“Shadowbanning”, although not acknowledged by Hinge, is a term long used by dating app users whose profiles have taken a plunge.
It’s very difficult to get rid of, but thankfully, not impossible—this is everything you need to know about Hinge Shadowbans and how to reverse them…
What Is a Hinge Shadowban?
A Shadowban is when your profile becomes invisible to other users. You can still swipe, send likes, and open the app like normal, but to no avail.
It feels like you’ve been quietly pushed into a corner where no one can see you—no likes, no matches, and no responses from people.
What makes it frustrating is that Hinge won’t send you a message saying, “Hey, you’ve been shadowbanned”. You’re just left guessing.
However, a shadowban and a ban are not the same thing. It's like being ghosted by the app itself. You’re still “there”, but no one can see you.
A full ban is more direct. You’ll open the app and see a message saying your account has been removed. In some cases, you might even get a chance to appeal.
How to know if you’re shadowbanned?
Okay, so Hinge has gone eerily quiet. You’re still swiping, still putting yourself out there, but you haven’t been getting any likes, matches, or messages for weeks.
Let’s break down the real signs of a Hinge shadowban so you can figure out if it’s just a dry spell or if Hinge has quietly shut the lights off on your profile.
1. No likes or matches…ever
If you used to get some kind of attention—even just a few likes or matches here and there—and now it’s completely flatlined for days or weeks, that’s a pretty strong signal.
It’s especially suspicious if you’ve been swiping and liking regularly, but you suddenly stopped receiving likes and matches.
2. You see the same profiles over and over
Another clue? The app keeps recycling the same profiles over and over again, although they may not necessarily fit your preferences.
This isn’t just a coincidence: it’s usually a sign the app has stopped serving you fresh profiles because it’s stopped showing you to others.
3. Payment errors when trying to upgrade
If you try to buy a premium plan or send roses, and the app gives you an error or blocks the transaction, that’s a major clue. Hinge doesn’t let banned or flagged accounts spend money.
4. Your friends can’t find you
Even though Hinge doesn’t have a direct search function, you can still ask a friend to help you test your visibility.
If a nearby friend with the right preferences swipes for a while and never comes across your profile, that’s another sign you’ve been shadowbanned.
5. You try to delete your account…and can’t
You aren't even able to delete their shadowbanned account because the app glitched or just wouldn’t let them finish the process.
How to Get Unshadowbanned on Hinge? A Step-by-Step Reset Guide
Hinge doesn’t make this easy, but if you follow these steps carefully, you can start fresh and finally get your profile back in front of real people again.
Step 1: Delete your old account (if possible)
Start by trying to delete your current Hinge account from the app’s settings. If you can, great! That’s the first step in clearing your old data. If the app won’t let you delete, just move on.
Pro tip: Uninstall the app too. That helps get rid of old cached data.
Step 2: Use a legit phone number
This is critical. Your phone number is one of the main ways Hinge tracks you, so Google Voice and other ineffective sources are out.
DatingZest is exactly what you need—it’s been designed to look like a real phone number, helping you bypass Hinge bans and shadowbans.
Step 3: Create a new email address
Even if your old email was fine, don’t take chances. Make a brand-new email just for this new account. It only takes a minute and helps avoid any connection to your old profile.
Step 4: Change your photos
If you upload the same selfies from your old account, the system might immediately link you back to your shadowbanned profile through something called “photo hashing”.
Instead, what you can do is use new photos or slightly edit your old ones by cropping, flipping, tuning, etc.!
Step 5: Use a different device, Secure Folder, or reset your device
Hinge can track your device, so if you’re using the exact same phone, that could be part of the problem. If possible, use a different phone or reset your device.
- Android users: try using something like Samsung Secure Folder to make a fresh app environment.
If none of that is an option, it can still work, but the more new info you give Hinge, the better your chances.
Step 6: Avoid your old Wi-Fi/IP Address when signing up
Hinge tracks networks, so when you make your new account, don’t use the same Wi-Fi you always used before.
Use mobile data when you first sign up, or go to a different place with a new network (like a coffee shop). You can go back to your usual Wi-Fi later…just avoid it for that first login!
Step 7: Don’t link any old social media account
It might be tempting to connect your Instagram or Spotify again, but don’t do it just yet. Those can link back to your old profile instantly.
– To know if it worked, keep an eye on your profile over the next 24 to 48 hours. If you start getting likes, messages, or matches—congrats! You’re back in the game.
How to Reverse a Shadowban by Contacting Hinge Support or Appealing the Ban?
