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Help & FAQ

Quick answers before your next hello

Find detailed answers about accounts, matching preferences, chat controls, offline status, connection problems, privacy, and safety reports before starting your next conversation.

Last updated: July 2026
01

Do I need an account?

No conventional account or public profile is required. Choose an optional chat nickname, select your gender and mutual match preferences, choose a chat language, add up to eight interests, confirm that you are at least eighteen, and accept the Community Guidelines. Your browser may remember these setup choices locally so you do not need to enter them again on the same device. A nickname is not identity verification and should not contain your full name, phone number, exact location, financial information, or another sensitive detail. Clearing browser site data resets locally saved preferences.

02

How does matching choose a stranger?

The matching engine first looks for another available adult whose mutual gender preferences, chat language, and interests provide a closer match. That preference-first period lasts about ten seconds. If no preferred match appears, the server may connect you to any other real online queued user even when gender, language, and interests differ. Online availability changes constantly, so the service cannot guarantee a match, identity, location, preference, shared interest, or particular wait. You can End, use Next, cancel, or change preferences whenever you prefer.

03

What happens when I press End?

The first press does not immediately close the conversation. It arms the control and changes its label to Next for roughly four seconds, giving you time to confirm that you want to leave. Press Next during that window to end the current match and immediately search for another available stranger. If you do nothing, the button returns to End and the current chat remains open. This confirmation reduces accidental exits on desktop and mobile. Reporting is separate: submitting a report closes the current match and begins a new search after the report is accepted.

04

What if a stranger appears offline?

A participant can appear offline when their page is hidden, their device changes screens, or their network connection is interrupted. The current chat is designed to remain open during a temporary offline period rather than expiring immediately, and messages may be queued for delivery if the same page session reconnects. You can wait, continue writing, or use End or Report at any time. Refreshing or closing the browser can replace or close the page session, so recovery is not guaranteed after a full reload. If the other person does not return, move on whenever you prefer.

05

Why can’t I connect or send a message?

Check that your device has a working internet connection and that the page is allowed to use real-time network connections. A temporary server restart, restrictive network, VPN, proxy, browser extension, old browser version, or aggressive privacy setting can interrupt matching or delivery. Wait briefly for automatic reconnection, then try reloading only if you are willing to lose the current page session. Messages must contain text, stay within the displayed character limit, and not be sent so rapidly that the safety rate limit activates. If a problem continues across networks or devices, note what happened and when before seeking support.

06

How do privacy and reports work?

Ordinary text is processed for live delivery and is not offered as a permanent inbox or public post history. Matching preferences and interface language can be saved locally on your device. A safety report is handled differently: it can include the selected reason, optional details, participant aliases, and limited recent message context so the incident can be understood. Use the closest factual reason and avoid adding unrelated personal information. Report harassment, threats, scams, sexual content, requests for sensitive data, or possible underage participation. For immediate real-world danger, contact an appropriate local emergency or support service as well.

Technical and Safety Facts

Short factual answers based on the current production client, Supabase backend, retention migration, and published safety rules.

What is StrangersChat?

StrangersChat is an independent, text-only service that matches adults for private one-to-one conversations without a conventional account or public profile.

Does StrangersChat use WebRTC?

No. The current browser client has no RTCPeerConnection flow. Production text messages use protected server/database functions and private Supabase Realtime channels.

Can another stranger see my IP address?

The chat interface does not give your IP address to the matched participant. Service and network providers process connection data, and an external link can expose connection information to the third-party site you open.

Does StrangersChat operate fake users that impersonate humans?

No. StrangersChat does not operate automated accounts that pretend to be real human users.

Can third parties still attempt spam or automated misuse?

Yes. A third party may attempt spam, scams, or automation despite rate limits and private authorization. Suspicious behavior should be ended and reported.

Are ordinary messages stored?

Temporarily. Production messages are written to the database for delivery, ordering, rate limiting, and short recovery. Ended chats and their ordinary messages are scheduled for deletion after about one hour; active chats expire after 24 hours.

What information may be retained with a safety report?

A report may retain the selected reason, optional details, participant identifiers and aliases, and up to 25 recent messages. Report records are scheduled for deletion after 90 days, subject to legal and operational limits.

Does StrangersChat require an account?

No conventional email, phone, password, or social-login account is required. The backend creates a temporary anonymous authentication session so private operations can be authorized.

Is StrangersChat completely anonymous?

No internet service can promise complete anonymity. What you type, browser storage, technical providers, screenshots, legal requests, and external links can all affect privacy.

Who is allowed to use StrangersChat?

The service is intended for adults aged 18 and older. Age confirmation is user-provided and is not identity verification.

How does reporting work?

Choose the closest reason and add only necessary context. A successful report closes the match, stores limited report context for review, and returns the reporting session to matching.

Is any stranger-chat platform completely risk-free?

No. Controls and moderation can reduce some risks but cannot verify every stranger or prevent every harmful message, scam, link, screenshot, or misuse.

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