First off, it is important to differentiate whether you’re getting no matches at all, or getting few, or fewer matches than you used to. If your problem is the latter, I’ve got you covered in the linked post.
The second important distinction we have to make is whether you suddenly stopped getting matches, or you never got any from the start.
Index
- 1 Possible reasons for why you aren’t getting any Tinder matches (anymore)
- 2 What can you do to get yourself un-banned?
- 3 Conclusion
Possible reasons for why you aren’t getting any Tinder matches (anymore)
You’ve been right swiping every profile
This is a big one and applies whether you just started out or have been on Tinder for a long time. Swiping right on everyone is a major no-no and Tinder’s algorithm will severely lower your score, rendering you nigh invisible.
If you haven’t gotten any matches since you first signed up for Tinder
Assuming you didn’t sign up today, there are basically two possibilities:
Your profile is unattractive
That doesn’t mean you are, but that you have presented yourself in an unattractive light. Try to improve your profile, especially your pictures, and see if things pick up. Here’s a complete guide. Alternatively, here’s just the ground rules on profile pictures.
Your account is bugged
Something went wrong during the account creation process and now your account is bugged. It happens sometimes, especially if you used a temporary burner number from an online service.
If this is the case and you’ve already tried sprucing things up with more attractive pictures, you may consider resetting your account.
You may be too picky
It is possible you’ve been swiping entirely out of your league and dismissing everyone who swiped right on you. If applicable, try lowering your standards but do not just spam swipe right on everybody.
If all the above fails…
…you may consider trying a different dating service like OkCupid, for example.
If you used to get matches and they suddenly stopped coming
It’s very likely you did something to piss off Tinder’s algorithm. Such as:
You tried to reset your account
Something went wrong, and you have been shadow-banned. I.e. The app seems usable to you, you can swipe and send messages to matches, but you have been rendered invisible to everyone else.
Tinder likes to do this if it thinks you’re a bot, and deleting your account to remake it a few minutes later is something bots like to do.
Recently, attempting to reset their account has resulted in a shadowban for many users, though it still works for others if certain steps are followed and one doesn’t overdo it.
You tried to spoof your location, or changed it too often
Using third party apps to change your GPS location to circumvent paying for that Plus feature is something Tinder doesn’t take kindly to, and it may net you a shadowban.
Users have also managed to brick their account by changing their location too often, for example once every few minutes (for whatever reason).
You have been reported (as a spammer) too often
Usually Tinder just deletes your account (and informs you as such) if you have been reported too often, but in some cases -such as suspected bots – they prefer the shadowban hammer.
If you kept getting fewer and fewer matches until there were none
It’s likely you haven’t been shadowbanned per se, but rather your score has gotten so low you might as well be invisible. This could be due to unfortunate profile changes, or just not following Tinder’s rule book.
Generally the further possible reasons and advice from the “Getting Fewer Matches” post apply here, but the decline to zero is a special case.
What can you do to get yourself un-banned?
Whatever the reason may be that landed you in shadowban land, there is not all that much you can do to get out of it. You could try to contact Tinder support, but don’t expect a relevant, or even human answer.
If you are actually certain you don’t just have a low score, and you’ve tried everything feasible to improve your profile to no avail, all you can really still do (apart from giving up on Tinder) is to try to reset your account. Even though a failed attempt is one of the reasons you might be in this situation.
Conclusion
Not getting any matches at all usually means Tinder has punished you for something. Attractiveness in and of itself should only influence what kind of profiles you see and get shown to, and never just render you invisible.
On the other hand, Tinder seems to be doing everything in their power to saw off the branch they’re sitting on, so it might be a good idea to shop around for other dating apps anyway.
In any case, try not to take a lack of matches too personally. If it gets too frustrating, take a break from online dating and work on improving yourself. If you love your life, others will want to be a part of it
What do you think? Have you stopped getting matches for a different reason? Feel free to leave a comment below, or visit the SwipeHelper Subreddit. See you there 🙂
Hi, thanks for this valuable information. I’m still not sure what I have done wrong (If I have…). I opened a new account last week (a couple of months since I cancelled my older one). At the begining everything seemed pretty cool. I matched 12 women in the first two days… But after that, like 4 days in a row with zero matches. I haven’t been the most picky guy, nor I have swipped right on anyone, so I don’t get what I’m being punished.
Well, see above. You’re not alone. That is assuming you meant everyone, not anyone.
Tinder should be making you more aware of the “swiping right too much” thing. Especially if you are paying £14.99 a month for it like I am! Wasn’t aware of that at all…doesn’t seem like good business to be secretly cutting off some of your customers for breaking rules they didn’t know existed.
Hmmm… it seems like I was being (unintentionally) too picky. I say unintentionally because I wasn’t exactly right swiping out of my league – I think. I just decided to rswipe on girls who actually have bios. And where I live that’s more than 90% of the profiles. Most of them either have nothing or just their instagram handle. Even a lot of really ugly girls didn’t put anything on their bio.
Is this common or it seems like something from where I live?
