You’ve got a cute match. And this time, you don’t want to blow it.
So what are the best Tinder openers? How do you start a conversation on Tinder or other dating apps?
Today’s article will bless you with tons of great and funny Tinder Openers. All of them have been manually tested dozens of times by me and my coaches on Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, and other dating apps.
But that’s not all. I am also going to tell you exactly how to craft a unique and authentic opener that works like a charm.
3 Reasons most Tinder openers fail
Most people fail at starting conversations because they use one of these three types of openers on Tinder:
1. Boring “Hey”, “Hi”, “Hello” icebreakers.
2. Cookie-cutter compliments and pickup lines that can be sent to anyone.
3. Predictable conversation starters. Like telling your new Tinder match, Jane, that you’re Tarzan.
Using any of the above types of texts to break the ice makes you seem boring, uncreative, or generic. Not a great start.
Sure, if your profile is a 10/10, you might still get a reply. But if you want to set the stage and impress them right off the bat, you better bring your A-game.
What makes a good opening line work on Tinder?
The best Tinder opener has 4 elements:
- It sparks emotions.
- It shows off your creativity and personality.
- It’s easy to answer.
- It leads the conversation forward.
The easiest approach to creating these dynamite Tinder icebreakers?
Study their Tinder profile for something that stands out.
See anything you like? Anything you can relate to? Anything you dislike?
Use that to create a Personalized Opener.
Example
This is an example from one of my students in Dating Superhero Transformation. He matched with a girl, and this was her last picture:
So he crafted this personalized opener:
“You should sack the person who was responsible for keeping your glass full in that last photo, terrible work!”
And her reply:
THIS is how conversations should start (and continue), in a flirty, playful way and not rational and boring with “How are you?” or “You’re so pretty!”
22 Funny Tinder openers that actually work
1. ”I was so stoked to get to know you, but then my horoscope said that a girl in a blue dress would get me into trouble”
A powerful opener that will almost always get you a reply, if you fit the description to her Tinder profile.
So you can keep everything the same, except for “a girl in a blue dress”. Change that to a girl <dressed like her>.
Suddenly you have an effective opener that triggers all kinds of emotions.
Why? Because you mentioned the word “trouble.”
And that’s an exciting word! (Unless it’s being used in an opener like “Hey trouble”, then it’s just cringe)
2. ”Hahah oh shit! Not sure if you remember”
Oh wow. This opener is straight-up clickbait.
And works wonders because it uses one of the most powerful psychological triggers: curiosity.
As you can no doubt guess, this opener works incredibly well because every woman wants to know what she’s apparently forgotten.
You clearly share some kind of history and she’s dying to find out what connects the two of you. So she’ll respond to your Tinder opener just to be sure.
So what do you answer? Well, you have multiple options.
I often like to reply by stating a fun fact about a topic that I’m currently interested in.
But in a totally ridiculous, logical way, to show her that I am not taking this Tinder thing too seriously.
3. ”So sweet that you got me flowers for our matchiversary!”
This opener may seem random, but I promise you it’s not.
Do you ever find yourself hurting your brain coming up with an opener for girls who have nothing but selfies? If not, I’m greatly impressed.
But if you’re a mortal like the rest of us, you probably do struggle with the stereotypical selfie profile.
That’s when you can try this opener. Which I like to call the Gift Opener.
Next time you match with a girl with nothing but selfies, check every photo for a potential gift. Look for flowers, champagne glasses, books, tickets. ANYTHING that can be used as a gift.
In this case, I saw a girl standing in front of a hedge of beautiful roses, so I sent her:
- So sweet that you got me flowers for our matchiversary
A few swipes later I found a girl who was holding what looked like concert tickets in her hand. So I used the same formula and said:
- So cool that you already bought us tickets for Justin Bieber
Easy peasy.
4. ”If I were a T-rex, I’d try to hold you in my little arms and then lay down and cry because I couldn’t resist the tasty smell of human and ate you.”
Ok, what’s happening here is something special. When someone introduced me to this opener I didn’t want to use it.
But the results speak for themselves. For the first time in the history of mankind, I was wrong.
The T-Rex opener is funny in a weird way. It comes from one of our coaches whose motto is: “weird is a side effect of awesome.”
And here he proves his weirdness can be seductive, even online.
5. ”Took me forever to find you. You’re that tall pink one in the back, right?”
Doesn’t sound like a good opener on the surface. But it got me a few hahas and a good start.
It’s a silly misdirect that works wonders for group photos.
Let me explain the context.
My Tinder match had a photo on her profile with half a dozen people. And that wasn’t all, they were all standing in a room that was decorated with streamers, balloons, and other birthday decorations.
At the very back of the group was a pink helium-filled balloon.
So I got a little zany and pretended that I thought the pink balloon was her.
Silly? Yes. Did it get me a laugh and a good start? Hell yeah!
