How to delete your dating account and data
Maybe you've met someone, maybe you need a break, or maybe a site just isn't for you. Whatever the reason, you should be able to leave cleanly. Here's how to delete your account here, and what to check on any dating site.
Deleting your account here
- Sign in and open your account page.
- Find the delete option at the bottom of the page.
- Type DELETE in the box to confirm, and press Delete user. The extra step is there so it can't happen by accident.
Your account, profile, photos, likes and settings are deleted and you are signed out. Messages you already sent stay with the people you sent them to, shown as from a "Deleted user". A small record that an account was deleted (date, IP address and a one-way hash of your email or sign-in) is kept, with no profile content. If you can't sign in anymore, or have questions about your data, email [email protected]. See also the privacy policy.
Deleting your account here doesn't affect your Google or X account. If you also want to remove this site's access from that account, see the next section.
Remove the sign-in connection
When you sign in with Google or X, that account lists the sites you've connected. After deleting your dating account you can remove the connection too:
- Google: your Google Account security settings list third-party apps and services with access. Remove the site there.
- X: the settings for connected apps let you revoke access.
Menu names change from time to time; search the help pages of Google or X for "connected apps" if you can't find it.
If you installed it on your phone
If you added the site to your home screen, remove the icon like any other app. You can also turn off its notifications in your phone or browser settings. See dating app or dating website for how the installed version works.
Before you delete
- Save anything you want to keep. Copy contact details of people you want to stay in touch with, if they've agreed to share them.
- Consider a break instead. If you might come back, you could just stop using it for a while. Deleting means starting your profile again later.
- If you're leaving because of someone, block and report them first. See how to block or report someone.
What to check on any dating site
- Delete vs deactivate or hide. Hiding your profile is not the same as deleting it. Look for the word "delete".
- Cancel subscriptions separately. On paid sites, deleting your account doesn't always stop payments, especially if you subscribed through an app store. Cancel the subscription there too.
- Read what's kept. Privacy policies usually explain what's deleted and what's kept, for how long, and why.
- Ask for your data. In many places you have a legal right to ask a company what data it holds about you and to ask for it to be deleted. Email the site's support or privacy address.
- Remove connected logins from Google, X, Facebook or Apple, as above.
More things to check before joining a site: free dating sites: what to check.
Your photos elsewhere
Deleting an account removes your photos from that site. It can't remove copies someone else saved. That's one more reason to share only photos you're comfortable with, and to be careful with private images. See online dating safety.
If someone else is using your photos
Sometimes people find their photos on a profile they didn't create. If that happens on this site, report the profile as a fake and email support with a link to it. On other sites, look for a report or impersonation option. Keep screenshots as evidence.
Taking a break instead
If you just need some time away, you can turn off notifications, remove the home-screen icon and stop signing in. Your profile stays as it is until you come back or delete it. If you don't want people to see your profile while you're away, deleting is the clearer option.
FAQ
Can I come back after deleting?
Yes, by signing in again. You'll start with a new, empty profile.
Do I need to pay anything to delete my account?
No. Deleting is always free.
Will people I talked to be told?
No message is sent to them. Your profile simply stops being available.
Updated:
