Guides · 4 min read · Published 31 October 2026

When someone taps Next on you

Getting skipped a few seconds into a call stings a little. Why it happens far more often than you'd think, and why it says very little about you.

You smile, you say hi, and two seconds later the other person is gone. If you've used random video chat for more than a few minutes it's happened to you, probably a few times in a row. It can feel personal. It almost never is.

Why people skip so quickly

People tap Next for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with you:

• They're looking for someone who speaks a particular language.
• Someone just walked into their room.
• Their video froze and they assumed yours had.
• They're tapping fast, the way people scroll a feed.
• They pressed it by accident. This happens more than anyone admits.

In two seconds nobody learns anything meaningful about you. A skip that fast is about their situation, not your worth.

Things that do help people stay

You can't control other people, but a few things make a good first impression more likely:

• Light on your face. A dark screen often gets skipped simply because the other person can't see anyone.
• Your face in the frame. A view of the ceiling or half a forehead looks like nobody's there.
• Say hello first. A quick, friendly "Hi!" in the first second gives people a reason to stay and answer.
• Be ready. Start calls somewhere quiet, not while you're half watching something else.

Don't count the skips

Think of a crowded railway platform. You notice lots of people and talk to very few. That isn't rejection; it's just how meeting strangers works. The good conversations still come, and they feel better because they're with someone who actually wanted to stay.

Skip people kindly too

You'll tap Next on plenty of people yourself, and that's fine. If you've already started talking, a quick "Nice to meet you, take care!" before you go is a small kindness people remember. And if someone is rude or breaks the rules, don't just skip: report them so they don't do it to the next person. Our Safety Centre explains how.

Take a break when it gets to you

If you've had a run of quick skips and it's starting to sting, close the app and come back later. Different time of day, different people, different mood. Nobody has a great streak every time.