So if you see a group photo where she’s hard to spot, try if you can find something that you can “mistake” her for.
6. ”Love that print on your top! Reminds me of the bedsheets I had as a child”
Yup, yet another highly emotionally stimulating opener.
What started as a generic compliment ended with twist.
You don’t just love the print. You love it because it reminds you of the bedsheets you had as a child!
A fun innocent tease that puts you miles ahead of the competition. And one that you can use any time she’s wearing a top with an interesting design.
7. <salt bae gif> + “This is me sending the perfect opener on Tinder”
The “Salt Bae” is an oldie by now. In case you don’t know, it’s a GIF of a viral Turkish chef with an extravagant way of sprinkling salt over a steak.
During the ‘Salt Bae’ era, this GIF worked amazingly well. But by now, it’s a little dated.
That’s why I want you to use a GIF of the latest internet sensation. I recommend going with popular TV show or movie references.
Think: Mewto’s Pokémon speech, the red wedding from Game of Thrones, Baby Yoda, Squid game, Queen’s Gambit. You get it.
Anything that gets an emotional response that can start a Tinder conversation.
8. “Very sneaky, Sarah. Does your friend know you cropped her out to match cute guys on Tinder?”
Another highly useful opener that you can use on most Tinder profiles.
You may haven’t noticed yet…
…but almost every girl will have one photo where she cropped out her friend. Whose only trace is a phantom ear or arm.
Whenever you find a photo like that, stop there and copy-paste this opener.
(Just be sure to use her name!)
9. “Sarah, all your pics, you’re like the female James Bond. Can’t wait to live out my dream of being a Bond girl”
This line works best if she has a lot of active travel photos.
You know, photos of her skiing, snorkling, hiking, running.
All the stuff a secret agent would do.
10. “✨💫🌈💖h3llo n@m3💖🌈💫✨”
A favorite within my group of friends. And a spin on the average Joe’s most-used opener: the classic “hey”.
It’s different. And it triggers emotions by being playful.
The biggest drawback? It doesn’t lead the conversation forward. Plus, it’s a bit childish. So I don’t recommend using it on any woman above 23.
11. “Can’t believe you had the audacity to photobomb these people and ask for the photo”
Finding the right scenario for this line can be a little difficult, but when you find it, it works amazingly.
The scenario where this line works best is when she’s using a photo of her at a bar, concert, or some other busy place…
…that has her a bit in the back of the photo.
Making it look as if she just photobombed a bunch of strangers and asked them for the photo!
12. “Don’t you know what they say about girls with big feet?”
I’ll be honest. You won’t be able to use this opener, unless… you live in Germany.
Just kidding. It can work no matter where you live. You’ll just have to edit it slightly.
This opener works amazingly well on girls using tourist photos.
But that’s not a problem as long as you follow the formula:
Don’t you know what they say about girls (who do the standard tourist stuff)?
Tourists in the Netherlands will stand in large clogs. Tourists in London will pose with the Queen’s Guard, and tourists in NYC will stand on the Golden Gate Bridge.
So look for the typical tourist photo of your hometown and call it out using this line. Just be sure to have a playful follow-up.
13. “Hey girl”
Find this GIF by opening the Tinder GIF library and typing: ‘hey girl skating.’
I’m talking about sending her this:
(I know it’s a still. That’s to save you bandwidth. You’re welcome.)
Is it my favorite Tinder opener? Hardly. But it works pretty well if you JUST matched and you just want to get the conversation started.
14. “Hey <name>, you know what’s interesting about your pictures?”
Of course, she wants to know what’s interesting about her photos. She probably has some idea of what it could be, but she’s not 100% sure if you have the same opinion.
So if she wants a reply she has to text back.
On top of that, this opener starts off with her name.
Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language
— Dale Carnegie, How to make friends and influence people.
This opener is very similar to the “not sure if you remember?” opener. But it’s just a tad more personal. And thus more effective.
15. “This is what I notice when I see your pictures. You have this kind of friendly vibe about you, you seem quite open. On the other hand I think you can be quite introverted and be a bit shy as well. In one of your photos I also noticed something funny”
I call this the Horoscope Opener. Why? Because you’re writing what seems to be an incredibly personal description of someone.
But actually, it’s a highly generic description that applies to most people.
You’ll see that many women will ask what the ‘funny thing’ is that you noticed.
16. “Yes I do enjoy getting my pooper licked, strange question to ask tho…”
Did you reread it? Yup, that’s really what it says. This opener is extremely polarizing.
She doesn’t even know you yet and the first thing she reads is something (awkwardly) sexual.
Even though the language is quite playful, it’s still incredibly ‘out there’ and risky.
The strength of this opener is that it screams personality, humor, and an IDGAF-attitude. So if it works, you’ll have found someone that’s really into that.
But it can also lead to instant unmatches. So be careful.
