How to delete your Tinder account

Tired of swiping left and right on Tinder? Or, maybe you’ve found the love of your life and no longer need the app. Whatever the reason, you’re here because you’re thinking about deleting your Tinder account. 

Deleting your account is a permanent action. You will lose access to all your matches, conversations, and your profile. So make sure you really want to do so.

Want to make friends instead or heal from a breakup? Check out these anti-dating apps!

How to delete your Tinder account permanently

Follow the easy step-by-step guide on how to delete your Tinder account in 2023.

1. To delete your Tinder account permanently, you must first be logged in on either the app or tinder.com
2. Once you’re logged in, tap on the profile icon and head to the Settings menu

3. Scroll down until you see the Delete Account option

4. Tinder will then present you with a list of reasons for deleting your account

5. After you’ve given a reason or skipped this step, you’ll then be able to delete your account.

6. After deleting your account, you’ll get a confirmation that your account has been deleted. 

What if I don’t want to delete Tinder permanently?

Not ready to end your relationship with Tinder just yet? No worries. If you want to take a break from Tinder with a chance of coming back to it later, you can temporarily hide your profile without deleting your account entirely. This means your profile will no longer be shown to people for matching. However, you can still chat with the people you’ve matched with. 

Here’s how to hide your profile on Tinder: 

1. Head to the Settings menu

2. Look for the Show me on Tinder option and toggle it off. The switch should turn from pink to gray to signify that you’ve hidden your profile

Can I recover my deleted Tinder account? 

No, once you have permanently deleted your Tinder account, it’s not recoverable. Tinder does not retain or store your account data after deletion, so restoring your matches, messages, or profile is impossible. 

To use Tinder again, you must create a new account from scratch. Remember that any previous connections and data associated with your deleted account are irretrievable.

Does Tinder keep deleted account information? 

Yes, Tinder does keep deleted account information for up to two years as part of its safety retention program. This is so that the company can provide information to the relevant authorities in the event of an investigation.

After the safety retention period lapses, Tinder will delete personal information and retain information like financial transaction records for tax and accounting requirements. You can read more about the information Tinder stores in its privacy policy. 

Will Tinder delete my account if I’m not active? 

Tinder says it closes accounts after two years of inactivity. It’s unclear whether this means it deletes your account entirely, as if the user deleted the account. Its algorithms also prioritize potential matches who are active users, and active at the same time.

Does deleting the Tinder app delete the account? 

No, deleting the Tinder app on your phone does not delete your account. Your account will remain active, and your profile will remain visible to other users. 

5 reasons to delete Tinder

Tinder has become one of the most popular dating platforms. However, while the app makes it convenient to meet new people, putting your personal information and photos out there inevitably lessens your privacy. Dating apps also open you up to the possibility of getting scammed or otherwise exploited. We’ll explore five cybersecurity-focused reasons to consider deleting your Tinder account.

1. Data privacy and sharing

Dating apps often require users to provide personal information, including photos, location, and preferences. Concerns arise when these apps share or sell this data to third parties without user consent, potentially leading to unwanted ads, targeted marketing, or data breaches. While you are free to provide as much or as little information as you want, the safest course to protecting your privacy is to use fake information—but then you probably wouldn’t be finding genuine matches.

2. Catfishing and impersonation

Catfishing is a deceptive practice in which someone creates a fake profile to trick and manipulate others. Dating apps can be fertile ground for catfishers, and the inability to verify the authenticity of user profiles can result in people falling victim to scams or emotional manipulation.

3. Harassment and bullying

Users may experience harassment, abusive language, or unwanted advances from other users. Ensuring that dating apps have adequate reporting and moderation systems to address such behavior is essential for user safety and well-being.

4. Concerns about location privacy

Many dating apps use location services to match users with potential partners in their vicinity. While this is a good way to meet someone in person on the spot, there’s also your physical safety and privacy to think about. Is it worth sharing your location when someone could more easily stalk you or know what you are up to?

5. Potential data breaches

Dating apps collect substantial personal information, making them attractive targets for hackers. A data breach for the company can expose users’ details, compromising privacy and security. Dating apps must implement robust security measures to protect user data.

To address these concerns, you should carefully review the privacy policies of dating apps, exercise caution when sharing personal information, report any abusive behavior, and stay informed about the app’s security practices.