Bumble's BFF mode is the app's feature for finding platonic friends, distinct from its Date mode. However, how you access it depends entirely on where you live: outside the US, BFF mode remains inside the main Bumble app, while in the US, it has moved to a separate app called Bumble For Friends.
What is Bumble BFF mode?
Bumble BFF mode is a setting within Bumble that lets you swipe on profiles of people looking for friendship rather than romance. It uses the same swipe-based mechanic as Date mode but is focused entirely on platonic connection. The feature is now split by region: outside the US it is still available in the Bumble app, but in the US Bumble says BFF mode is no longer available in the Bumble app and users must use the separate Bumble For Friends app for new friendships.
BFF mode in the US: you need a separate app
If you are in the United States, you cannot access BFF mode inside the main Bumble app anymore. Bumble says users in the US need to download the standalone Bumble For Friends app to continue making new friendships. After moving a profile to the new Bumble For Friends app, BFF mode will no longer be available in the Bumble app. This means your main Bumble app will only offer Date mode, and you will need a second app, Bumble For Friends, to find platonic connections.
How to switch to BFF mode outside the US
For users outside the US, switching to BFF mode is done entirely within the main Bumble app. The steps are the same for iPhone and Android per Bumble's support documentation.
- Open the Bumble app.
- Tap your profile icon in the bottom left corner.
- Tap the Settings gear icon at the top of your profile.
- Tap Type of connection.
- Select BFF.
- Tap Continue with BFF.
Once you confirm, your profile is moved to BFF mode and you will begin seeing only friendship-focused profiles. You can switch back by repeating the same steps and selecting Date.
What happens when you switch modes
When you switch to BFF mode, you will only see profiles in that mode. Importantly, switching from Date mode to BFF mode will remove any existing matches you currently have. There is no way to keep active matches in both modes simultaneously, each switch clears the matches in the mode you leave.
How matching and chatting works in BFF mode
Matching in BFF mode works exactly like Date mode: you swipe right on profiles you are interested in, and if the other person also swipes right, you match. Once matched, you have a 24-hour window to initiate a conversation, or the match expires. Just as in Date mode, women make the first move, only women can send the first message in a match. All of this is focused on platonic connection, so the goal is to find friends, not romantic partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BFF mode available on both iPhone and Android?
Yes. Bumble’s support page gives one set of steps in the Bumble app and does not separate them by iPhone versus Android. No device-specific differences, OS version requirements, or app version requirements are documented on the retrieved Bumble support pages.
Can you use BFF mode alongside Date mode?
You can switch between them, but you cannot use both at the same time. Switching from Date mode to BFF mode deletes your Date matches, and switching back deletes your BFF matches. The only way to use both simultaneously is to run the Bumble app for Date mode and the separate Bumble For Friends app for BFF mode, but that only applies in the US, where BFF mode is no longer in the main app.
Does BFF mode have any restrictions on who can message first?
Yes. Just like in Date mode, only women can initiate the conversation within the first 24 hours after matching. This rule applies to all BFF mode matches, regardless of the genders of the people involved.
What happens to my existing BFF matches if I switch back to Date mode?
They are deleted. Switching modes removes any existing matches you currently have in the mode you leave. There is no way to preserve them while using the other mode.
Is BFF mode available in the same app as social, messaging and account apps?
Outside the US, yes, BFF mode is inside the main Bumble app alongside your other social, messaging and account apps. In the US, however, BFF mode requires the separate Bumble For Friends app, so it is no longer part of the same app that handles your dating profile, messages, and account settings.
