Bumble Opening Moves: How to Use It & Examples to Try

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Plus, dating experts share Bumble opening lines that’ll spark a true connection

Co-authored by Kezia Noble and Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: July 11, 2026 Fact Checked

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What is Bumble Opening Move?

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How to Use It

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Example Prompts

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Writing a Response

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Should you add an Opening Move?

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Video

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Tips

The Bumble Opening Move is a new(er) feature that Bumble has added to its massively popular dating app. In a nutshell, the Opening Move gives matches a preset prompt to answer to, getting the conversation flowing in no time! But, if you’re still not sure, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about how Opening Moves work, how you can set it up, and how to best reply to one. We’ll also share a list of customized Bumble Opening Move ideas for you to choose from! Good luck out there!

What are Bumble Opening Moves?

Bumble’s Opening Move feature allows users (primarily women) to set a custom question on their profile—when they get a match, their match can initiate the conversation by responding to their preset question or prompt (e.g., “What’s your ideal first date?”). You can set an Opening Move by following these steps:

Open your Bumble app.
Navigate to the Chats tab.
Tap “Choose Your Opening Move” or “Your Opening Moves.”
Choose or create up to three prompts for your Opening Move.
Wait for the matches and messages to come flooding in!

Section 1 of 5:

What is the Bumble Opening Move feature?

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The Opening Move lets users set a question for their matches to reply to. With Bumble’s Opening Move features, users can choose a go-to question for their profile. When others match with them, they can respond to that question, which may be a custom prompt, a photo prompt, or a prompt chosen from Bumble’s batch of suggestions. This is meant to take the pressure and anxiety out of initiating a conversation, as the Opening Move makes the first move for you!^{[1]
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- For heterosexual users, women are the only ones who can set an Opening Move. This is because, historically, Bumble has had a “women must message first” rule. Men cannot message a woman until that woman has messaged them.
- The Opening Move shifts this rule slightly—men can message women first, but only by answering her preset prompt.
- What about for queer or non-binary matches? For non-binary users or users seeking a same-gender match, both people can set and respond to an opening move.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Set an Opening Move

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On your phone, navigate to your Bumble app and open it. Then, tap the speech bubble or message icon located at the bottom of your screen—this is your “Chats” tab.^{[3]
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Tap “Choose Your Opening Move” or “Your Opening Moves.” Once you’re in your Chats, you should see a button that says “Choose Your Opening Move.” If you’ve set an Opening Move before, look for “Your Opening Moves.” Tap on this button.^{[4]
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- Alternatively, you can go to your profile editor and navigate to the “Opening Moves” section.
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Select up to 3 suggested or custom prompts. Now, you can officially choose your Opening Move! You can add up to three, although it’s fine to stick with just one. Choose from the list of options provided by Bumble, or write your own Opening Move (keep reading for some top-tier examples). You can also upload a photo with a caption to use as your Opening Move, although your photo must be in line with Bumble’s Community Guidelines.^{[5]
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- How do I know if someone’s responded to my opening move? When someone answers your Opening Move, their profile will pop up in your Chats tab. Then, you’ll have 24 hours to respond before the match expires (and disappears forever!). If you choose to respond, you can reply to their answer and continue the conversation.^{[6]
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If you already have an Opening Move but you want to change it (or add another), go to your Chats tab and tap on “Your Opening Moves.” Tap the Opening Move that you want to change, then tap “Edit” or “Remove” to tweak or delete it.^{[7]
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Section 3 of 5:

Example Bumble Opening Move Ideas

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In general, opt for lighthearted and easy-to-answer Opening Move prompts. You do you, obviously! But, in general, the most successful Opening Moves are fun and engaging…and maybe a teensy bit controversial (e.g., “Is a hot dog a sandwich?”). Dating coach Kezia Noble says that she actually prefers opening lines that ask for an opinion, especially if it’s a fun and silly one.^{[8]
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Kezia Noble
Dating Coach

Expert Interview} Celebrity dating coach Damona Hoffman, meanwhile, recommends prompts that “show emotion or have some humor…A good prompt allows someone to reveal a bit about their passions and who they are.”^{[9]
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Damona Hoffman
Celebrity Dating Coach

