Tinder’s Swipe Surge Feature Explained: What Is It and How to Join

Learn what the Swipe Surge notification means

Written by Kyle Smith

Last Updated: March 13, 2023

What is a Swipe Surge?

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Joining a Swipe Surge

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Tips

This wikiHow explains Swipe Surge, a Tinder feature that occurs when there’s high activity on the app in your area. We’ll also cover how to join a Swipe Surge when one occurs. Participating in a Swipe Surge moves your profile to the front of the matches deck, making it a fun and easy way to get more matches! The feature is available on Android and iPhone.

Things You Should Know

Swipe Surges occur when there’s a lot of Tinder activity near you.
If your push notifications are enabled, you’ll get a notification about the surge when it happens.
Open the Tinder app to join the Swipe Surge and find matches!

Section 1 of 2:

What is a Swipe Surge?

A Swipe Surge occurs when there’s an increase in Tinder activity in your area. This feature is available on the Android and iPhone app. Swipe Surges can occur for large gatherings like festivals, holidays, and parties. Here’s a few fun facts about Swipe Surge:^{[1]
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- Multiple variables cause a Swipe Surge. A Surge can happen when Tinder activity is 2 times higher than average. The activity can be up to 15 times higher than normal.^{[2]
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- There’s a 250 percent increase in match-making potential. It’s a great time to get more matches!
- You can start new conversations around 33 percent faster.
- A Swipe Surge can last anywhere from minutes to hours.
- Swipe Surges often happen on Monday nights. Sunday is also a likely day for Surges, since people are swiping before the weekend ends!

Section 2 of 2:

Joining a Swipe Surge

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Open Tinder when you get the Swipe Surge notification. Since Swipe Surges only last for a short amount of time, you can only join during the event. Don’t worry if you miss one! There will be plenty in the future.^{[3]
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- If you didn’t get a notification for a surge, your push notifications for Tinder might be turned off. You can change your preferences in the Tinder settings menu and in the Notifications section of the Settings app.
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Join the Swipe Surge. When you open the app, you’ll be prompted to join the Swipe Surge. Joining a surge places your profile at the front of the swiping stack! If you’re looking to up your profile game, check out our expert tips for making a good Tinder profile.
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Swipe on profiles. During a surge, you can see who is currently active. Plus, you can select from categories like “casual chats” and “nightlife,” showing other users what you’re interested in. There are also temporary emojis you can put on your profile for the surge.
- Don’t forget to adjust your preferences as needed. You can also set which genders you’re interested in using the settings menu.