Happn is a location-based app (no website) with a really nifty twist. Unlike traditional dating apps that just connect you with potential matches so you can start chatting online, Happn takes it a step further by actually geo-locating matches near you in real-time.
This means finding a match that you “happen” to literally cross paths with (hence the name). I really love the idea!
Happn is, in some ways, a bit like Tinder since once you sign up youre presented with profiles in your vicinity based on your search criteria and you either like or not (no swiping function though, you just tap the “Y” or the “x” symbols).
Once youve liked a few profiles, youll have to wait until they like you too… and then voila! Its a crush.
How Does Happns First-Time Sign Up Work?
Sign-up to Happn is easy. Youre given two options to sign up: either using your Apple ID or with your Facebook account.
Youll need to enter your first name, date of birth, your gender, and the gender you wont cross paths with, and then at least one profile photo.
The next step is to select what youre looking for, be it a relationship, nothing serious, or for the fence-sitters out there, an “Ill know it when I find it” option.
The final 4 steps are to select your ideal vacation (hike backpack, deck chair sunscreen or museum postcards), your preferences when it comes to nightlife (in bed by midnight, party in moderation or Im a night owl), smoking (you smoke, not a fan of zero tolerance) and finally if you want kids or not.
How Your Happn Profile Works
Once youve set up your profile and indicated what youre looking for (and if you can cook or not… I cant get over that one), you can start browsing the matches near you.
A match on Happn is called a “crush”. The way it works is you like (or not) the profiles that come up based on your search criteria (which can be changed anytime in your profile settings).
The profiles you like wont know it unless they like you back too, in which case you both get an alert that youve matched and there we have it: a crush.
Photos
As Ive said before, photos are the norm on dating websites and apps, you will always get the best results by uploading photos of yourself.
There is nothing more annoying than profiles that are blank or contain generic internet images… or even worse, fake Santa Clarita eros escort photos. That also means taking more than one photo!
Happn is no different… if you want your matches to be good, then you need to upload a few images (usually between 2 and 6, although you can get away with just one), showing you in your natural element to support your profile description and what youre looking for. Check out my one tip for taking great photos for your profile.
You can take it a step further by “certifying” your profile… youll be asked to switch on your camera, imitate head gestures as per instructions, and then your biometric data is compared with your profile images. You will then get a blue badge on your profile which assures other users that your photos are real.
Note that if you change photos you might lose your blue certification badge and will have to go through the verification process again. Makes sense to me…
Preferences
The preferences are set during your initial setup, but they can be changed anytime. They will determine your matches, so you might want to tweak it a bit as you get used to the app.