How to Match on Hinge & What a New Match Means
How to Match With Someone on Hinge
A match on Hinge happens when two users mutually “like” one another.
In other words, you and another user both express an interest in each other’s profiles and want to start up a chat.
To match with someone on Hinge, you have a couple of options.
You can either like their profile, or if someone has already liked your profile, you can choose to reciprocate the like and match with them.
The main way to see other users’ profiles on Hinge is through the “Discover” section that displays potential matches based on your profile settings and preferences.
By liking specific aspects of another user’s profile, such as one of their photos or one of their prompt answers, you can send them a like and aim to start a conversation.
The key to matching on Hinge is to be genuine, responsive, and open-minded.
Try to match with people you’re genuinely interested in and go for quality over quantity.
That means taking the time to write high-quality opening messages that are personalized to the person you’re looking to match with.
Sending the same generic openers over and over again to everyone will hurt your chances of matching.
Optimizing Matching Preferences on Hinge
Setting Age and Location Preferences
To increase your chances of finding more compatible matches on Hinge, it’s essential to set your age and location preferences.
By adjusting these settings, you can ensure that the app presents you with potential matches who fall within your specified age range and live within a particular distance from you.
This significantly narrows down the pool of potential matches, making it easier for you to find a compatible partner on the app.
Defining Dealbreakers and Interests
Another key part of optimizing your matching preferences on Hinge is defining your dealbreakers and interests.
Dealbreakers are non-negotiable criteria that you require in a potential partner.
Clearly outlining your dealbreakers in the app will help you avoid investing time in matches that ultimately won’t work due to conflicting core values or lifestyles.
To set your dealbreakers on Hinge, go to your Dating Preferences and select the specific criteria that are most important to you, such as religious beliefs, smoking habits, or educational background.
In addition to dealbreakers, you should also user your profile to highlight your interests to attract like-minded matches.
Include photos and prompt answers that showcase your hobbies, interests, passions, travels, pets, social life, talents, dating goals, values, lifestyle, and so on — anything that represents what it’d be like to date you and what you’re looking for in a partner.
Understanding Hinge’s Matching Algorithm
The Role of Activity on the App
Hinge’s algorithm takes into account user activity to provide more accurate and compatible matches.
It considers factors like skips, likes, and the success of “We Met” results in providing better matches over time.
Being active on the app and interacting with potential matches helps Hinge’s algorithm learn about your preferences, improving the chances of finding a compatible match.
Compatibility Metrics
Compatibility is an important aspect of the Hinge algorithm, as it aims to connect users with people who share similar likes, dislikes, dealbreakers, and prompts.
The more information you provide about yourself, the more likely the algorithm will show you people who are compatible with you.
Effective Ways to Communicate With a Match
Starting Conversations with Engaging Comments
When it comes to matching on Hinge, it’s crucial to engage in thoughtful conversations.
One way to do this is by starting off with engaging comments.
To grab someone’s attention, you can comment on their profile when liking their photo.
Sending a comment along with your “like” will increase the odds of matching with someone.
Continuing a Conversation
To keep the conversation flowing smoothly, try asking open-ended questions that require more than a simple “yes” or “no” answer.
This will give your match a chance to elaborate and show their personality.
For example, ask about their favorite hobbies, what they’re currently reading, or their dream travel destination.
Open-ended questions also encourage the other person to engage and share details about their life.
Share your own personal stories or interesting experiences and discussed shared interests and hobbies to keep the conversation balanced and flowing.
Hinge conversations are all about maintaining a balance between sharing your own experiences and focusing on the other person.
This shows that you’re not only interested but also willing to share your life and open up to them.
Showing Genuine Interest
It’s vital to show genuine interest in what the other person is saying.
This means actively listening and engaging in the conversation, moving it flowing forward.
You can demonstrate genuine interest in a Hinge match by providing thoughtful responses to their messages, showing that you’ve been listening intently, asking follow-up questions when you can.
Maximizing Your Match Potential
Using Hinge Preferred and Standouts Features
Hinge offers advanced features through the Hinge Preferred subscription.
As a Hinge Preferred member, you’ll have access to Standouts, which is a curated collection of highly attractive profiles with significant compatibility potential to vibe with you.
Upgrading your account to Hinge Preferred also results in increased visibility of your profile, a higher level of match potential, and limitless likes to send.
Ensure you’re using the Standouts feature effectively by actively engaging with the profiles shown to you.
Sending a thoughtful message or a creative comment on a picture increases your chances of matching with those in your Standouts feed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matching on Hinge
Where is the match button on Hinge?
On Hinge, there isn’t a specific “match button.”
Instead, you can like specific portions of someone’s profile by tapping the red heart icon on one of their photos or prompts.
If someone likes your profile back, it creates a match.
How does Hinge matching work?
Hinge matching works by allowing users to like specific elements of each other’s profiles, such as photos or prompt answers.
When two users like each other’s profiles, they are considered a “match” and can start a conversation.
How do you match on Hinge without paying?
You can match on Hinge without a paid subscription, but how many likes you can send will be limited.
Free users receive a certain number of daily likes, whereas Hinge Preferred members have unlimited likes.
To increase your chances of matching without paying, optimize your profile with attractive photos and engaging prompt answers.
Do you swipe on Hinge?
Hinge does not use a swiping mechanism like other dating apps.
Instead, you can like and comment on specific parts of a user’s profile, like one of their photos or prompts.
Why did my Hinge match disappear?
A Hinge match may disappear for several reasons, including the other person unmatching you, deleting their account, or a technical issue on the app.
If you believe your match disappeared due to a technical problem, consider contacting Hinge support for assistance.
Want Help Creating a Great Hinge Profile?
We at The Match Lab have spent years studying the science of how to write good Hinge prompts and how to select the right photos to use in a Hinge profile.
After years of research, we have developed a dating photo analyzer that uses an algorithm to select any person’s best photos for Hinge, or any other dating app. Just upload some photos of yourself, and our algorithm will reveal which photos you should be using in your Hinge profile and the ideal order they should go in.
We also offer professional dating profile writing services. Our professional Hinge profile writer can write your Hinge prompts for you and help your profile stand out from the crowd.
Get started now, or learn more about us on our website, so you can start getting more likes and better matches on Hinge.