Starting the conversation
The first message matters more than you'd think. “hi” works, but it puts all the effort on the other person. A short greeting plus a question gives them something to answer.
- Use what you share. If you were matched on an interest, mention it: “Fellow anime fan! What are you watching right now?”
- Ask open questions. “What's the best thing that happened to you this week?” beats “how are you?”
- Be a little playful. A light, fun question breaks the ice faster than small talk.
- Stuck? Use a conversation starter — TextStrangers has a list built into every chat.
Keeping it going
- Follow up on their answers. The best question is usually about what they just said.
- Share something back. A conversation is a swap, not an interview.
- Match their energy. Short replies? Try a different topic. Long replies? You're onto something.
- Play a game. A quick round of would you rather or two truths and a lie can rescue a slow chat.
- It's fine to move on. Not every chat clicks. Saying “nice talking to you!” and pressing Next is completely normal.
Staying safe
Anonymous chat is fun because nobody knows who you are. Keep it that way:
- Keep personal details private: your full name, address, school or workplace, phone number and social accounts.
- Be wary of pressure. Anyone pushing you to move to another app, send photos, or send money or gift cards is a red flag.
- Trust your gut. If something feels off, leave. You never owe a stranger a reply.
- Use the tools. Block someone so you're never matched again, and report anyone who breaks the rules — moderators see the recent messages.
- Remember rooms are public. Anything posted in a public room can be read by everyone in it.
Good stranger etiquette
- Be kind — disagreeing is fine, being cruel isn't.
- Respect a no. If someone isn't into a topic, drop it.
- Don't spam or advertise.
- Read the community guidelines — they're short.