Over a year after it was first announced, Facebook’s dating feature is finally here. Now, users of the social media platform have a chance to match with their secret crushes.

Facebook Dating

Facebook is rolling out a new feature that will change the way many people look at and use the social media site. Over a year after it was announced, Facebook Dating is now officially launched in 20 countries, including the United States.

According to Facebook, the feature will remove the hassle of setting up a dating profile and gives people the chance to have a “more authentic look” at someone’s personality by integrating their Facebook profiles into the dating mix.

“Finding a romantic partner is deeply personal, which is why we built Dating to be safe, inclusive and opt-in,” Facebook notes. “Safety, security and privacy are at the forefront of this product. We worked with experts in these areas to build protections into Facebook Dating from the start, including the ability to report and block anyone; prohibiting people from sending photos, links, payments or videos in messages; and by providing easy access to safety tips.”

Apart from the United States, Facebook Dating is also now available in the Philippines, Singapore, Suriname, Thailand, Vietnam, Uruguay, Peru, Paraguay, Mexico, Laos, Malaysia, Guyana, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. The feature will roll out in Europe by early 2020.

Secret Crush

Those who want to use Facebook Dating can opt in the feature and create a dating profile that is separate from the user’s personal profile. From others who also opted in, suggestions will be made based on the user’s preferences, interests, and activities on Facebook. If the user is interested in the person, then he or she can tap the like button or leave a message for them directly. If not, then the user can simply pass.

Facebook dating also allows users to match both with friends as well as with people who are not in their circle. However, Facebook will not match those who are friends on Facebook unless they are on each other’s Secret Crush list.

For instance, if a user’s crush opted in, he or she would get a notification that someone has a crush on them. If the user is also on their crush’s list, then they will be matched. However, if the user’s crush is not using Dating, does not have a Secret Crush list, or did not add the user to his or her list, then they will also not know that they were written on the user’s Secret Crush list.

People can also integrate their Instagram posts on their Facebook dating profile and can add Instagram followers to their Secret Crush list. That said, the Secret Crush list can only contain up to nine people.