Expert Interview} Whatever your approach, here are some go-to Opening Moves to try:^{[10]
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- Simple Opening Moves ✏️
  - “What’s your best party trick?”
  - “What’s the last thing that made you smile?”
  - “What’s something I wouldn’t know just by looking at your profile?”
  - “Which celebrity would play you in the movie of your life?”
  - “What random, useless fact are you obsessed with?”
- Travel-Related Opening Moves ✈️
  - “What’s your dream vacation destination?”
  - “I’m new to the area! What’s a spot I can’t miss?”
  - “What’s a hidden gem destination you totally love?”
  - “When traveling, do you prefer the beaches or the cities?”
  - “Window seat or aisle seat? (Or…middle? 😬)”
- Food-Related Opening Moves 🍟
  - “What’s your ultimate comfort food?”
  - “What’s your go-to order at a coffee shop?”
  - “Where’s your favorite sushi spot in the city?”
  - “If you had to cook me a meal to impress me, what would you make?”
  - “Sweet, salty, savory, or sour?”
- Lifestyle-Related Opening Moves 🏡
  - “What’s your ideal first date?”
  - “Date night in or date night out?”
  - “What’s your go-to karaoke song?”
  - “What was the last show you binge-watched?”
  - “Describe your ideal Sunday.”
- Debate-Starting Opening Moves 🗣️
  - “Are you more of a dog or cat person?”
  - “Do you set one alarm in the morning…or way more?”
  - “Pineapple on pizza—yes or no?”
  - “What came first—the chicken or the egg?”
  - “Who’s on your Mt. Rushmore of musical artists?”

Section 4 of 5:

How to Write a Good Response to an Opening Move

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If you see an Opening Move on a match’s profile, it’s a great opportunity to simply reply to their question and get the conversation buzzing (pun very much intended!!). If they have more than one Opening Move, choose the question you’re most excited by or interested in, then give a clear answer that’s true to you and your genuine feelings on or experiences with the topic.^{[11]
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Show your personality, and avoid a dry or one-word answer. Listen, the Opening Move has already done some of the work for you—so don’t let it flop! This is your chance to make a true impression on the person you’ve matched with, so try to inject some of your personality, humor, and authentic self into your answer. Most importantly, don’t respond with a simple, monosyllabic, or boring answer that won’t give your match anything to reply to. Remember, this is supposed to be the start of the convo!^{[12]
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- For example, let’s say their Opening Move is “What’s your bucket list travel destination?” You could just say “Brazil,” but it’s much more fun and personal to say something like:
  - “Brazil! I’ve been to South America a few times, but Brazil is still on my list—I’d love to spend some time exploring the beaches there (I love to swim 🏊), and Carnaval seems incredible. What about you? Have you ever been?”
- Need some more guidance? Check out our user forum, “How do you start conversations on dating apps?”
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Add in something personal that relates to their profile. Once you’ve answered their question, mention something cool or interesting that you noticed on their profile. That might come from an interest badge, photo, or bio detail that they shared. Not only does this help to keep the conversation going, but it also shows that you’re genuinely interested in this person and what they’ve got going.^{[13]
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- “When you make it personal, the other person is more likely to respond,” affirms dating coach John Keegan. “Maybe you make some kind of comment like, ‘Hey, I noticed in your pictures that you seem to travel a lot. What’s the most interesting place that I have to know about?’”^{[14]
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  John Keegan
  Dating Coach
  
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EXPERT TIP

Laura Bilotta
Dating Coach & Matchmaker
Laura Bilotta is a Dating Coach, Matchmaker, and the Founder of Single in the City, her dating and relationship coaching service based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With over 18 years of experience, she focuses on helping singles date more intentionally, encouraging them to let go of negative patterns so that they can attract the love that they deserve. Her experience, skills, and insights have led to thousands of successfully united over 65,000 singles through events and one-on-one matchmaking coaching sessions. She has been the host of The Dating and Relationship Show on Global News Radio 640 Toronto (AM640) for 6 years and is known as The Hookup Queen of Clubhouse; her popular singles club, Single in the City, has over 95.5K members who regularly join in weekly dating and relationship-focused rooms.

Laura Bilotta
Dating Coach & Matchmaker

I recommend taking a personalized approach that shows interest and sincerity. I would avoid using generic opening lines when initiating a conversation and instead, use an interesting and engaging conversation starter that shows I’ve taken the time to read the other person’s profile.

Section 5 of 5:

Why should I use a Bumble Opening Move?

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Opening Moves reduce pressure, show personality, and save you time. The whole point of the Opening Move is to stop you from needing to craft the perfect icebreaker for every match that you get. Instead, your matches will already have a fun and engaging question to respond to, which saves everyone that awkwardness and anxiety. Also, Bumble Opening Moves help to filter your matches and save time in finding your one and only. What you choose as your Opening Move will show your matches what matters most to you, or what types of convos you’re interested in. Based on that, they can make a more informed decision on what you’re interested in.^{[15]
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- On the flip side, you will instantly get an idea of what your match’s personality might be like, especially if you choose your Opening Move wisely. You’ll also get to see what their effort level and communication style are like…which can tell you pretty quickly whether or not you’re compatible!
- Also, you’re still in control with Opening Moves. If you’re a heterosexual woman who’s used to using Bumble and always getting to message first, the Opening Move doesn’t take that control away from you. You set the question, and even though your matches can respond to it, you still have to review their answer before the conversation continues.

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Tips

If you live in California, unless you’re a heterosexual man, you must have an Opening Move on your Bumble app. This is due to local legal regulations. If you do not set an Opening Move, the app will choose a default one for you.^{[16]
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