At this point, reaching out to Hinge support might be worth a shot. The trick? Knowing how to do it right.
There are two main ways to reach out:
1. Through the App or Help Center
- Go to your app’s settings;
- Tap “Help” > “Submit a Request”;
- Or go directly to their Help Center contact form.
2. Email Them at: hello@hinge.co
When you reach out, it helps to keep the message short, polite, and focused. Don’t go in guns blazing as their support team is much more likely to help if you’re calm and respectful.
Here’s what works best:
✅ Do say things like:
- “I haven’t gotten any likes or matches in weeks, even though I’m active.”
- “I think my profile visibility might be affected. Could you please check if something is wrong?”
- “I’d appreciate a review of my account. I’m not sure what happened.”
🚫 Avoid saying things like:
- “I KNOW I’m shadowbanned!”
- “Unban me or I’ll sue!”
- “Your app is rigged.”
– How to file a complaint if Hinge ignores you?
If you’ve contacted support and got nowhere, there’s one move that actually works for some people: Filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
When you file a BBB complaint, Hinge’s corporate team (owned by Match Group) is forced to respond. Some say this helped them get unbanned, especially if they were unfairly flagged or support ignored them.
Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the BBB complaint form for Match Group;
- Clearly explain your issue: be calm, specific, and honest;
- Wait a few business days for a response (or you might hear back in under a week).
It’s not guaranteed, but it’s been surprisingly effective for many in 2023 and 2024, especially when you’ve exhausted other options.
P.S. Hinge (and Match Group) includes a clause in their terms of service that lets you challenge bans through a legal process.
Some have filed complaints with the FTC and sent formal letters of intent for arbitration, but these steps take time and don’t always succeed.
– Could it be just the algorithm?
Here’s where it gets tricky. Not every dry streak means you’re shadowbanned. Sometimes, your profile might just be ranked lower by Hinge’s matching algorithm, meaning fewer people are seeing it.
This can happen if:
- You’re not very active;
- You swipe right on everyone;
- You’ve been skipped over a lot by others.
But here’s the difference:
- If you’re still getting some likes or matches, even just a few, you’re probably not shadowbanned—you might just need to tweak your profile.
- If it’s been totally dead for weeks, with zero activity, and you’ve tried everything? That’s when the shadowban theory starts to make sense.
Why do Shadowbans Happen?
Getting shadowbanned feels a little like being grounded without knowing what you did wrong. One day, you’re getting matches. Next, you’re invisible.
So, why does it happen?
1. Creating too many accounts
Hinge remembers you. If you make new accounts too often, or too quickly, the app might flag that behavior as suspicious.
To Hinge, it can look like you’re gaming the system, even if your intentions were innocent. Over time, those repeated resets can land you a shadowban.
2. Using a fake or virtual phone number
By 2023, Hinge started cracking down hard on virtual numbers. If you sign up with one, there’s a good chance your profile will get flagged automatically.
Why? Because fake numbers are often linked to spammy or bot accounts, and Hinge’s system is designed to shut those down fast.
3. Reusing info from banned accounts
If you reuse the same email, phone number, photos, and device…Hinge can connect the dots. They use all kinds of data to track users, and if your new profile looks too much like the old one, they might blacklist it instantly.
4. Breaking the rules (even accidentally)
Sometimes shadowbans happen because someone reports your profile, or because you posted something that goes against Hinge’s guidelines:
Jokes that come off the wrong way, inappropriate language or images, suspicious messages that get flagged, or basically anything that sounds spammy or fake
5. Getting caught in an algorithmic mistake
Every now and then, people get shadowbanned for no obvious reason at all. Maybe Hinge’s algorithm got a little too cautious. Maybe something in your profile looked “off” to the system, even if it wasn’t.
It’s frustrating, but it happens. And that’s why it’s so important to understand the triggers.
How Long Do Shadowbans Last? Are They Permanent?
One of the most frustrating things about a shadowban is not knowing when—or if—it will ever go away. You’re stuck in dating app limbo, and Hinge isn’t sending any updates or notifications.
Unfortunately, in most cases, Hinge shadowbans are permanent. You might have waited weeks, even months, hoping things would magically go back to normal.
Once you've been shadowbanned, you will stay stuck in that state until they reset their account completely or reach out to Hinge support.
Some even take a long break, come back, and find their account is still dead silent. Others try deleting and reinstalling the app, but nothing. While a break can be good for your sanity, it’s not a guaranteed fix for a shadowban.
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