second of someone’s attention counts, don’t give them any reason to dismiss you.
Ps. You can set your Tinder to light or dark mode (dark for me!)
Pps. I’m not single- I have an Incognito (hidden) profile to help you level up!
Bio
drop-down + custom
Tinder gives you two ways to showcase yourself in the bio section.
1. Pick from a set of predefined questions and interests for an easy start (and a quick win.) And…
2. Brace yourself to face the blank canvas of a custom bio- a true battleground where right swipes are won, and lost. Writing something original might seem daunting, but it’s your ticket to standing out.
don’t forget
Paid users can simply toggle “has a bio” on and off in their settings. Don’t risk get screened or miss your chance to be seen!
Dropdown:
quickly add what matters
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Show up to 5 but choose from the hundreds featured above!
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Add up to 4 to be displayed on your profile: she, her, he, him, they, them, xe, xem, fae, faer, e, ey, em, eir, ze, hir, zir, zie, hers, his, theirs. If you don’t take this seriously, don’t fil it out
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In ft/in or cm… No fibbing! If you’ve added it here, you don’t also need to type it out in your bio. Yep, even if you’re tall and you’re proud of it.
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Choose 1 from…
- Long-term partner
- Long-term, open to short
- Short-term, open to long
- Shot-term fun
- New friends
- Still figuring it out -
The type of relationship you’re looking for… Select up to 3!
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Show up to 5 languages (5?! humblebrag!)
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Only add what you feel comfortable with. The more you offer, the more likely it can lead to finding you on LinkedIn.
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Same as as above. Just be conscious of your privacy here...
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Add this info as an alumni, or if you’re currently studying, it can be used to show you more students near you!
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Feel like it’s getting too specific? You can opt-out of showing your city
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You can choose to hide it on your profile too! Pre-select from man or woman or click more to search or type your own.
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Select up to 3 and opt to hide it from your profile too: straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, demisexual, pansexual, queer, questioning
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Astrology is big on the apps!
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Be honest. Your match won’t be so forgiving if you ”forgot” to disclose your kids. Choose from: I want children, I don’t want children, I have children and want more, I have children and don’t want more, Not sure yet.
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Vaccinated, unvaccinated or prefer not to say. Simply answer it and move on! No need to double down in your written bio
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This is where you can comfortably own your Myers-Briggs type. No need to also spell it out in your written bio
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Big time texter, phone caller, video chatter, bad texter, better in person. It’s cute to flag but best to leave it out if you don’t want to live or die by this filter
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Love languages baby! Thoughtful gestures, presents, touch, compliments, time together.
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This is where you might get caught out if you’ve borrowed cute puppies and kittens for clickbait in your pics!
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Not for me, Sober, Sober curious, On special occasions, Socially on weekends, Most nights
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Social smoker, smoker when drinking, non-smoker, smoker, trying to quit. Remember, you can get filtered out for your answer - so choose wisely!
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Yes, occasionally, socially, never. Remember, commit to your answer or leave it out.
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Everyday, often, sometimes, never
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Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Kosher, Halal, Carnivore, Omnivore, Other. If it’s not part of your identity, leave it out
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Early bird, night own, in a spectrum
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You can find me… Dancing vs. Socializing.
I like to… Dress up vs. dress down
I ten to arrive… Early vs. Fashionably late
My exit strategy looks like… Shh — don’t tell vs. say bye first -
Weekends are for… Recharging vs. socializing
Saturday night looks like… cozy nights in vs. fun nights out
A typical Sunday looks like... Self-care vs. Sunday funday -
I’m the kind of person who… Replies quickly vs. forgets to reply
I prefer receiving… Text messages vs. phone calls
My phone is always… Fully charged vs. on low battery
Custom:
about me
Your “About me” bio is yours to customise in less than 500 characters. But Tinder just dropped three new guidelines! Including goodbye (and good riddance!) to nothing but Insta or snap handles and putting kink on hold.
The same quality over quantity rule applies here, as it does with pics. No fluff, clichéd tropes, and not every emoji ever in place of an original thought.
If you’re stuck, borrow a couple of prompts and expand them here— they’ll make it easier and more comfortable to fill that blank space. Then choose 3 other prompts in the next section.
Quick tip
Your bio is the second place your match will look for confirmation to swipe right. Keep it upbeat and positive. Even if you're cynical about finding someone on an app, your profile isn’t the place to air your frustrations. No dirty laundry or demands on how others should swipe. This is precious real estate—don’t waste it!
prompts
You can select up to three prompts and answer each one in up to 150 characters! That’s right— don’t drop one-word answers and run. Use your prompts to seed conversation and add some emotion!
My hidden talent is…
My weird but true story is…
The first item on my bucket list is...
My parents will like you if...
The key to my heart is...
My favourite playlist is called...
A surprising thing about me is...
If I'm not home, you can find me...
My biography would probably be called…
The hottest thing you can do is…
My go-to karaoke song is...
I can beat you in a game of...
My dream job is…
People would describe me as...
My worst midnight snack habit...
Me: I'm a grown up. Also me:
If had 20 minutes left to live, would...
First date wish list:
Perks of dating me...
I want someone who...
Two truths and a lie...
Message me if you also love...
My weakness is...
Verification
photo + id verified
Getting verified is a no-brainer. Not only might it be the closest you'll get to that blue tick, but also because of the “Photo verified chat” setting. Paid subscribers can choose to only get messages from other verified users, which means you’ll get blocked if you haven't taken the literally two-second task of verification.
It proves to your matches you are who you say you are and shows you don't want to waste anyone's time (including your own!). It’s a big green flag.
Quick tip
Verification and the integrations Tinder offers with your Instagram and Spotify all work together to boost your credibility. Will they 10x your profile? No. But they do build trust, and every bit adds up to show you’re real and keen.
Search settings
This one’s super important—who you’re actually swiping on!
Until you set up your search filters, your feed is stuck on default settings: age ranges and distances designed to show you the maximum number of profiles.
This can be totally overwhelming (and totally irrelevant!) and seriously mess with your mindset when you’re first using the app.
Think critically about who you’re letting into your feed. But remember, you’re choosing a human (who may not have read this guide on how important it is to complete their profile), not ordering a perfect specimen from a drop-down menu.