Dating Search Filters & Match Guide

Discover how to navigate our matchmaking features, expand your custom search criteria, adjust distance preferences, and find your perfect match on BiCupid App.

1. Discover vs. Flame: Finding Your Match

1.1 What is the "Discover" Feature?

Discover is our comprehensive search tool that allows you to specify the exact characteristics of your ideal partner. Standard members can conduct searches based on basic criteria (such as gender, age range, and region).

To fine-tune your results, you can use advanced filters to narrow down profiles by physical characteristics, lifestyle practices, and specific relationship desires. We encourage experimenting with multiple criteria to find diverse prospective matches!

1.2 What is the "Flame" Feature?

Flame provides a quick, interactive way to browse potential matches based primarily on photos.

  • Like or Skip: You can quickly choose to "Like" (slide into the heart pile) or "Skip" (slide into the X pile) a profile.
  • Mutual Matches: If you and another member both "Like" each other, a mutual match is created, and both parties will receive a notification email immediately.
  • No Presure: Skipping a profile (sliding to the X pile) does not mean they are hidden from you forever; it simply moves them out of your current queue.

1.3 How to Reset FLAME Passes

If you wish to reset your choices and start fresh on Flame, follow these steps:

  • Click on SETTINGS located beneath your main profile photo icon in the upper right corner.
  • Select Reset FLAME Passes from the menu to restore your deck.

2. Distance Search & Visibility Settings

2.1 Can I Search for Members by Distance?

Yes! To find local users nearby or adjust your geographical search radius:

  1. Click on Search under the DISCOVER tab in the top navigation bar.
  2. Select your target area under Location.
  3. Once selected, the distance adjustment bar will appear, allowing you to set your preferred mileage or kilometer range.
Tip: Upgrading to a Premium Membership unlocks advanced local filters and wider distance search preferences to help boost your results.

2.2 Incognito Group Browsing (Invisible Mode)

If you are exploring community groups but prefer not to appear on the public members list of those groups, you can actively manage your group visibility status. Simply change your settings to "Invisible" within the group controls to browse privately.

3. Customizing Search Results & Hiding Profiles

3.1 "Hide from My Search" vs. "Block / Hide"

We provide two distinct options to give you full control over who appears in your experience:

  • Hide from My Search: This removes a specific user from your search results page so you won't see them while browsing. However, they can still view your profile and send you messages or winks.
  • Hide (Full Block): This completely disconnects both profiles. Neither party will be able to contact each other, view each other's updates, videos, activities, or ever appear in each other’s search results.

3.2 How to Unhide Members

If you change your mind and want to restore profiles you previously filtered out:

  • Navigate to SETTINGS under your photo icon in the upper right corner.
  • Click on Hidden from My Search and Hidden Conversations in the left sidebar.
  • Locate the member's username and click to restore their visibility.

3.3 What Does "The User Is Currently Unavailable" Mean?

If a profile disappears from your match list or displays this notice, it usually means the member has chosen to take a break or hide their profile from all search results voluntarily. Less frequently, this occurs if an account is suspended due to a security violation.

4. Troubleshooting Match & Response Rates

4.1 Not Getting Many Search Results or Matches?

If your search queues are returning few profiles, consider broadening your preferences:

  • Your search criteria may be too narrow or restrictive. Try expanding your age range, extending the distance slider, or removing specific lifestyle filters.
  • Ensure your own profile is complete. Our matching algorithm compares your profile fields with other active users to deliver optimal compatibility rankings.

4.2 How to Increase Responses to Your Profile

Maximize your profile visibility in search arrays by following these proven statistics:

  • Add Quality Photos: Profiles with clear photos receive up to 20 times more attention and messages than profiles without photos.
  • Verify Your Identity: Complete your 3-8 second Selfie Video verification. This adds a trusted badge to your profile, proving to the search directory that you are real and genuine.
  • Unlike a Profile: If you want to clean up your outgoing likes list, go to MY LISTS in the top navigation bar → select You Like → click the three dots (...) next to their profile, and choose Unlike.