Fifteen percent of American adults have used an online dating service at some point in their life to find love (or lust), according to Pew Research, with many turning to the now infamous dating/hookup app Tinder. By 2014 — just two years after its initial launch — Tinder had reached over 50 million users and was registering a billion “swipes” per day, and that number continues to grow. Tinder has transformed modern dating.
Sure, plenty of successful relationships and satisfying sexual encounters have come out of this app, but Tinder is not without its problems. From superficial encounters that value looks over personality, to problematic business practices, to a barrage of inappropriate messages and photos, some users might be looking to jump ship or try their luck at dating IRL.
Simply deleting the app won’t be enough to get rid of Tinder permanently, however, no matter what anyone has told you. If you’re ready to say goodbye to your matches and messages for good, you’ll need to delete your Tinder account. Here’s how:
Deleting from within the app
Step 1. Open the app and tap the profile icon in the upper left-hand corner of the screen (it’s a small grey or pink bust). Select Settings from the resulting screen.
Step 2. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and select Delete Account. You will need to scroll past the logout button, flame symbol, and version number of the app.
Step 3. Next, you will be give the option to pause your account (which will make it private to new matches, but maintain your information if you ever want to come back) or delete it. Select Delete My Account.
Step 4. The app will then prompt you to choose the reason for leaving, which includes having met someone or simply looking for a fresh start. Select whichever option best suits your situation.
Step 5. Depending on your selection, you may be prompted to provide additional information. Once you’ve entered this, click Submit & Delete Account. If you see the message “Account successfully deleted,” then you’re done! You may login again, of course, but you’ll need to create a new account — you just deleted yours, remember?
Note: If you subscribed to Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold through a third party, deleting your account doesn’t necessarily cancel your subscription. It may be necessary to cancel your Tinder subscription through the Apple Store or Google Play.
If you’ve already deleted the app, you have two choices: download the app again and follow the above instructions, or scroll down to learn how to delete your Tinder account using a web browser.
Deleting from your browser
Step 1. Head over to Tinder’s website using your browser of choice, and enter your login information if you are not already logged in.
Step 2. Select My Profile next to your profile picture in the upper-left portion of the screen.
Step 3. Scroll down to the bottom of the menu on the left side of the screen. Select Delete My Account from the very bottom.
Once you’ve confirmed, you’ll be re-directed to the homepage, but there’s nothing else to do. You may login again with your phone number or Facebook account, but doing so will create a new account.
Note: If you subscribed to Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold through a third party, deleting your account doesn’t necessarily cancel your subscription. It may be necessary to cancel your Tinder subscription through the Apple Store or Google Play.
Looking to unplug even further? Check out our guides for deleting your Snapchat and deleting your Facebook accounts.
