How Do You Block Someone on Tinder Before You Match?

When the person comes up in your recommendations, scroll to the very bottom, tap Block followed by their name, then tap Yes, block. From then on you will not see them and they will not see you, so neither of you can end up in the other's matches. Tinder says a block is permanent and cannot be undone, and that the feature is being tested, so not every user has it.

1. When the person appears, scroll down to the bottom of their profile.
2. Tap Block, followed by their name.
3. Tap Yes, block to confirm.

Tinder calls this feature Block Profile. It works proactively, and that is the whole point: you do not need to match with someone, or speak to them, to make sure the two of you stop seeing each other on the app.

Once you block someone, you will not see them, and they will not see you. It works in both directions at once.

That is different from passing on someone. A pass says you are not interested. A block says you do not want that person seeing you at all, which is a different problem and needs a different tool.

It is also different from unmatching. Unmatching deals with someone you have already matched with. Blocking before a match deals with the person you would rather never cross paths with on the app in the first place, which is why it lives at the bottom of their profile rather than in a chat.

Tinder says blocking a profile is permanent. It cannot be undone, so there is no way to take it back later.

That matters more than it sounds. Block an ex after a bad week and you cannot change your mind if things soften between you. Block a coworker and the block stays long after one of you has left the job. So treat the button as final, and press it only when you are sure.

Tinder says Block Profile is being tested and is not available to all users. If you scroll to the bottom and there is no Block button, you are not doing anything wrong. Your account simply does not have it.

In that case you have two choices. Tinder has a separate tool in Settings for blocking people saved in your phone's contacts, which covers many of the same people. Or you pass and carry on. Seeing someone you know every so often is part of being on the same app as the people in your life.

If the person is not in your contacts and you do not have Block Profile, a pass is the honest answer. Make it quickly and move on, and keep your attention where it belongs, on the women you actually want to meet.

Blocking is for people you know in real life and would rather not deal with on a dating app:

• An ex. Seeing her in your recommendations, or knowing she can see you, helps neither of you move on.
• A coworker, a boss or a client. Keeping dating and work apart saves an awkward conversation by the coffee machine.
• A friend's partner or a relative. Some people are easier never to see on a dating app at all.
• Someone who made you uncomfortable before. If a person has given you trouble elsewhere, blocking keeps them from finding you here.

It is not for women you simply do not fancy. For them, a pass does the job and costs nothing.

Before you press it, ask one question: would I still want this block in a year? For someone who harassed you, the answer is obviously yes. For an ex you split up with last week, it might be yes too, and that is fine. For a coworker you are mildly embarrassed about, probably not, and a pass will serve you better than a permanent button.

Some men reach for the block button because they are embarrassed to be seen on a dating app at all. That is a poor reason to use a permanent tool.

Online dating stopped being something to hide a long time ago. It is one of the ordinary ways single people meet, and anyone you know who comes across you is on the same app for the same reason. The coworker who spots you has no more interest in bringing it up on Monday than you do.

So save the block for the handful of people you genuinely need to avoid, and let the rest go. Your attention is better spent on the women you do want to see, and on making sure that when they see you, they like what they find.