How to Use Feeld Desires and Interests Effectively (2026)
Your Desires and Interests shape who sees you on Feeld. Learn the strategy for setting them up to attract compatible matches.
Need help crafting the perfect message?
Poise helps you write authentic openers that get responses.
Your Feeld profile has two tag systems: Desires and Interests. They look similar but serve different purposes, and using them strategically can significantly improve the quality of your matches.
Most people just select whatever seems vaguely relevant and move on. This guide shows you how to be more intentional—using both features to attract the right people and filter out incompatibility before it wastes anyone's time.
Desires vs. Interests: What's the Difference?
Desires = What you want (relationship dynamics, sexual interests, connection styles)
Interests = Who you are (hobbies, passions, lifestyle, personality)
Think of it this way:
- Desires answer: "What are you looking for?"
- Interests answer: "What do you like doing?"
Both matter for compatibility, but they serve different roles in the matching process.
How Feeld Uses Your Desires and Interests
While Feeld doesn't publish their exact algorithm, here's what we know:
For Discovery
- Shared Desires and Interests increase your visibility to compatible users
- More overlap = higher likelihood of appearing in someone's feed
- The algorithm weighs certain matches more heavily
For Profile Display
- Both appear as tags on your profile
- They give visitors quick compatibility signals
- Shared tags may be highlighted when someone views you
For Filtering (Majestic)
- Premium users can filter by specific Desires
- Interests aren't directly filterable but still affect discovery
Strategic Approach to Desires
Step 1: Identify Your Must-Haves
What do you actually need in a connection? Not "would be nice" but genuinely important. Common categories:
Relationship structure: Casual, Dating, Open relationship, Polyamory, etc.
Connection type: Emotional, Physical, Intellectual, or some combination
Specific dynamics: If power exchange or specific activities are important to you
Start with 3-5 Desires that are truly non-negotiable.
Step 2: Add Your Strong Preferences
What would you really like but could be flexible on? Add another 3-5 that represent genuine interests, even if they're not dealbreakers.
Step 3: Review for Contradiction
Make sure your Desires don't send mixed signals:
- Don't combine Monogamy with Couples/Threesome (unless you're poly-curious and should use different tags)
- Don't list Casual alongside Long-term without context in your bio
- Don't add every kink tag if you're actually a beginner
Step 4: Match Your Bio
Your Desires should align with what your bio says. If there's a contradiction, people notice.
For detailed explanations of every Desire option, see our Feeld Desires explained guide.
Strategic Approach to Interests
Interests get overlooked, but they're powerful compatibility signals.
Choose Interests That:
Reflect actual hobbies you want to share Don't add "Hiking" if you went once two years ago. Add things you'd genuinely enjoy doing with a match.
Create conversation opportunities Specific Interests are better than generic ones. "Board games" is more conversation-worthy than "Fun."
Show your personality Your Interest combination paints a picture. Music, Art, and Philosophy gives a different vibe than Sports, Fitness, and Adventure.
Distinguish you If everyone selects Travel and Food, those don't help you stand out. What makes you different?
Ideal Number: 8-15 Interests
Fewer than 5 feels incomplete. More than 20 dilutes the signal. Aim for a curated list that genuinely represents you.
Interest Categories Available on Feeld
Creative & Cultural
- Art
- Music
- Photography
- Film
- Theater
- Writing
- Fashion
Intellectual
- Philosophy
- Psychology
- Science
- Politics
- Reading
Lifestyle
- Food & Dining
- Wine
- Cannabis
- Wellness
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Spirituality
Active
- Fitness
- Hiking
- Sports
- Cycling
- Dancing
- Adventure
Social
- Travel
- Festivals
- Nightlife
- Board games
- Gaming
Combining Desires and Interests for Specific Goals
If You're Seeking Emotional Connections
Desires to prioritize:
- Emotional connection
- Slow burn
- Dating or Long-term
- Polyamory or Open relationship (if applicable)
Interests to emphasize:
- Psychology, Philosophy (shows depth)
- Creative interests (shows emotional range)
- Social interests that involve meaningful interaction
If You're Seeking Adventure Partners
Desires to prioritize:
- New experiences
- Spontaneous
- Physical connection
- Relevant kink/activity interests
Interests to emphasize:
- Adventure, Travel
- Festivals, Nightlife
- Active/physical pursuits
If You're a Couple Seeking Connection
Desires to prioritize:
- Singles or Couples (depending on what you want)
- Threesome or Group play (if applicable)
- Emotional connection (if seeking ongoing)
- Whatever dynamics interest you
Interests to emphasize:
- Shared interests both partners enjoy
- Social activities good for group settings
- Whatever represents you as a pair
For more couple-specific advice, see our Feeld for couples guide.
What to Avoid
Too Generic
If your Desires are "Dating, Casual, Physical connection" and your Interests are "Music, Food, Travel"—you've said nothing distinctive. Half of Feeld users could have the same profile.
Too Extreme
Loading up exclusively on kink-related Desires and nothing else can signal that's all you're about. Even if you're very kink-focused, showing some dimension helps.
Disconnected from Reality
Don't add Desires or Interests that don't reflect your actual life or goals. Eventually you'll connect with someone based on them, and the mismatch will be awkward.
Never Updating
Your interests evolve. Check your tags every few months. Something that excited you six months ago might not anymore.
How Shared Interests Improve Conversations
When you match with someone, shared Interests give you built-in conversation material:
Weak opener (no shared Interest): "Hey, how's your week going?"
Stronger opener (leveraging shared Interest): "Noticed we both have Photography listed—have you been out shooting anything lately?"
Shared Interests make starting conversations easier and more natural. For more on this, check our Feeld openers guide.
The Visibility Trade-off
More Desires/Interests = More Potential Matches
Adding more tags creates more chances to match with people who share them. You'll potentially be shown to more users.
More Desires/Interests = Less Specific Matches
But if you add everything, you'll match with people who share only one random tag. Quality may decrease as quantity increases.
The Sweet Spot
Enough to show depth and create multiple compatibility touchpoints. Not so many that you match with anyone regardless of actual fit.
Recommended:
- 5-10 Desires
- 8-15 Interests
Reviewing What's Working
Signs Your Tags Are Working
- Matches seem actually compatible with what you want
- Opening conversations have natural starting points
- People reference your Desires/Interests in messages
- You're attracting the type of people you intended
Signs to Reconsider Your Tags
- Matches consistently don't align with your goals
- You're attracting people interested in things you only mildly care about
- Conversations feel random and disconnected
- You're not getting matches at all (though this could be other factors—see our no matches guide)
Privacy Consideration
Remember that Desires and Interests are visible to everyone who can see your profile. If there are things you don't want publicly associated with your face, leave them off and discuss in private conversation.
If privacy is a major concern, consider Feeld Incognito Mode where you control who sees your profile entirely.
Ready to Connect More Effectively?
Well-chosen Desires and Interests get you in front of compatible people. But turning those matches into meaningful connections takes good communication. Poise helps you craft messages that build on shared interests and navigate desire compatibility with confidence.
Ready to level up your conversations?
Poise is your AI dating coach for Feeld and the ENM community. Get personalized message suggestions that feel authentic to you.