How to bypass Grindr age verification in the UK

The UK Online Safety Act, enforced on 25 July 2025, requires platforms like Grindr to implement age verification methods to protect minors. However, Grindr verification involves sensitive user information, like facial scans or government ID sharing, which can lead to identity theft or data leaks.

The best way to bypass the Grindr age verification and preserve your privacy is to use a VPN. It changes your IP address to look like you’re using Grindr outside the UK, letting you access the platform without sharing your data.

In this guide, I’ll explain everything you need to know about how to bypass Grindr age verification in the UK using a VPN. You’ll also learn the best VPNs to do it based on my tests.

Why does Grindr require age verification?

Grindr requires verifying your age for legal compliance with the UK age verification law and to ensure you meet their age requirements. The UK enforced the Online Safety Act in July 2025 to protect minors, requiring companies to implement verification technology.

However, the new verification methods aren’t the most secure solutions for adult users. They require sharing your sensitive details. For example, on Grindr, you can only verify your age through a video selfie or your government-issued ID. This creates a risk for data theft or leaks.

What if I try to access Grindr without age verification?

If you try to access the Grindr app or website without age verification, it will assume that you don’t fit the age requirements. It will show you a pop-up message stating that: “Age assurance is a new legal requirement by the UK Government to help keep minors off of dating apps.”

You’ll then have two options – verifying your age through a video selfie or government ID (or both).

Here’s what the message and further steps look like on Grindr:

However, sharing your selfie or personal ID is sensitive information that comes with security and privacy risks. So, if you wish to find a more privacy-conscious solution, consider using a VPN that changes your virtual location. It makes it look like you’re based outside the UK, helping bypass Grindr age verification technology without sharing your personal data.

Bypassing age verification on Grindr: detailed steps

It’s easy to bypass age verification on Grindr with a VPN, even if you don’t have any technical knowledge. All you have to do is connect to a server. Here’s how to bypass the Grindr age verification message:

1. Choose a reputable VPN that bypasses geo-blocks. During my tests, ExpressVPN, now 61% off, worked best. 
2. Download the VPN app on the device you’ll use to access Grindr and follow the installation instructions. Log in to the app.
3. Open the country list and connect to a server outside of the UK. For example, I used servers in the US, Germany, Norway, Poland, and others.
4. Open the Grindr app or website, depending on the device you’re using a VPN on. You’ll instantly see that the age verification message has disappeared.

That’s it. Note that this method works on both desktop and mobile devices.

Best VPNs for bypassing Grindr age verification in 2025

I took a few hours to test which reputable VPNs worked best for bypassing Grindr’s age requirement checks. I tested each service using servers in different countries, calculated their average speed retention rates, and reviewed the privacy features. Here are my top results:

1. 1. ExpressVPN – best VPN for bypassing Grindr age verification 2025
2. 2. NordVPN – speed-optimized VPN for Grindr age verification
3. 3. Surfshark – unlimited-device Grindr VPN to share with others

 

Let’s review my full test results and insights in more depth:

1. ExpressVPN – best VPN for bypassing Grindr age verification overall

ExpressVPN

1

9.7

/10

Visit ExpressVPN

Pros & cons

• No issues bypassing age verification on Grindr
• Allows connecting to 8 devices
• Large server network
• Independently audited privacy policy

• No free trial

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Grindr age verification bypassing. During my tests on mobile, I could instantly access the app without verification after connecting to servers in the US, Poland, or any other EU location.

As for performance, I used the VPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol. It showed a whopping 89% of initial speed retention, which means that speed drops won’t be noticeable no matter what you browse.

ExpressVPN is a much more privacy-friendly option than age verification technology. It comes with an independently audited privacy policy, so you can be sure that none of your data is logged. Plus, it’s one of the best VPNs for geo-unblocking, so you can use it for bypassing other geo-blocks on platforms, like PornHub, Reddit, or X (Twitter) age verification checks.

An ExpressVPN subscription costs from £4.03/month. You can use a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the service out.

Find out more in our detailed ExpressVPN review.

2. NordVPN – fast VPN for Grindr age verification bypassing

NordVPN

1

9.6

/10

Visit NordVPN

Pros & cons

• Bypassed age verification with multiple servers
• One of the fastest VPNs out there
• Privacy-oriented

 

• Takes longer to reconnect

NordVPN is a speed-optimized VPN for Grindr age verification bypassing in the UK. I used servers in Germany, Poland, and the US, and all of them worked without issues.

Although NordVPN takes a bit longer than ExpressVPN to reconnect when changing servers, I didn’t experience any disconnections. As for the performance, NordVPN’s NordLynx protocol didn’t disappoint. It retained around 92% of initial connection speeds, ensuring a seamless Grindr experience.

Just like with ExpressVPN, NordVPN’s privacy policy has been audited independently, proving it’s a zero-logs service. You also get security features like a Double VPN, which sends your traffic through multiple servers.

You can get NordVPN starting from £2.69/month. The free 3-day trial is only available for Android users.

Find out all about this service in our NordVPN review.

3. Surfshark – affordable VPN for unlimited devices

Surfshark

1

9.5

/10

Visit Surfshark

Pros & cons

• Accesses Grindr without verification
• Unlimited simultaneous connections allowed
• Cheaper prices compared to competitors

• Based in a 14-Eyes alliance country

Another VPN that worked for bypassing age verification in the UK on Grindr was Surfshark. It worked with servers in the US, Sweden, Germany, and others. The age verification message disappeared as soon as I connected to any server and reopened the app.

Surfshark doesn’t fall far behind the other top Grindr VPNs. It showed an average of 88% speed retention rates, which is just 1% lower than ExpressVPN. So, browsing Grindr will be just as lag-free.

The VPN is based in the Netherlands – a country that belongs to the 14-Eyes surveillance alliance. Yet, I read its privacy policy and found out that it’s independently audited, so there won’t be any issues with privacy.

Surfshark offers some of the cheapest monthly VPN prices, starting from just £1.49/month. Plus, you can use one account to connect to an unlimited number of devices.

Learn more in our Surfshark review.

Is bypassing Grindr age verification legal?

Yes, bypassing Grindr’s age verification is legal because there’s nothing about it being prohibited in the app’s terms of service. Meanwhile, the UK age verification law doesn’t mention VPN usage being illegal either. The law only discourages platforms and websites from promoting VPNs for bypassing age requirement checks.

However, please note that using a VPN doesn’t make illegal stuff legal. It’s only legal to access Grindr with a VPN if you’re not using it for harmful purposes, like exploiting minors or promoting drugs or human trafficking.