Tinder wants you to get offline. No, really.
The world’s biggest dating app announced a variety of new features for 2026 at its product conference, Tinder Sparks. There will be ways to match based on music taste and astrology, to enhance photos with AI — and to skip out on the back-and-forth of online dating entirely.
The new “Events” tab, which is testing in Los Angeles this month, will connect users to in-person dating events. In an exclusive interview, CEO Spencer Rascoff said that IRL dating is the “perfect solution” for Gen Z daters.
“Events are fun, they’re low-pressure, they’re social, they’re safe,” Rascoff told Business Insider. “They’re bringing Tinder into the physical world in a way that is consistent with our users’ lifestyles.”
The Events tab is placed squarely next to the swiping tab — a sign, Rascoff said, of how important it is to the company. Users can browse listings with attendee counts and blurred photos. Once the user registers, the photos will unblur, and they can see some of the faces that will be in attendance.
It’s a fairly notable about-face for a company that once centered around the endless possibilities of “Swipe Right.” Indeed, many users have been tiring of the apps entirely; you may have heard of “swipe fatigue.”
“If you run a consumer internet company, you have to stay attentive to changing consumer tastes,” Rascoff said. “We can’t put our heads in the sand and stay wedded to past practice.”
Tinder
Rascoff hopes that events will help bring in those worried by or frustrated with online dating. He compared it to Airbnb’s experiences market. That company uses luxury houses and villas to get people to reconsider “alternative accommodations” and, hopefully, return to their core product.
Since Rascoff’s takeover in 2025, he’s attempted to steer the app clear of its hookup reputation.
“I think IRL events have the potential to drive reconsideration of Tinder from people who have formed an opinion,” Rascoff said. He described an anti-Tinder user who downloads for the events, and eventually uses it as an “alibi” to start swiping.
Other upcoming features include specialty swiping modes for music and astrology.
Rascoff shared stories of two recent job interviews he held with Gen Z candidates. One responded to a question about why they were leaving their current company with, “I’m a Gemini.” Another responded to why they went into this field with, “because I’m a Taurus.”
Tinder
Early testing shows that these modes are driving more engagement. One in 10 users under 22 have adopted Music Mode, and there was a 20% increase in Likes sent by women on astrology profiles.
While Rascoff is married, he still has a Tinder profile for product testing. He’s personally a Scorpio, and planned to list the Rolling Stones.
Then there’s AI, the looming question over all the dating app companies. Everyone is embracing it in some form, but the question of how much has proved controversial.
Tinder announced at the conference an expansion of its AI matchmaking program, Chemistry, as well as a camera roll scan for profile creation and photo enhancements, both powered by the tech.
Tinder
But Rascoff is quick to cut through the flashier features — there’s also video speed-dating and profile stickers — and point out safety. One of the biggest threats to online dating is bots, scammers, and crypto shills.
Tinder is now making its Face Check technology mandatory worldwide (excluding some markets, such as the EU and UK) and further rolling out its safety nudges for potentially inappropriate messages.
“We don’t talk about it enough,” Rascoff said. “We’ve raised the bar on trust and safety.”
