Often Tinder says I have a message but I don’t – why does that happen and how to solve it? We’ll focus on that specific issue throughout this article.
Tinder’s popularity as a dating app is unmatched and the platform is continuing to grow rapidly.
Now that you’ve finally decided to give it a try, you end up with a match or two from your newly-launched profile.
Soon, a red dot pops up on your Tinder app right next to “Messages” which indicates you just received a message from one of your matches.
However, once you tap on it, there’s not a single new message.
Now most of us can relate to this shock as this is common on other platforms such as Facebook Messenger.
It hits harder on Tinder because the excitement turns into disappointment.
Since there’s no option to unsend messages, you must be curious about why Tinder keeps giving off these false alarms, and that’s what we’re here to answer.
In this read, you’ll be learning the potential causes along with their easiest fixes to this annoying issue.
Table of Contents
Tinder says I have a message but I don’t
Update the Tinder app
One of the most common reasons behind your Tinder app malfunctioning is that it’s simply outdated. There’s a chance that you’re using an older version of the application.
Staying up to date with applications allows you to experience new features and have a better user experience.
Older versions are prone to bugs and errors. To install the newer version, all you have to do is update the app from the store.
If the issue persists, consider uninstalling the app and reinstalling it again.
You can also drop a review on the store and let the developer know that you’re facing this issue but only when you’ve tried the rest of the following solutions.
Make sure you’re still matched with the other person
This one can be an eye-opener for some, but ghosting on Tinder happens a lot.
It is just another possible reason you’re still seeing the mark of new messages but isn’t getting any in your inbox.
The entire conversation gets deleted as soon as a Tinder user unmatches with you.
However, Tinder takes time to process this and might show notifications for a while, especially if the user unmatched before you read their last message.
Online dating app experiences are way different from real life. Users can easily unmatch when they don’t click with the other person.
Try remembering if you said something in the Tinder conversation that you shouldn’t have said.
Even a badly-timed use of a smiley face can diminish your chances of taking things further.
Also, evaluate the time you take to respond to their messages. Matches may come to an end if the other person takes too long to reply.
If this isn’t the case, maybe they just changed their mind and moved on.
Your Tinder match deactivated their account
There’s also the chance that your Tinder match deactivated their account. It is no surprise that Tinder users may delete their accounts after a while of use.
Some people just sign up for fun and get rid of Tinder once they get bored. If they left you a message before deactivating and you were unable to read it, chances are that Tinder is giving you notifications of that unread message.
Another possibility is that the Tinder user may have been banned from the platform.
Tinder is strict when it comes to taking action against users who sign up with different phone numbers or simply put, don’t abide by its policies.
So, to get rid of that notification, you can try restarting the app a couple of times or simply wait for a while until Tinder acknowledges the other user’s departure from the app.
You received a notification of an old message
This is a problem not limited to just Tinder but is often found in other social apps such as Facebook and Instagram.
Sometimes, you may respond to a message too quickly while texting and get a notification later on.
In this case, Tinder is processing your response and may show the notification of an old message for a while.
This often occurs when the app is lagging or you have a slow internet connection.
To deal with this, go through your recent chats and open them to see if there’s a message that you never read.
Other than this, there’s not much you can do about it except wait for Tinder to process it.
Tinder might be down
Tinder may crash sometimes, and it can still be why you’re unable to read new messages.
In this scenario, you won’t be able to read your messages and your feed won’t load properly either. Most probably, you’ll get the news of Tinder being down from other social media apps.
Once again, there’s not much you can do about this thing except wait it out. Usually, Tinder takes around a day to sort out its crashes.
So, until the issue is resolved, you’ll only be able to see notifications but not read the messages.
You can also check when Tinder or any other platforms are down on downforeveryoneorjustme.com
Consider using a VPN
Tinder is not available to be accessed by some internet networks, which is why users may use VPN services to use the platform.
This is usually due to age restrictions and whatnot, but it shouldn’t be a problem once you install a VPN.
All you have to do is head on to your app store and download a VPN just like you would download any other app.
Though there are dozens of free VPN apps out there, we recommend you go for NordVPN or Turbo VPN; they’re available on both iOS and Android devices.
Once installed, the VPN will give you instructions on how to activate it. The process is simple and won’t take more than a minute to set it up.
After running the VPN, you should be able to access Tinder like you normally would.
Match notification won’t go away
Tinder sends notifications to its users all the time, this includes new matches, messages, offers, likes, and more.
There’s a possibility that you mistook a match alert for a message alert because in either case, Tinder shows a red dot next to the “Messages”.
Whether you’re a guy or a woman, it doesn’t matter how good you are at scoring matches, but it can be difficult to keep track of them all.
Unfortunately, a notification still remains unread if you open the app and close it without viewing the alert.
Tinder would continue to show you match notifications unless you go see the match for yourself. This usually happens when the matches are too many and you mix them up.
So, getting rid of the notification would require you to check all your pending unchecked matches.
Other common fixes
Restart your phone
Restarting your phone can be a great way to refresh it. By doing this, one can expect apps to stop malfunctioning; the same can be said for the Tinder app.
Try restarting your phone once and see if the issue persists.
Clear cache
With time, the cache may build up in your phone’s memory. For optimal app performance, it is necessary to do clean-ups every once in a while.
The Tinder app might be running high on cache, which is why it’s not working properly. To deal with this problem, simply navigate to settings and then apps. Find Tinder and clear the app’s cache.
Force close the app
Another way to refresh an app if it’s constantly malfunctioning is to forcefully shut it down. This can be done through the same menu that you used to clear the cache.
You can also tap and hold the icon of the app until you see the force stop button. Once you re-launch, you’ll notice that the app will work better and faster than before.
Check your connection
When your connection is unstable, Tinder will have a hard time updating and showing the messages.
Check that your Wi-Fi is on and stable and try connecting and disconnecting your device from it.
You can also turn it off and use your mobile data to see if it works better.
Ensure Tinder knows where you are
Tinder requires you to turn on your location for it to function effectively. Not only does this brings you matches according to your area, but also allows you to swipe on them.
Though your location being off is not directly connected to your messages not being shown, it’s recommended to turn it on.
Block notifications from Tinder
If you’re unable to get rid of the notification from Tinder, a temporary fix would be to disable the app’s notifications. This can be done from both the app and through the settings of your phone.
Access your Tinder profile by tapping on your account’s icon. Navigate to Settings, then Notifications, and turn off push notifications.
Delete and reinstall Tinder or update it if you haven’t
The reason why new messages don’t appear might be a temporary glitch or a pending update.
Delete the app and reinstall it or update it if there are any available updates.
This will correct temporary glitches and will force the app to look for new messages.
Many people have reported that this step solved all the notification issues.
Reach out to Tinder
The last resort is to reach out to the platform itself. If the issue doesn’t lie in the app or your phone, then it’s probable that it’s in your account.
You can reach out to Tinder by submitting a request form.
Tinder is known for responding quickly to its client’s feedback. So, rest assured that your request will bear some fruit.
Wrap up
Tinder remains to be on top of the mountain for dating apps, but it surely can take a couple more upgrades.
In this piece, we discussed the most probable reasons behind Tinder sending false message alarms and their fixes.
However, if Tinder doesn’t seem to click for you anymore, you can always check out other similar platforms.
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