17. “Hi, stalker 🌈🌈”
It’s a more successful variation of the generic ‘Hi’ opener. What makes it better is that you’re calling your Tinder match a stalker. Suggesting she’s been wanting you for ages.
Or that she’ll be blown away by you and will stalk you.
The rainbow emoji at the end makes things a bit fluffier and tells her not to take things too seriously. And it makes the whole thing a bit more playful.
18. “Hey HEY heyy, <name>!!”
I’m not going to lie. It’s far from my go-to Tinder opener. But it works great in a pinch, like when you just matched and you don’t know what to say.
The enthusiasm behind the “Hey HEY heyyy <name>!!!” message is weirdly effective.
I’d wager because it makes you look like a fun, spontaneous guy who doesn’t take Tinder too seriously.
Be sure to get her name right though.
19. <math gif> + “me figuring out what my first message will be”
Ever get stuck creating a Tinder opener? Rhetorical question, of course you do.
And she does too. That’s why it’s remarkably effective when she doesn’t have an interesting profile.
The strong side to this opener is that you’re mocking the whole “first message on Tinder” thing. Furthermore, you’re mocking those who try too hard to send a clever first opening line.
20. “Sup dude.”
Dry.
Very dry.
And incredibly low effort. Why bother using it?
It’s incredibly chill. You’re clearly not trying your best. And it also evokes some emotions, because you’re subtly saying she’s not worth any more effort.
I only recommend using this line if your profile is VERY GOOD. Or if she sent you a Super Like.
Your photos and bio have to be so on point that she’ll forgive you for not trying harder. Is your profile average or even shabby? Then you can forget about this type of opener.
21. “Holy F, you’re close. Wait, I’m going to hang out of the window and mimic the mating call of a pregnant golden eagle. Can you hear me?”
What do you do when her profile doesn’t give you much info to go with? Just a few selfies and no Tinder bio?
Well, you could always try this original opener that makes use of her location.
This opener obviously works best for people nearby. But even if you’re far apart, your matches won’t be eager to be a party-pooper. She’ll likely play along.
(Or if you have Tinder Gold or Tinder Plus, you can hide your distance.)
Why does this conversation starter work so well?
Because it looks and sounds like a pickup line BUT she’s probably never heard it before. That element of surprise and absurd humor makes it quite effective.
22. “If there was a nuclear apocalypse where only Jessica Alba and I survived and we were tasked with repopulating the world I would kill myself rather than force myself to fornicate with her because I know that our offspring would look like leprosy-stricken monstrosities compared to the potential ones that could be made by a heavenly blessed beauty like yourself, <name>.”
How does this opening line work? Exaggeration.
You exaggerate your appreciation for her beauty SO MUCH that she has no choice but to laugh.
According to this opener, your match is a thousand times hotter than Jessica Alba. And that you and Alba’s offspring would look like leprosy stricken monstrosities compared to the ones made by your match and you.
Unlikely, of course. But, however you spin it, this opener is highly polarizing. Some girls will crack up, others will ignore your text.
In my experience, most women laughed. Even if they did realize it was a copy-pasted line.
But the fact that you didn’t invent it yourself doesn’t really matter too much. Because chances are that she hasn’t seen it before.
Timing your first message: when to send your opener
I often get asked how long someone should wait to send their opening line after they get a match. And what’s the best moment of the day to send a message.
This is my answer: Send your match a message as soon as you have time. You don’t necessarily have to app her ASAP. But you also don’t want to wait too long.
The longer you wait, the bigger the chance some other guy will claim her attention. And right now you’re still a fresh match that she just checked out.
As for the moment of the day to text: It doesn’t matter too much. If your profile and opener are solid, any time is okay.
If you insist on playing it safe, usually at night people are sitting at home playing with their phones. So that might be a good time.
What if she doesn’t reply to your Tinder opener?
Even if your icebreaker is great, some girls won’t reply. So what do you do?
First, wait 3 days. That gives her both the time to respond and shows that you’re not desperate for her attention.
Did she not get back to you within 72 hours? Then it’s time to send a second message.
I recommend a message with a playful yet cocky vibe. Here are two suggestions:
- Breaking my heart, Jessica
Or send her this GIF:
These are funny and light-hearted second messages that make her smile and finally send you that reply.
Tinder opener final word
Nearly all the openers in this article were made by me, my coaches, and my students. But no matter how good they are, they will eventually lose their effectiveness.
Why? Because if enough people copy them, she will eventually hear it. At which point it’ll become cliché.
That’s why I highly encourage you to make and test your own Tinder openers.
Which is great practice because it trains your seduction skills, making you better at texting girls or talking to them on a date.
If you want my help teaching you how to charm women over text, feel free to apply to Dating Superhero Transformation.
We will see how exactly I can help you and if working together would be a win-win for both of us.
Cheers,
Sandric