In pic: Instagram head Adam Mosseri
Adam Mosseri explains why Instagram will not add a dating feature
In a video posted on Instagram in September 2025, he said almost all of the platform’s recent growth came from direct messages, Reels, and recommendations. By September 2025, the company had introduced an AI dating assistant and Meet Cute, a feature that would surprise users with a match each week. At the time, Meta said hundreds of thousands of people aged 18 to 29 in the US and Canada were creating Facebook Dating profiles each month.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri said he doesn’t expect the Meta-owned social media platform to build a formal dating service with dedicated profiles and swipe-based matching tools. Asked whether the platform would set up a dedicated dating service, he said: “I don’t think so. He explained that launching a formal dating service would require additional work and said Instagram already serves a similar purpose for many users. “But in some ways, Instagram is a dating service,” Mosseri said. People regularly use the platform to find romantic interests and initiate conversations, according to him. It’s a great way to reach out to someone,” he said.
Instagram is unlikely to introduce a dedicated dating feature anytime soon. Responding to a follower’s question on Instagram Stories, Mosseri explained that creating a separate dating service would involve additional work, even though users already rely on the platform to find romantic connections. He cited existing Instagram features such as Stories replies, Reels and direct messages (DMs) as examples of how people spark conversation and forge connections. His remarks hint that Instagram would rather preserve its casual dating function than go head-to-head with specialised dating apps by introducing a stand-alone service. Mosseri discussed the potential for Instagram to offer dating features after a follower asked about it. Instead of introducing a separate matching system, Instagram lets users approach someone through features they already use. “We know that people find crushes, love, et cetera, all the time. Mosseri also pointed to everyday interactions, such as replying to someone’s Story or sending a funny Reel, as ways to start a conversation. These interactions can give people an opening to contact someone without directly expressing romantic interest. “These are conversation starters, excuses to reach out to someone. We know a lot, goes down in the DM,” he added. Mosseri’s comments come as messaging and content discovery remain important parts of Instagram’s strategy. These features allow users to discover content, share with friends, and keep conversations private. They also offer ways to connect without a separate dating profile or dedicated matchmaking feature. Facebook Dating also includes a Secret Crush feature that lets users express interest in people they follow on Instagram or have added as Facebook friends. If both people add each other to their Secret Crush lists, the service notifies them of the match. Meta has kept adding features to the service. The company’s current service shows it hasn’t given up on online dating as a product category. But Mosseri’s comments suggest Instagram will handle the topic differently, allowing relationships to blossom through existing social features rather than swipe-based matchmaking.
The service launched in the US in 2019 and lets users create dating profiles separate from their main Facebook profiles.
Mosseri said Instagram was currently in a suitable position without a formal dating product. “So I think right now it’s sort of in a good place where, yes, people do use Instagram to help date, but we don’t and have it build a sort of formal dating service with profiles and, you know, swipe left, right, and all the rest of it,” he said. This approach keeps dating interactions within the existing experience of the platform on Instagram. This allows users to follow accounts, reply to Stories, share videos and move conversations into DMs all without switching to another service. its parent company, Meta, already operates Facebook Dating Although Mosseri doesn’t expect Instagram to introduce dedicated dating tools. For now, Instagram users looking for romantic connections will have to rely on Stories, Reels and DMs, while those seeking a dedicated matchmaking experience can turn to services such as Facebook Dating or other dating apps. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.