Last updated on 2020-05-01

With the advent of Tinder’s browser version Tinder Online, something that users have wished for since the dawn of time Tinder has finally been made possible:

Signing up for Tinder without a Facebook Account. (At least kind of).

Oh, and using Tinder on desktop computers. Interestingly, you don’t actually have to use the new browser version to make use of this feature; Not even to create your account. The option now appears alongside Facebook on the mobile version too. It should be noted that Facebook hasn’t been taken out of the equation completely. You still need to (passively) agree to the terms of their Account Kit, which Tinder uses to log you in. This mean Facebook still gets your phone number and first name, but (hopefully) much less information than if you actually used a real FB account, let alone if you maintained an active one. So, to choose this lesser of two evils, all you need to do is…

select “Log in with phone number” enter your phone number See the Tips & Tricks section below for an alternative enter the code you received via text message

provide an email address choose a password enter your first name select your sex at this point, android will ask you whether you want to allow Tinder to access your gallery. You will have to agree to this to continue. You will also have to agree to let Tinder access your location data, and have location services turned on to use the app. Finally, you’ll choose your main profile picture, and hit “DONE” to create your account. If you need help deciding what picture to use, I think you will find this guide useful 🙂

So much for how the sign up process without Facebook actually works, but would you even want to?

The Pros and Cons of Tinder Without Facebook

Since the time of writing this article, things have changed and the balance of pros and cons has shifted completely, as you can see from the various updates below.

You probably found this post because you want to use Tinder, but you neither have a Facebook account, nor a desire to create one just for Tinder. So the most obvious pro here would be that you don’t need a Facebook account. Unfortunately, that is also where the pro section ends.

Update 2018-07: Because Tinder now asks for your phone number too when creating a Facebook based account, a former con has turned into a pro – There’s one fewer step to do an account reset if you use your phone number to log in, as you won’t need a new Facebook account.

The Cons:

– You will need to enter an SMS code every time you log in to Tinder (Note: Not every time you open the app.) This could get frustrating fast if you live or work in an area with Wi-Fi, but without cell reception.

– Tinder will now remember you by your phone number instead of by your Facebook account. This will make it inconvenient to reset your account later, as it is much easier to set up a new throwaway FB account than it is to get a new phone number. Also, because of the above point, you can’t use free online burner numbers, or your friends’ numbers.

Update 2019-10: These points no longer matter, as Tinder asks for your phone number too again when creating a Facebook based account. In fact, this means resetting your account is now easier with a phone number based Tinder account, because there’s one fewer step.

– You won’t immediately see if you share any interests with your match. Granted, overlapping FB likes may not be the best indicator of compatibility, especially since Tinder only imports your most recent 100 likes, but a shared passion for Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks can make for a great conversation starter and could turn a right swipe into a Super Like.

Update 2019-10: Since Version 9.0, common likes are hidden in the profile details and no longer visible while swiping (without opening their profile).



In light of this you may consider a compromise: Using a throwaway E-Mail address to create a “fake” Facebook account without pictures, friends, most personal information, and providing just your name (your first name should be real), and one hundred hand picked likes you would be happy about sharing with a match. This will grant you access to Tinder without providing the Zucc with too much information. If you’d still prefer to go with your phone number, here are some

Tips & Tricks

1. As mentioned earlier, there is an alternative to using your mobile number to sign up, which may be useful to you if you already used it and worry about Tinder remembering your score, don’t have cell reception at home, or simply prefer not to provide it. Enter your landline number instead.

Of course you will not receive an SMS, but hit NEXT anyway. Then simply press “I didn’t get a code” and choose the option to receive the code with a voice call. You will get a call on your landline and the code will be read to you. The downside to this is that you will need to be home (or wherever that landline phone is) to log in again, should you get logged out at some point.

Used in conjunction with a Facebook login, this makes for a great alternative to providing them with your mobile number, while also taking an extra step towards a clean reset.

Update 2019-10: This unfortunately no longer works.

2. For both privacy and reset concerns, use a throwaway E-Mail address to sign up. I recommend ProtonMail for this purpose. It’s easy, doesn’t require authentication, and makes for a great, free, privacy oriented mail provider in general, not just for throwaway. (No affiliation beyond being a satisfied user.) This also applies to throwaway FB accounts.

Update 2019-10: In light of all these changes, please see the proper account reset procedure guide for up to date information (and tips).



I hope you found this guide helpful. Thoughts? Criticism? Praise? Something to add? Feel free to leave a comment below, or visit the SwipeHelper Subreddit. See you there ?