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Tinder’s incognito mode hides your profile from people you don’t like

Tinder’s incognito mode hides your profile from people you don’t like

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You’ll need a Tinder subscription if you want to browse profiles without showing up in their recommendations, though.

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A stylized logo for Tinder.
Illustration: The Verge

Tinder now allows you to browse through profiles while staying hidden — but you’ll have to pay for it. In a post on Tinder’s newsroom, the dating app announced a new incognito mode that you can use to swipe through profiles without showing up in their recommendations feed unless you “like” them (via TechCrunch).

Currently, Tinder’s algorithm surfaces your profile in other members’ recommendations, whether you swipe right or left on them. Incognito mode, on the other hand, will hide your profile from other users unless you’ve expressed interest, which should help ensure you’re profile’s viewed by the people you want to see it.

The downside is that you can only access the new feature if you pay for Tinder Plus, Gold, and Platinum, which come at a range of prices depending on your age and how long you want to subscribe. And while you can hide your profile for free, switching on the feature means you won’t show up for anyone on the app and that you can’t view anyone else, which obviously makes it hard if you still want to use the app to find a date.

Tinder’s incognito mode (left) and its new blocking feature (right).
Tinder’s incognito mode (left) and its new blocking feature (right).
Image: Tinder

But if you aren’t paying for a Tinder subscription (and aren't planning to), the company’s rolling out another helpful feature for everyone on the app: the ability to block profiles that show up in your feed. This builds upon the feature that lets you block specific contacts on Tinder and could come in handy if you don’t want to see an ex or co-worker while using the app. It’s unclear whether they’ll still see your profile in the app once blocked, though; we’ve reached out to Tinder for clarification, and we’ll update this article if we hear back.

Additionally, Tinder’s rolling out a couple of other safety features, including a way to long-press offensive messages to report them. It’s also adding more flagged terms that trigger its “Are you sure?” prompt that appears before someone sends a message containing harmful or inappropriate words, as well as its “Does this bother you?” message that shows up alongside potentially disrespectful messages.