The Ultimate Guide to Using Hinge for Online Dating

Hinge is one of the best dating apps singles can use to find a partner.

To make the most of your time using Hinge, it’s essential to understand how the app functions and the features it offers.

Hinge works through sending likes to other users and responding to specific photos and prompts in someone’s profile, allowing users to match, engage with one another more deeply, and express their personalities more genuinely.

With its commitment to authentic communication and thoughtful design, Hinge has become a go-to app for singles looking to make meaningful connections in the world of online dating.

To get the most out of your Hinge experience, it’s crucial to create an attractive profile, use the app’s features effectively, and communicate wisely with your matches.

By learning the ins and outs of how Hinge works, you’ll be well on your way to finding someone you’re compatible with on the app.

Creating an Attractive Hinge Profile

Choosing the Right Photos

Selecting high-quality, eye-catching photos for your Hinge profile is essential in attracting potential matches.

Be sure to use a primary photo where you look your most attractive, as this is the first image users will see.

Use high-resolution images that clearly show your face.

Avoid using selfies, blurry shots, or too many group pictures that force potential matches to guess who you are.

Instead, use individual photos showcasing your personality, interests, and hobbies.

To find out your best photos to use in your Hinge profile, try our dating photo analyzer.

Writing Engaging Prompts

Hinge prompts are a key part of your profile, as they enable you to display what makes you unique. Prompts help you attract like-minded people.

Choose three prompts that allow you write thoughtful, engaging responses that showcase your personality and appeal to the kind of person you want to date.

Make sure your prompt answers are genuine and specific. Avoid generic, cliché, or offensive responses.

As a bonus, try to inject a bit of humor to show off your funny side. Write a lighthearted prompt or two.

To have our professional Hinge profile writer write your three Hinge prompts for you, check out our dating profile writing service and select the Hinge app icon to get started. 

Highlighting Your Personality and Interests

The best Hinge profiles highlight what makes you stand out from other people.

Be candid about your lifestyle, hobbies, and the type of relationship you are looking for.

The “Intentions” feature on Hinge allows you to choose from a variety of options such as “Life partner,” “Long-term,” “Short-term,” or “Figuring out my dating goals.”

By specifying your dating intentions, you make it clear to potential matches what kind of relationship you’re seeking and you also attract those with compatible dating goals.

In your profile, focus on sharing your personality, including your unique traits and vibe, rather than just physical appearance.

Discuss your favorite activities, interests, and what you enjoy doing in your free time.

That’ll give potential matches a look into your true self, making it easier for them to decide whether they’d like to possibly date you or not.

Discovering and Interacting with Matches on Hinge

Navigating Hinge’s Discover Feed

The Discover Feed is where you’ll find potential matches on Hinge.

This section displays a variety of other users’ profiles based on your preferences and the app’s algorithm.

Sending and Receiving Likes

When you come across a profile you’re interested in, you can express your interest by sending them a like.

To send a like on Hinge, tap the heart icon on a specific photo or prompt that you find most intriguing.

Hinge allows you to be more thoughtful and specific with your likes, compared to simple swipe apps like Tinder or Bumble, increasing the chances of a meaningful connection.

When someone likes your profile, you’ll receive a notification in your “Likes You” tab. From there, you can decide whether to match with the person, ignore the like, or simply keep browsing

If you choose to match with someone, the app will notify both you and the other person of the new match.

Starting Conversations with Potential Matches

Once you’ve matched with someone, it’s time to start a conversation with them so you can get to know each other better.

You can use the shared prompts and interests you discovered during the matching process as conversation starters.

For instance, asking about your match’s job, hobbies, or travel experiences can lead to good conversation.

Make sure to keep the conversation light, enjoyable, and authentic to build rapport and create a strong foundation for a potential relationship.

Also be sure to ask open-ended questions to keep the conversation going.

Hinge’s Unique Features and Algorithm

Hinge has several unique features and an intelligent algorithm that prioritizes compatibility over superficial swipes.

In this section, we’ll discuss Hinge’s most distinctive features, as well as how its algorithm works.

Most Compatible Matches

Hinge employs a Nobel prize-winning algorithm, the Gale-Shapley algorithm, which prioritizes finding optimal matches between users by considering who is likely to like each other back.

Hinge’s “Most Compatible” feature refreshes every 24 hours and offers a curated list of users who are predicted to be the most compatible with you based on factors such as your preferences, interests, and activity on the app.

Roses and Standouts

One of Hinge’s defining features is its Standouts tab, which curates a daily list of profiles chosen specifically for you based on your preferences and the answers to your prompt questions.

These Standouts are intended to be a list of users whom you’re likely to find highly attractive.

Alongside Standouts, Hinge offers “Roses,” which are limited “super likes” that you can send to someone whose profile particularly catch your eye.

A Rose signifies a strong interest in matching and can significantly increase the likelihood of starting a conversation.

Swiping vs. Liking

Unlike many dating apps that rely on swiping left or right to show interest, Hinge encourages more thoughtful interactions by allowing users to like and respond directly to specific prompts and photos on others’ profiles.

