How Long Does Tinder’s Selfie Review Take & What to Do If You’re Stuck

You’ve uploaded your selfie to Tinder, expecting a quick check. Instead, your account has been under review for what feels like an eternity: 

“Your selfie is under review. Once the review is complete, we’ll unlock your account and reinstate your profile.” 

Your account is locked, you can’t swipe or chat, and there’s no progress bar or timeline. How do you fix this?

What Tinder’s Selfie Review Is and Why It Happens

Tinder’s selfie check is part of its photo verification system, built to stop fake Tinder accounts, catfishing, and bots. The app asks you to record a short video selfie, usually copying a pose shown on screen.

First, Tinder confirms “liveness” to make sure you’re not using a still photo or deepfake. Then it creates a facial template by mapping key points on your face and compares it with your profile photos.

• If confidence is high: you’re verified in minutes.
• If unclear: your selfie is sent to a human moderator.

Data handling depends on your choice: If you don’t opt into the blue checkmark, Tinder deletes your selfie data within 24 hours. If you do, it keeps your facial geometry as long as your account exists. 

This ensures you stay verified even when updating photos, and prevents duplicate verified accounts with the same face.

You cannot skip this process. Any “bypass” tool online is fake or against Tinder’s terms, and using one can get your account permanently banned.

Why Selfies Get Stuck “Under Review”:

Reasons for getting stuck on this obstacle vary; it may be your profile’s fault, or Tinder’s. Common reasons include:

• Profile vs. selfie mismatch (filters, poor lighting, makeup, hair changes, hats, sunglasses).
• Bot-like activity (fast swiping, mass messaging, using scripts).
• Multiple Tinder accounts on the same device or IP.
• Frequent resets (deleting and recreating accounts).
• User reports flagging your account as fake.
• Technical glitches that trap you in an endless review loop.
• Shadowban disguised as “under review”, where your profile stays visible but gets no matches or replies.

How Long Does the Tinder Selfie Review Take

Tinder selfie reviews usually take 5-30 minutes, sometimes up to 48 hours, and only rarely a few weeks or months if a manual check is needed. It’s also possible for your account to be stuck in this state indefinitely.

• 5-30 minutes – Many users are cleared almost instantly.
• 24-48 hours – Quite common when the system needs extra processing.
• Several days to weeks – Happens when manual review queues are long or if there are inconsistencies between photos.
• Over a month or indefinitely – Rare, but not impossible in cases where the account is effectively flagged or bugged.

During this time, your profile is usually locked. You can’t swipe or message, and some users report even losing matches and messages if the review drags on.

What’s even worse is that Tinder’s customer support rarely provides details. When you file a ticket, all you’re really doing is nudging a manual review. 

If moderators find no violations, they unlock your Tinder account. If they do find problems, they may reject your verification or suspend you outright. Don’t expect detailed explanations because most replies are generic.

How to Fix Getting Stuck on Tinder’s Selfie Review

To finally get past the Tinder “Selfie Under Verification” problem, you’ll have to try everything (working your way up to hardcore solutions). Here are the steps you need to follow:

Step 1: Wait up to 48 hours. Most verifications finish in this window. Don’t keep reinstalling the app or resubmitting selfies over and over. That doesn’t help.

Step 2: Try Tinder on the web. Log in at Tinder.com. Many users report that the selfie check clears there when the mobile app is glitched.

Step 3: If you can retry, resubmit cleanly. If the app gives you another chance, take a fresh selfie: bright and even lighting, face visible, no filters, no sunglasses, and make sure your look matches your current profile photos. 

Step 4: Contact Tinder support. If nothing changes after 48-72 hours, submit a ticket through the Help Center. Use the path Troubleshooting → Can’t Log In → Report an Issue. Keep your message clear:

“Hi, my Tinder account has been under selfie review for [X days]. I completed verification, but I still can’t access my profile. Could you please check and resolve this issue?”

Include your account details and a screenshot. If you don’t hear back in two days, send a follow-up!

Step 5: Check for a Tinder shadowban.
If the banner eventually disappears but your account feels dead (no matches, no responses, no likes), it may not be the review at all, but a shadowban. Waiting won’t fix this.

Step 6: Basic app refresh.
Update the app, clear cache, reinstall if needed, sign in again. Don’t use a VPN or keep bouncing locations while under review because VPNs often trigger suspicion.

Step 7: Start fresh if nothing works.
If support never resolves it, the fastest fix is creating a new account. To do it properly:

• Use a new phone number (not one linked to a flagged account). Services like DatingZest can help you get a clean phone number for Tinder and avoid being tied to your old Tinder account.
• Use a different email.
• If possible, sign up on a different device or IP address.
• Upload fresh versions of your photos rather than reusing the exact same flagged set.

How to Prevent Getting Stuck Again on Tinder “Selfie Under Review”

To prevent getting stuck on Tinder’s Selfie Verification obstacle, use clear, recent, unedited photos that look like you right now.

Don’t swipe too fast or spam identical messages, and avoid running multiple accounts on the same phone or network, as your account will be prone to Tinder errors.

Stop deleting and recreating accounts repeatedly because it’s making you look suspicious. Instead, make profile changes gradually rather than all at once.

Don’t use VPNs during verification. These habits lower your risk of triggering another drawn-out review.

Q&A: Tinder “Selfie Under Review”

Is “Selfie Under Review” a Tinder ban? 

No, it’s a lock until your selfie is approved. If you pass, your Tinder account unlocks automatically.

Can Tinder reject my selfie? 

Yes. If the selfie doesn’t match your profile photos or looks suspicious, Tinder can deny verification.

How to delete a Tinder account when selfie is Under Review?

You normally can’t delete your account while it’s under review because you’re locked out until Tinder finishes the check. In some cases, you might be able to delete it through the web version (Tinder Portal). If that doesn’t work, your only option is to contact Tinder Support through the Help Center and report that you can’t log in due to the ongoing Selfie Review.

Is Tinder's “Selfie Under Review” and “Account Under Review” the same thing?

They aren’t. “Account Under Review” could be triggered for multiple reasons, whereas “Selfie Under Review” is strictly related to the photo verification step.

When should I stop waiting?

Treat 48 hours as your cutoff. If nothing moves by then, try web login, submit a ticket, and prepare to reset with a different phone number if necessary.