You’re trying to find Facebook Dating and it’s just NOT THERE 🙁
Where the hell did it go?!
Maybe you heard about it from friends, you want to try it out, but when you look for it in the Facebook app there’s literally no dating option anywhere. Or maybe you HAD it before and now it disappeared. I’m not gonna lie, Facebook Dating is hidden in the weirdest place and sometimes it just doesn’t show up at all, deadass…
Why Facebook Dating Isn’t Showing Up
Facebook Dating refuses to appear for a bunch of annoying reasons, and Facebook never explains which one is your problem, no cap.
Here’s what’s blocking it:
- You’re under 18 – Dating is only available for adults
- Not available in your country yet – It’s not launched everywhere
- Your app is too old – Dating only works on recent versions
- You’re using Facebook Lite – Dating doesn’t work on the Lite version
- You have a new account – Facebook makes you wait before accessing Dating
- Your account got restricted – Violating rules can block Dating access
Let’s break down each problem and figure out what’s stopping you…
Check If Dating Is Available In Your Country
Facebook Dating isn’t available worldwide yet. If you’re in a country where it hasn’t launched, you literally can’t access it no matter what you do!
Dating is currently available in these regions: United States, most of Europe, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and a bunch of other countries.
But if you’re in Germany, Netherlands, or certain other European countries? It’s NOT available yet because of privacy law issues, IYKYK.
Check Facebook’s official list to see if Dating launched in your country.
Using VPN Won’t Help
Some people try using a VPN to fake their location and access Dating. This doesn’t work! Facebook determines your country based on your account settings and IP history, not just your current connection, fr fr.
If Dating isn’t available in your actual location, VPN tricks won’t unlock it.
You Need To Be 18 Or Older
Facebook Dating is only available if your account shows you’re 18 or older. If your birthday on Facebook says you’re under 18, the Dating feature won’t appear at all.
Go to your Facebook profile and check your birthday in the About section. If it’s wrong, you can update it, but Facebook limits how often you can change your birthday so don’t mess around with it too much, deadass.
Update Your Facebook App Right Now
Facebook Dating only works on newer versions of the app. If you’re running an old version, the Dating feature literally doesn’t exist in your app yet!
Update on iPhone: Go to App Store, search for Facebook, tap Update if available.
Update on Android: Open Google Play Store, search for Facebook, tap Update.
After updating, force close the app completely and reopen it. Then check if Dating appears now…
Where To Actually Find Facebook Dating
Okay so assuming Dating IS available in your country and your app is updated, here’s where to find it because Facebook hides it in the dumbest place, no cap.
Open Facebook app. Tap the Menu icon (three horizontal lines). Scroll down and look for the Dating option with a heart icon. Tap it.
If you don’t see “Dating” in the menu at all, that means it’s not available for your account yet. Keep reading to find out why…
Facebook Lite Doesn’t Have Dating
If you’re using Facebook Lite (the lightweight version of Facebook), Dating isn’t available, IYKYK. You need the full Facebook app to use Dating!
Delete Facebook Lite and install the regular Facebook app from your app store. Then check the menu again for the Dating option.
Your Account Is Too New
Brand new Facebook accounts don’t get immediate access to Dating. Facebook makes you wait to prevent fake accounts and scammers from flooding the Dating feature.
How long do you have to wait?
Nobody knows the exact timeframe because Facebook doesn’t say, but most people report getting access after 30-60 days of having an active account, fr fr. You need to actually USE Facebook during that time – post stuff, add friends, interact with content.
If you just created an account yesterday, Dating won’t show up yet. Give it a few weeks and check back.
Your Account Might Be Restricted
If you violated Facebook’s Community Standards or got reported for suspicious activity, Facebook can block your access to certain features including Dating.
This happens without warning!
Check if you have any active restrictions on your account. Go to Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings > Account Status. If there are violations listed, that’s probably why Dating disappeared.
You can appeal restrictions but Facebook support is notoriously slow. Having other account issues? Learn how to fix locked accounts if that’s also happening…
Clear Cache And Reinstall
Sometimes the Dating feature is there but won’t show up because of corrupted app data.
Android Cache Clear
Go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Storage > Clear Cache. Don’t clear data yet, just cache. Restart your phone, open Facebook, check if Dating appears now.
iPhone Reinstall
iPhones don’t have manual cache clearing. Delete the Facebook app completely, restart your phone, reinstall it from App Store. Log back in and check the menu for Dating.
This fixes it surprisingly often…
Using Facebook On Desktop? Dating Is Mobile-Only
Facebook Dating ONLY works on the mobile app. It’s not available on the desktop website at all!
If you only use Facebook on your computer, you can’t access Dating. You NEED to download the mobile app on your phone to use it.
Multiple Facebook Accounts Can Cause Issues
If you have multiple Facebook accounts logged in on the same device, the Dating feature might not show up properly.
Log out of all accounts except the ONE you want to use for Dating. Then check if the Dating option appears in the menu.
Facebook’s multi-account system is buggy and sometimes features get hidden when you’re switching between profiles.
Regional Settings Affecting Availability
Your account’s region settings need to match where you actually are. If Facebook thinks you’re in a different country (maybe because you traveled or used VPN), Dating might not show up.
Go to Settings > Location and make sure it’s set correctly. Also check Settings > Language and Region to confirm your location settings match where you actually live.
Having trouble with other Facebook features? Check out why Marketplace isn’t showing up – same type of regional issues…
Dating Profile Was Deleted Or Banned
If you previously had Facebook Dating but now it’s gone, your Dating profile might have been banned or deleted.
This can happen if:
You violated Dating-specific policies (harassment, fake profile, inappropriate content). Someone reported your Dating profile multiple times. You were inactive on Dating for a very long time.
Facebook doesn’t always notify you when they ban your Dating profile. It just disappears and you can’t access it anymore. You can try appealing through Settings > Help & Support > Report a Problem but honestly their support is terrible.
When Facebook Is Just Being Glitchy
Sometimes Dating doesn’t show up because Facebook’s servers are having issues. Nothing you can do except wait!
Check Twitter or downdetector.com to see if other people are reporting Dating problems at the same time. If lots of people can’t access it, it’s probably a server-side issue.
Usually these get fixed within a few hours without Facebook announcing anything.
What Actually Works
Facebook Dating won’t show up for multiple reasons – not available in your country, you’re under 18, using Facebook Lite or old app version, account is too new or restricted, or app data is corrupted!
Your best fixes: Make sure Dating launched in your country, confirm you’re 18+, update to latest Facebook app version, switch from Lite to regular Facebook, clear cache (Android) or reinstall (iPhone), and make sure you’re not logged into multiple accounts.
For new accounts, you just gotta wait 30-60 days while using Facebook actively. For restricted accounts, check your Account Status for violations and appeal if needed.
Most Dating visibility issues can be figured out in 10-15 minutes once you know what to check. And if it’s just not available in your country yet? Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do except wait for Facebook to launch it in your region 😉
Also dealing with notification problems? That might be blocking your Dating alerts too…
If this helped you find Facebook Dating, share it with friends who can’t figure out where it went!
