Facebook Dating has a feature called Secret Crush that lets you pick up to nine people from your Facebook friends or Instagram followers. If one of them also has Facebook Dating and also adds you, you both find out. If they do not add you, nothing happens. They never know.
That last part is the entire point.
How it works
You go into Facebook Dating and find the Secret Crush section. You can add up to nine people at a time. They have to be your Facebook friends or Instagram followers (if your accounts are linked). You can swap people in and out whenever you want.
If someone you added also adds you, both of you get a notification that you matched. If they do not add you, or they do not have Facebook Dating at all, you get nothing and they get nothing. Facebook does not send hints, nudges, or vague notifications. It is genuinely silent.
What the other person sees
Nothing. Unless there is a mutual match, the other person has no idea they are on your list. Facebook does not show a "someone has a crush on you" teaser. There is no clue. This is different from some apps that tell you "someone liked you, pay to find out who." Facebook does not do that here.
Before you add anyone
Make sure your own Facebook Dating profile is in good shape. If you do match with your crush, the first thing they see is your dating profile — your dating photos and bio — not your regular Facebook page. A half-finished dating profile is not the first impression you want. If you need help with that, our Facebook Dating setup guide covers everything.
Also think about who you are adding. You have nine slots. These should be people you actually know and have some kind of connection with, not just people you think are attractive from their photos.
It works with Instagram too
If your Instagram is linked to your Facebook account, you can add Instagram followers as crushes. Same rules apply. They will never know unless they also add you.
Common questions
If you remove someone from your list, they will never know they were on it. If the person does not have Facebook Dating turned on, no match can happen. Both people need to be using the feature.
You can change your list as often as you want. There is no limit on how many times you swap people in and out, just the limit of nine at a time.
Making the most of it
Secret Crush is one of the few genuinely zero-risk features in online dating. The worst outcome is nothing happens. If you have been wondering about someone you know, it costs you nothing to add them and see.
If you want to make sure your profile is ready for that moment, our dating profile generator can help you put together a Facebook Dating profile that makes a good first impression.
Be ready when your crush matches. Generate a profile that makes a great first impression, score your photos before they see them, or get conversation starters so you know what to say.