How to Tell if a Boy Likes You on the Internet

Co-authored by John Keegan

Last Updated: September 12, 2022 Approved

While flirting is fairly apparent when done in person, the faceless plane of the internet can make a guy's behaviour a lot harder to read. In order to tell if a boy likes you online, analyze the way he messages and interacts with you through social media and messaging apps. If you met online using a dating site, you can determine if he likes you by suggesting to meet up and get to know each other better. His response will tell you a lot about his intentions.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Messaging Online

1
Notice if he spends time messaging you. A guy who likes you online will often make time to talk and message with you. For example , he might message you frequently even when you are offline. You may also find that you spend hours messaging back and forth throughout the day and even into the night. This is a sign that he likes talking to you and is making time in his schedule to communicate.^{[1]
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Research source}
2
Look for him to respond to your messages quickly. If you send a message to him and he takes over an hour to respond and you know that he is online, this likely means that he is not interested. Alternatively, if he messages back right away and then starts up a conversation he probably likes you.^{[2]
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Research source}
- Similarly, a guy who likes you will often message you as soon as you log onto Facebook messenger or any other messaging app.
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3
Analyze the quality of messages he sends. Some guys will respond to your messages just because they are polite. If this is the case, they will likely respond with short, one word answers and will rarely try and engage in a meaningful conversation. Alternatively, if a boy likes you, he will try to get to know you, ask your advice or opinion, or share stories about his day.
- If he is interested he might say "how was your day?" or "what are you up to this weekend?" These types of questions reveal that he wants to be apart of your everyday life.
4
Look for signs of flirting. Boys will often flirt when they like someone. Signs of online flirting include compliments, light hearted jokes, the use of exclamation points, emoticons, or bitmojis.^{[3]
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Expert Source

John Keegan
Dating Coach
Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.}
- He might say something like "you look so cute in your profile picture."
5
Don’t draw conclusions from one interaction. Never pin all your hopes or fears on just one or two online conversations. Lots of people run their instant messengers in the background whether they have the time to chat or not. His short responses may just signal that he is busy or preoccupied.^{[4]
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Research source}
- If this becomes a regular pattern, it may be a sign that he is not interested in you.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Interacting through Social Media

1
See if he interacts with your posts. One sign that a guy may like you is if he reacts to your posts on social media. If he's really interested, he might even do more than just "like" your updates. For example, he might comment on your posts or reply to things you upload, or he even may send you direct messages on social platforms.^{[5]
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Expert Source

John Keegan
Dating Coach
Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.}
- Look to see if he comments on other people’s posts as well. If he comments frequently, this may just reveal that he is an avid social media user.
- However, if he rarely “likes” or comments on other posts, this could be sign that he might have feelings for you.
2
Reply to his comments. After he publicly comments on one of your photos or posts, respond to him. If he is eager to start up a conversation with you this way, it may reveal that he likes you or at the very least enjoys messaging with you.^{[6]
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Research source}
- For example, he may say "That is a great photo! Where are you?"
- You could respond by saying "I was in Vancouver last week. Such a beautiful city! Have you been?"
3
Notice if he comments on old pictures or posts. If a guy you just met starts "liking" or commenting on old photos of you, this is a sign that he is interested. It means that he has spent time looking back through your old photos probably because he wants to know you better or he just enjoys looking at pictures of you!^{[7]
X
Expert Source

John Keegan
Dating Coach
Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.}
4
Check to see if he has added you on multiple social media platforms. When a guy likes you, he will want to connect with you and follow you on a variety of different social media platforms. For example, he may add you to Facebook and Snapchat, and start following you on Twitter and Instagram.^{[8]
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Expert Source

John Keegan
Dating Coach
Expert Interview. 5 November 2019.}
- Adding you to a number of social media sites is likely a sign that he wants to look through your posts, photos, and selfies in an attempt to get to know you better.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using an Online Dating Site

1
Notice if he wants to learn more about you. If a boy you met online likes you, he will likely want to get to know you better. Does he ask you questions about your life? If he responds and engages with your answers, it may be a sign that he likes you.^{[9]
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- He might ask about your job, hobbies, and family in an attempt to get to know you better. Showing an interest in your life is a sign that he likes you.
- That being said, if he asks you really personal but irrelevant questions, like what your address is or whether or not you’re home alone, he might have other motives.
2
Ask if he wants to meet you in person. If he asks you to meet up for coffee or go on a date, that is a tell-tale sign that he likes you and wants to get to know you better. Some guys are shy or timid and may not ask to meet up. If you are interested in him, take the initiative and say "do you want to grab a drink sometime?" If he responds quickly and enthusiastically, it may mean that he likes you too.
- Alternatively, he may say "Sure, just let me check my schedule." If he never gets back to you with his availability he is probably not interested.
3
Be direct and ask if he likes you. After awhile it may become tedious trying to pick up on signals to see if he has feelings for you. You can always try and be direct and simply ask him how he feels about you. You could say "I feel like we have a really good connection and I am starting to develop feelings for you. Do you feel the same?" This way you will get straight to the point and you can stop guessing about his feelings and intentions.
4
See if he takes down his online dating profile. Once you have met and gone on a couple dates, you may be wondering if this is actually going anywhere. One way to see if he likes you is to check if he has removed his online dating profile. This could be a sign that he has met someone he likes (you) and is no longer interested in online dating.

Community Q&A

Question

What if a boy thinks that I'm special to him and he enjoys texting me, but I always have to be the one that starts the conversation?

Community Answer

Try going a few days without messaging him. If he likes you, he will want to talk at some point. See if he takes the initiative.
Question

How can you tell if he just wants to be friends and nothing else?

Community Answer

He likely won't compliment or flirt with you. Instead, you will keep things friendly but not intimate.
Question

How about if he is online, but he doesn't text immediately?

Community Answer

It could mean he is busy. Some people are online all the time, but not necessarily able to chat. If he eventually messages you, it still demonstrates that he wants to chat.

Warnings

If you are meeting someone you met online in person, choose a public space with lots of people around. Although online dating is very common, there is still the possibility that you may not be meeting the person you expect. It is always best to take the necessary precautions.

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If he asks you something that you feel uncomfortable about, just tell him, "I don't want to talk about that." If the boy really likes you, he will respect your decision to not share personal information.

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If you are a minor, have parent or guardian supervise your online interactions. There are predators online and you always want to ensure that your interactions are consensual and safe.

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