Just in case you’ve been sunning outside of the dating pool or are just a little absent from the App Store, Hinge is – as of 2026 – the third most popular online dating app, after Bumble and Tinder, respectively.
Just as all three apps cater to different niches (Tinder having a rep as a hookup app, Bumble covering both romance and platonic matches, and Hinge matching people with similar vibes), each one handles blocking a bit differently. And in the wild world of online dating, you might just need to give Hinge’s block features a workout – here’s how.
What Is Hinge?
As dating apps go, Hinge focuses a little more on the serious relationship side of things, with an algorithmic twist. The profiles here are much more detailed than those on most dating apps – alongside the usual bio, age, orientation, and all that stuff, you’ve got voice prompts, political views, monogamy preferences, thoughts on children, conversation starters, polls, and more.
Who's Calling Me?
Search any phone number to learn more about the owner!
Via a combination of machine learning and a bit of help from the algorithm (specifically, the Nobel prize-winning Gale-Shapley algorithm, which specializes in matching stable pairs of people), Hinge attempts to match like-minded singles. Unlike its competitors, Hinge shows you the profiles of everyone who has “liked” you, and from there, you can choose to match with them. While Hinge doesn’t release official user numbers to the public, the Pew Research Center estimates that about one-fifth of online daters have used the app.
The Basics of Blocking
At least as of early 2025, Hinge doesn’t have an overt block button for profiles that you’ve matched with, but the app does feature a sort of “soft block” that happens by way of reporting profiles you no longer wish to interact with.
While you can block your contacts on Hinge proactively (more on that later), your main recourse against bad actors on Hinge is to not match with profiles that you find sus (they won’t be able to contact you on-app if you don’t match), unmatch with those that you have matched with, and report those profiles for good measure.
That last one is key, as reporting essentially acts as a block on Hinge. Straight from the source, Hinge’s Help Center says, “Reporting is an anonymous and permanent action. You will not see their profile again, nor will they see yours. When you report a profile from Matches, you will immediately disappear from that member’s view, and they will not be able to view or retrieve the conversation or match.”
How to Block (or Report) Matches on Hinge
Reporting someone you’ve matched with on Hinge couldn’t be easier. Just like matching with someone in the first place, you can do it in a few swipes and taps.
- Head over to your Matches tab and find the profile you’d like to block.
- Tap the three dots in the upper right-hand corner of the profile.
- Choose “Report.” You can’t miss it, written in red as it is.
- Select a reason for reporting said person. Depending on which reason you choose, you may be asked to provide additional details.
- Once those additional details are added, you can submit the report.
What Happens When You Report?
On the note of reasons for reporting, Hinge offers options such as spam or scams, inappropriate content, underage profiles, poor offline behavior, or the possibility that someone is in danger. If none of these apply and you’d simply like to block the person as a matter of preference but don’t want them to have their profile reviewed or get them in trouble, you can choose the option right at the top, “I’m not interested in this person.” Again, the report is anonymous, and the user will be unable to interact with you from here.
If you choose another option – one indicating behavior that is against Hinge’s Terms of Service – Hinge’s staff will review the report, including any testimony you provide, and may choose to warn or ban the profile in question. Don’t take reporting lightly, though; if you misuse the function, Hinge may also choose to ban you on grounds of sending in a bad-faith report.
Can You Block Contacts on Hinge?
So general-purpose, after-the-match blocking is hidden behind the report feature, but can you block contacts on Hinge? The answer here, refreshingly, is a solid “yes.” But why would you want to block your contacts, and how does it work?
For the most part, people choose to block their phone’s contact list on Hinge just to avoid any awkward situations that may arise from seeing people you know on the app. You can do this by sharing your phone’s whole contact list with Hinge, or manually inputting specific contacts. Your contacts won’t be notified that you blocked them, and blocking contacts won’t affect your current matches or messages.
How to Block Contacts on Hinge
This preemptive blocking method is a little more in-depth than reporting a match and has a few more options. You’ll find it all on what Hinge calls your “Block List.”
- Tap your profile icon and go to “Settings.”
- In your Settings, navigate to “Block List.”
- Tap “Sync Contacts,” then allow Hinge access to your phone’s contacts.
- Select which contacts you’d like to block.
If you’d rather block a contact manually, enter your Block List and tap the “+” icon at the top of the screen. From here, just enter the person’s contact info and hit “Done.” You can also unblock people on your Block List by tapping “Unblock” next to the contact.
One caveat, though: if the contact info stored on your phone or the info you entered manually doesn’t match the info that person used to sign up with Hinge, the app won’t be able to prevent you from seeing each other.
Stay Safe Out There
Perhaps more important than knowing how to block someone on Hinge is knowing how to stay safe on Hinge. Hinge warns against sending money or sharing any private or financial info and encourages daters to be wary of overseas relationships (those seas are full of catfish), keep communication on the platform as much as possible, and report any suspicious or offensive behavior, including requests for money, harassment, threats, spam, solicitation, and phony profiles.
Of course, Spokeo People Search can help, too. If you do choose to go off-app, run a quick background check on your new bae or search using their phone number to scour billions of public records, revealing everything from available social media accounts to aliases, marriage status, and criminal records (additional fees may apply for criminal record search). Your safety might just hinge on it.
(Sorry for that one.)
As a freelance writer, small business owner, and consultant with more than a decade of experience, Dan has been fortunate enough to collaborate with leading brands including Microsoft, Fortune, Verizon, Discover, Office Depot, The Motley Fool, and more. He currently resides in Dallas, TX.