Anyways, guess I’ll try to take better pictures and a new phone number…
Edit: More than 90% of female profiles have NO bio
Yeah, it’s common nowadays. And as we cannot see the Instagram username anymore, people are filling the bio with it, and only it. Hope Facebook Dating opens Tinder’s eyes.
Between 2016- 2017, 2018 (Not that bad) I had so many genuine matches, it was overwhelming, however end of 2018 and all of 2019, I dont seem to get matches as much, lets say 1 match per 2 weeks, that too seems fake and doesnt respond. I can say im a solid 7 or 8 out of 10 at looks and got heaps of matches last few years. Its getting kinda frustrating and I am wondering should I legit purchase tinder gold? Is tinder gold worth the bucks? Can anyone please suggest?
Thanks in advance
Tinder Gold will not increase your matches unless seeing who liked you makes you lower your standards enough to match with people on whom you would have previously swiped left.
Hello, could you do a dedicated post about paid boosts? They are my bread & butter and would like to learn how to use them better.
What happens if i don’t swipe anyone during boost? (i still do get matches)
Basically during a boost am i better off swiping no-one or every-one? (i have a reason for “everyone”).
You seem to be using paid boosts a lot more often than me (0 times) so you would probably benefit more from doing your own testing. But in general you’d get more matches from swiping (not everyone) while using boost, as you’ll be placed higher in the decks of the people you swipe on, vs. only randomly discovered by people you didn’t swipe on.
Hello, i use about 2 swipes per day..8-9 PM. I tested by swiping everyone and the number of matches increase 3-4 times vs not swiping anyone.
For a long time i didn’t swipe anyone, are the potential matches i lost permanent (as in do i need to reset in order for them to see me again?).
Thanks.
Okay, so, why only 2 swipes? I guess with that low number, you could right swipe all you want and the system wouldn’t register it as spamming. But ah, if by swiping you mean right swiping and by not swiping you mean swiping left, then yes those that you swiped left are lost forever, or until one of you recreates their account.
Sorry, i meant i use 2 paid boosts per day, at 8 and at 8:30. I was wondering since the vast, vast amounts of paid boosts i did in my area in the past, i didn’t swipe anyone (inaction), are those people i didn’t swipe on while boosting lost? As in will future paid boosts show me to them again if they didn’t see me those times (say i was in their deck but lower priority)?
Also i noticed that the people icons floating are the people who actually seeing your profile while swiping at that moment.
Ah, that clears things up. No, I don’t believe those profiles are lost. Boosting just makes your profile more visible to current users, while placing you higher in the decks of those on whom you swipe right. So swiping while boosting is encouraged to get more out of it.
I tried using Textnow numbers and everytime I can’t register a new account, but there’s a bug that allows it using the iOS app. Still I will not be able to use the (free) account due to unlimited swipes and getting the same women again and again. Also it’s impossible to log into the account once it has been created, using a PC. It will only work in the app.
Bottom line: Textnow fake US numbers are banned from Tinder.
Well I tell people as much in the reset guide.
I made my tinder account ~2 weeks ago and was using it actively and got like 20 matches, but then I suddenly stopped getting any new likes and matches today and yesterday…
My Old Account With A Phone Number Got Banned. I Am Using A New Number Now But With The Same Phone, Same IP, & same Pics(Mosty). Still, I Feel Like I Am in Shadow-Ban Land. Plz, Help Me On What I Should Do?
You missed one lower case “same” and one “in”. PlZ FiX oR i cAn’T UnDeRsTaNd.
Hi,
I have never reset my account before, neither been banned, but I’m thinking about getting a reset, now the thing is, even if the reset wouldn’t be successful and I get shadowbanned and invisible, will I see the profile of someone that has unmatched me on my current account? will it be still in the pool of people being shown to me?
thank you.
p.s: is there a difference between shadowbanned and banned? and do people just guess if they’re banned or they’ll be told by the app?
If they are still active and Tinder still pools you in the same attractiveness region, it’s possible you will see them again.
And they just guess if they’re shadowbanned, while an actual ban that doesn’t let you log in anymore will inform you thusly.
My tinder has been hanging on “None Matches in Your Area” for days. I live in a MAJOR metro area. I’ve tried expanding ranges and logging off to no avail. Any ideas?
To the best of my knowledge it’s a bug that can be solved by resetting. Of course that is now problematic per se. https://www.swipehelper.com/2018/10/28/unofficial-tinder-faq/#Tinder_keeps_on_8220Finding_people_near_you8221_or_saying_there_is_8220No_one_new_around_you8221_What_gives
Hi! First of all, thank you for this amazing blog!
According to your last updates about reseting Tinder, I have a doubt, hope you could help me:
I started using a Facebook account, and then my phone number: im both cases I didn’t know how Tinder worked, so I swept right sistematically: my score must be completely f**** up, so I don’t think it’s worth it to re-use these acounts.
Then, I created two more accounts with two phone numbers: the first one worked reasonably (let’s call it A), but then I decided to create the second one (B), which has not been working very well: I’m afraid that Tinder caught me and detected the reset.
So, I’m thinking to reuse the first one (A), with new photos and info. What do you think?
Thank you!
I think reusing the account that is doing reasonably well with new improved pictures is the best way to go 🙂