More and more often these days, people find it through dating apps and websites like OkCupid, Tinder, or Hinge.
Whether you've found a significant other or you're just sick of wading through cheesy bios and clumsy introductions in vain, here's a quick-n-dirty guide on how to get rid of your online dating accounts.
Because contrary to the assumption of many (including a Business Insider coworker or two), deleting the Tinder app off your phone doesn't mean you have deleted your account.
Here's how you really delete all the online dating accounts you're sick of:
Tinder
To repeat: Deleting the app does not delete your account.
To delete your account for real, navigate to the Settings pane, select App Settings, scroll down all the way to the bottom, and select Delete Account. You'll then see a message that says "Account successfully deleted" if it worked.
"If you subscribed to Tinder Plus, deleting the app and/or your account does not cancel your subscription," Tinder says on its FAQ page. You have to cancel your subscription via email.
OkCupid
OkCupid gives you the option of deleting or disabling your account. If you disable it, your profile will be removed, but you will be able to get all your old information, pictures, and messages back if you want in the future.
To permanently delete it, just go to Settings in either the app or desktop, and select "Delete Account."
Here's a quick link to do just that.
Hinge
Hinge
If you're on desktop, simply click here (the link will not work from mobile device) and remove the Hinge app from the list. Then, on your phone, delete the app icon as you normally would.
To delete your account via your phone, you actually do it through the Facebook app.
Once you've opened that up, click More > Settings > Account Settings > Apps > Logged in with Facebook > Hinge > Remove App. Then just delete the account.
Match.com
If you don't have a paid subscription, you can cancel your membership by visiting the Change/Cancel Membership page in your Account Settings (look for the gear icon).
If you do have a membership, cancelling it will just mean that you're not paying anymore, although your profile will remain on the site. Once you've canceled your subscription, delete your now-free account with the same instructions above.
Rather confusingly, though, even after you've canceled your account, you can get it back just by signing back in, because Match keeps your information "stored in our database for historical and legal purposes only."
Match has a separate section describing how to delete a profile permanently, but the answer is just not to even log back in once you've cancelled:
Match
Match
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Coffee Meets Bagel
There's no simple, do-it-yourself way to delete your Coffee Meets Bagel profile. You have to actually contact the company and have them do it for you. Reach out at contact@coffeemeetsbagel.com.
eHarmony
There are two steps to deleting your eHarmony account.
First, you have to "close" it, meaning matches can no longer see your profile. Do that by going to Settings > Account Settings > Billing > Close Account.
Then, to get rid of it completely and permanently, you have to email deletemyinfo@eharmony.com with the subject line "Delete My Account Information." In the body of the email, ask for all your personal information to be deleted.
Grindr
To delete your Grindr profile, open the app, tap Grindr Mask > Settings > Privacy > Tap delete profile >Confirm.