Most people make at least 3 of these. Here is how to spot and fix them.
Your photos are responsible for around 95% of your success on dating apps. People decide whether to swipe right in under two seconds. If your photos have any of these mistakes, great matches are passing you by every day without you ever knowing why.
This is the biggest one. Most people do a stiff camera smile that looks nothing like how they look when genuinely happy. People detect fake smiles in milliseconds subconsciously and swipe left without knowing why. A genuine smile involves your eye muscles — a forced one is just your mouth.
The fix
Have a friend tell you a funny story while someone else takes the photo. Candid laughter always beats a posed smile. You can also test your photos with a free <Link href="/face-rating" className="text-gray-900 underline hover:no-underline font-medium">AI face rating tool</Link> to see which ones score highest for authenticity.
Hiding your eyes in multiple photos raises red flags. Eyes are critical for connection and trust. If people cannot see your eyes they cannot feel drawn to you.
The fix
Reserve sunglasses for one photo maximum. Your main photo should always show your full face including eyes.
If someone has to work to figure out which person you are they will swipe left instead. Never make your match play "which one is this person."
The fix
Your first three photos should be solo shots. Group photos are fine for slots 4-9 as social proof.
Bathroom selfies signal low effort. Toilets in the background, harsh overhead lighting, and the classic arm-with-phone composition all scream "I could not be bothered to try."
The fix
Get a friend to take your photos or use a phone timer propped against something. Outdoor or window light is always better than bathroom lighting.
Using photos from 3+ years ago is misleading and sets up for disappointment. When you meet someone and look noticeably different it damages trust immediately.
The fix
Use recent photos that accurately represent how you look today. You are trying to attract someone who likes the real you.
Six photos of you standing in the same pose with the same expression give nothing to work with. Photos should tell a story about your personality and lifestyle.
The fix
Include a mix: close-up face shot, full body, doing a hobby, social photo with friends, travel or adventure, and one dressed up shot.
Dark photos, harsh overhead lighting, and indoor yellow-tinted light all make you look worse than you actually look. Lighting is 50% of how good a photo looks.
The fix
Take photos near a window during the day or outside during golden hour (the hour before sunset). Natural diffused light is universally flattering.
Snapchat filters, heavy smoothing, and dramatic edits look childish and dishonest. People want to see the real you, not an AI-enhanced version.
The fix
Light exposure and contrast adjustments are fine. Heavy filters and face-altering edits are not. Keep it real.
Profiles with only 1-3 photos get significantly fewer matches. People want to see you from multiple angles and contexts before swiping right.
The fix
Use all available photo slots. On Tinder that is 9. On Hinge that is 6. More photos equals more trust and more matches.
Going for a serious brooding look in every photo makes you look unapproachable. Even if you are going for mysterious and cool, zero smiles is too much.
The fix
At minimum have one or two photos with a genuine smile. Your main photo should almost always show you smiling.
We have dedicated guides for Tinder, Hinge, Bumble and more.
A forced or unnatural smile in your main photo. People detect fake smiles subconsciously in milliseconds and it makes you look less approachable and trustworthy without them knowing why.
Use all available slots. Tinder allows 9 photos and Hinge allows 6. Profiles with more photos consistently get more matches because people can see you from multiple angles and contexts.
Not necessarily. Professional photos often look too polished and staged. Candid photos taken by a friend with natural light usually outperform professional studio shots on dating apps.
Check for these common issues: forced smile in main photo, sunglasses hiding your face, photos that are too old, or not enough photo variety. Our free photo guides cover each of these in detail.