Tinder update: Block Contacts in 6 steps even if they don’t use the dating app yet, but there’s a catch

Many people using dating apps would prefer not to encounter someone they already know, whether it is a previous partner or someone in their circle. Luckily, a Tinder update recently added a Block Contacts feature making it easier to avoid awkward situations.

How does Tinder’s Block Contacts feature work?

As the feature’s name suggests, Tinder will utilize the users’ contact lists. Note that the app requires users to verify their accounts with their phone numbers. Since the function relies on the contact list, it means users can block people who might not even have an account on the dating app yet.

In a support page, the app confirms that persons blocked will not be notified and it will also not affect users’ matches and existing messages. There is one small caveat, though. Due to the feature relying on saved contacts, there is still a chance for Tinder users’ profiles to appear or encounter someone they know if the person they blocked used different contact information when they signed up on the dating app.

How to block someone on Tinder

Blocking people on Tinder can be done through six steps. First, open the app and proceed to the profile page. Then, open the Settings. Find “Block Contacts” in the menu and select it. The app will ask users to grant permission to access their contacts. Their contacts list will appear in a separate tab where they can select people they want to avoid on the dating app. Once they have selected contacts, tap the “Block Contacts” app.

The app will pull app the contact list whenever the Block Contacts feature is used. “When you leave the feature, we’ll only keep the contacts information for the people you have blocked (name, email and/or phone number),” Tinder added.

Luckily, Tinder also lets users manually add contacts they want to block so granting the app permission to access contacts is not necessarily required. Once users have opened the “Block Contacts” menu, they will find a + button on top of the screen. Tap this button and manually enter the person’s contact information. For people conscious about their data privacy, this is a good option especially if they only have a few people they want to block.

Tinder will also allow users to disconnect their contact list after granting the app access to it. Disconnecting the contact list from the app will not change the list of block contacts. Users will have to manually unblock someone from the “Blocked” tab in the Block Contacts menu.

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