This deeper level of engagement fosters more genuine conversations and helps to create an environment where connections can grow beyond simple physical attraction.

These unique features and algorithm are what make Hinge a great dating app, catering to users who are serious about building lasting relationships.

With Most Compatible Matches, Roses, Standouts, and its emphasis on liking rather than swiping, Hinge successfully creates an engaging, meaningful platform for online dating.

Managing Your Hinge Account and Settings

Setting Preferences and Filters

When setting up your Hinge account, you have the option of customizing your dating preferences.

These preferences can be easily adjusted within the app’s settings to help you find matches that better align with your interests. Some of the customizable filters include:

• Location: Choose the preferred distance from your location.
• Age Range: Define the age range you’re interested in.
• Height: Set your preferred height range for matches.
• Religion: Select the religious preferences of your potential partners.

Remember that some advanced filters require a paid membership.

Adjusting Match Criteria

To make your Hinge experience more effective, you can identify specific criteria that are important to you in whom you date.

For example, you can select dealbreakers like smoking, drug use, and whether or not someone wants children. To adjust your match criteria, simply follow these steps:

1. Open the Hinge app and tap on your photo icon in the navigation bar.
2. Click on “Dating Preferences.”
3. Choose the preferences you want to change and edit them accordingly.

Adjusting your match criteria helps Hinge show you members that better align with your preferences, increasing your chances of finding a compatible partner.

Verifying Your Account

Verifying your account adds trust and credibility, making it more likely for you to receive matches and messages from other users.

Hinge requires you to verify your email to ensure that you’re a real person and not a bot.

To verify your account, follow these steps:

1. Check your inbox for a verification email from Hinge.
2. Click on the verification link provided in the email.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

Hinge’s Origins and CEO

Hinge was founded in 2011 by Justin McLeod in New York City.

In 2018, Hinge was acquired by Match Group, the parent company of many popular online dating services like Tinder, Match.com, and OkCupid.

The acquisition further expanded Match Group’s portfolio of dating platforms, solidifying its position as a leader in the industry.

Comparing Hinge to Other Dating Apps

Here’s how Hinge compares to other popular dating apps, such as Tinder, Bumble, and Coffee Meets Bagel.

Hinge vs. Tinder

Hinge is all about meaningful connections, as it focuses on shared interests and detailed profiles.

On the other hand, Tinder is popular for its simple swiping mechanism and emphasizes physical attraction.

While Hinge uses various prompts to create a more detailed profile, Tinder allows users to write a short bio.

Hinge’s “most compatible” feature can help users find others they are most likely to connect with, whereas Tinder’s algorithm prioritizes profiles with higher swipe rates.

Hinge vs. Bumble

Bumble is another popular dating app that differentiates itself by letting women initiate conversations in heterosexual matches.

On Hinge, any person of any gender can start a conversation.

Like Hinge, Bumble also focuses on detailed profiles; however, it also offers additional modes, such as Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz for making friends and networking. Hinge solely focuses on dating and relationship-building.

Hinge vs. Coffee Meets Bagel

Coffee Meets Bagel is known for providing a limited number of quality matches per day, emphasizing slow dating and thoughtful connections.

Both Hinge and Coffee Meets Bagel focus on detailed profiles and shared interests. However, Coffee Meets Bagel’s “bagels” system, which curates daily potential matches, allows users to focus on fewer profiles and make more intentional decisions when swiping.

Upgrading to Hinge Preferred Membership

Benefits and Features

Upgrading to a Hinge Preferred Membership, also known as Hinge+, offers users additional features and benefits compared to the free version of the app.

Some of the main benefits of Hinge Preferred include:

• Increased daily likes limit: As a Hinge+ member, you can send more likes per day, allowing you to show interest in more profiles compared to the free version.
• Advanced preferences: Hinge+ users can access additional filters, such as height, religious beliefs, and education level, to help them find their ideal match.
• See who liked you: With Hinge+, you can view all the users who have liked your profile at once, making it easier to manage your matches.

Hinge Tips

One key aspect of success on Hinge is creating an impressive dating profile.

Focus on posting authentic, attractive, high-quality, interesting, diversified photos, along with thoughtful and unique answers to prompts.

Maintaining a positive and engaging conversation, using humor and flirting, and showcasing your personality contribute to a better experience messaging matches on the app.

Research shows that people who have ‘lol’ or ‘haha’ in their conversations on Hinge have a higher chance of progressing to the next stage in dating.

Staying Safe on Hinge

When using dating apps like Hinge, it is essential to prioritize your safety. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind:

• Keep your personal details private: Do not share sensitive information such as your home address or financial details with matches.
• Watch out for red flags: Be cautious of matches who are overly eager to move off the platform or those who try to pressure you into something you are uncomfortable with.
• Communicate your boundaries: It is crucial to establish and maintain clear boundaries with your matches and speak up if you feel they are not being respected.
• Arrange public first dates: For your first meeting, choose a well-lit, public location such as a café or park, and let a trusted friend know your plans.

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.