How to Get More Likes on Tinder: 15 Proven Techniques

You open Tinder. The little gold heart shows you have pending likes. The problem? There are 3. From the past week. And you wonder how some guys manage to show those 99+ waiting queues.

The answer is simpler than it seems: it's not (just) about looks. It's about strategy to boost your Tinder profile.

In this guide, I'm giving you 15 concrete techniques to increase your likes. Some are obvious but often ignored. Others are lesser-known but incredibly effective. Let's test them.

And if you want to go even further, our AI-generated professional photos can transform your profile in minutes.

How the Tinder Algorithm Works

Before talking techniques, you need to understand the system. Tinder uses an internal score (often called ELO or "desirability score") that determines who sees your profile.

Factors That Influence Your Score

1. Your incoming right-swipe rate More women swipe right on you = better score = you're shown to more "desirable" profiles.

2. Your swiping behavior Swiping right on everyone = low value signal. The algo penalizes you.

3. Your post-match engagement You match and send a message? Good signal. You match and ghost? Bad signal.

4. Conversation quality Long, engaged conversations = you're interesting = boost.

5. Your app activity Regularity > intensity. 15 min/day > 3h on Sunday night.

To understand the data on what works, I have a dedicated article with available stats.

Optimize Your Profile for the Algorithm

Your profile needs to send the right signals to the algorithm AND to users. Here's how.

Technique #1: The Perfect Main Photo

Your first photo decides everything. It must be:

• Your face clearly visible
• Well-lit (natural light preferably)
• Just you (no group)
• Recent (last 1-2 years)
• With a smile or confident look

The test: Look at your main photo. In 1 second, can you see your face, do you look friendly? If you have to think, change it.

Technique #2: Photo Variety

5-6 photos, each showing a different aspect:

• Portrait (the main one)
• Lifestyle/activity
• Social (with friends)
• Passion/hobby
• Full body (optional but useful)

Technique #3: The Bio That Converts

Short. Funny or intriguing. With a hook.

Bad:

"I love traveling, sports and music"

Good:

"My carbonara has been described as 'almost edible'. Looking for someone to help me improve (or at least order pizza together)"

For a complete perfect bio, check the guide with 50+ examples.

Technique #4: Badges and Integrations

• Connect your Spotify (shows your personality)
• Add your passion via badges
• Verify your profile (blue check) if possible

Every completed element = positive signal for the algo.

Timing Techniques

When you swipe matters as much as how you swipe.

Technique #5: The Best Hours

Data shows Tinder activity peaks at:

• Sunday evening (8pm-11pm) — The absolute peak
• Monday-Thursday evening (9pm-10:30pm) — Good traffic
• Friday evening — Careful, many are already out

The worst time: Saturday night (everyone's out) and weekday mornings (people are working).

Technique #6: The Natural Boost

Tinder boosts new profiles for the first 24-48 hours. If you redo your profile (new photos, new bio), you get a mini-boost.

Warning: Don't abuse it. Changing daily doesn't work.

Technique #7: Optimal Frequency

The algo rewards regular activity:

• 2-3 sessions of 10-15 minutes per day
• Rather than 1 hour at once

Why? The algo shows your profile when you're active. The more regularly active you are, the more you're shown.

Behavior Techniques

Your behavior on the app directly influences your score.

Technique #8: Be Selective (Really)

Swiping right on everyone is the best way to kill your score. Aim for:

• 30-50% right swipe max
• Swipe left on profiles you're genuinely not interested in
• Take 2-3 seconds per profile minimum

The algo detects "machine gun" behavior and penalizes you.

Technique #9: Engage After Matching

As soon as you match, send a message within the first few hours. Not necessarily first, but quickly.

Matches without messages = bad signal. Even a mediocre message is better than no message (for the algo).

Technique #10: Don't Unmatch Too Fast

If you unmatch someone 5 minutes after matching, the algo notes it. Give it some time (24h min) before cleaning house.

Advanced Techniques

For those who want to go further.

Technique #11: Strategic Reset

Deleting and recreating your account can work — but with conditions:

• New phone number
• New email
• New photos
• Wait at least 3 months since last account

Without that, Tinder recognizes you and you don't get the new profile boost.

Technique #12: Virtual Passport

Changing your location (with Tinder Passport or another method) can give you a boost in a new area. Useful if you're actually traveling — but don't cheat, it shows.

Technique #13: Strategic Superlikes

Superlikes are limited (1/day for free). Use them on profiles that have a visible common interest with you (same hobby, same passion).

This significantly increases your match chances on those specific profiles.

Is Tinder Gold Worth It?

The question everyone asks.

What You Get with Gold/Platinum

• See who liked you (practical)
• Unlimited likes
• 1 Boost/month
• Passport (change location)
• Extra Super Likes

My Honest Opinion

Tinder Gold is worth it if:

• You already have a good profile that matches
• You want to save time (see likes directly)
• You travel often (Passport)

Tinder Gold is NOT worth it if:

• Your profile isn't optimized (fix that first)
• You think paying will magically give you matches
• You have zero pending likes

The reality: if your profile doesn't work for free, it won't work better by paying. Money doesn't replace a good profile.

Boosts: Useful or Scam?

Boosts (being shown as priority for 30 min) can work if:

• You use them at the right time (Sunday night 9pm)
• Your profile is already well optimized

If your profile is average, a Boost will show you to more people who... will swipe left. Not ideal.

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AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

My Personal Journey

I'll be transparent. When I really started working on my Tinder profile, I:

• Redid my photos 3 times before finding the right combination
• Tested probably 20 different bios
• Analyzed my matches to understand what worked

Likes went from a few per week to dozens. And more importantly, matches became quality matches — people I was actually interested in and conversations that went somewhere.

The key? Patience and iteration. A profile that crushes takes time to build.

Learn More

If despite these techniques you're still struggling, the problem might be deeper. Check our guide on why you're not getting matches for a complete diagnosis.

And don't forget that likes are great, but the best Tinder photos are the foundation of everything. Start there.

Recap of the 15 Techniques:

Profile

1. Perfect main photo (face, smile, lighting)
2. Variety of photos (5-6, different aspects)
3. Short and catchy bio
4. Completed badges and integrations

Timing 5. Swipe at the right hours (Sunday night = top) 6. Take advantage of natural boost after modifications 7. Short and regular sessions (2-3x/day)

Behavior 8. Be selective (30-50% right swipe max) 9. Engage quickly after matching 10. Don't unmatch too fast

Advanced 11. Strategic reset (with conditions) 12. Passport for new areas 13. Superlikes on compatible profiles

Paid 14. Gold useful if profile already good 15. Boost at the right time only

You Have Likes But Few Matches?

This guide helps you be seen by more people (visibility). But if you already have likes and they're not matching, the problem is different: it's conversion.

→ Read our complementary guide: How to Get More Matches on Tinder

Now, get to work. Your profile won't optimize itself.