How interest tags work on Chatavi (and how to pick good ones)
25 September 2026 · 4 min read
The difference between a great chat and an awkward one is often just one thing: having something in common. That’s what interest tags are for. Here is how they work on Chatavi, and how to pick tags that get you better conversations.
What interest tags are
Before you start chatting, you can add up to five interests, such as cricket, anime, coding, exams or K-drama. You can pick from the suggestions or type your own. Chatavi remembers your choices on your device, so they’re ready next time.
Tags are completely optional. You can leave them empty and chat with anyone.
How matching works
When you tap Find someone, Chatavi looks for another person who is waiting and shares at least one of your interests.
- If someone shares a tag, you’re matched with them, and the chat shows what you have in common at the top, for example “You both like #cricket #music”.
- If nobody with a shared tag is around after a few seconds, Chatavi matches you with anyone who is also open to a random chat, so you’re never stuck waiting forever. You choose how long to hold out: 5 seconds (the default), 10 or 30.
- If you have no tags, you’re open to a random chat straight away, and you’re matched with the next person who is too.
A few more things happen behind the scenes: you won’t be rematched with the same person straight after a chat, and if you ever report someone, the two of you will never be matched again.
Picking good tags
Be specific, but not too specific
“Music” is broad, so you’ll match quickly but conversations may be generic. A tag that only you would type, like the name of an obscure band, may never match anyone. The sweet spot is a popular niche: “k-drama”, “upsc”, “startups”, “anime”, “fitness”.
Mix one broad and a few focused tags
For example: movies, k-drama, books. The broad tag keeps waiting times short, and the focused ones give you better matches when they hit.
Match your mood
Tags aren’t a permanent profile. Studying late at night? Try exams or upsc and find someone in the same boat. Match day? cricket. Change them whenever you like.
Use common spellings
Tags are matched exactly (capital letters and spaces don’t matter), so “cricket” and “crickett” won’t meet. The suggested tags are a safe bet because many people use them.
Using your shared interest
When you’re matched on a tag, you have an instant topic. Skip the “hi, hello, how are you” and go straight in:
- cricket: “Who’s your pick for the most underrated player right now?”
- coding: “What are you building these days?”
- anime: “What’s the one anime you’d show a beginner?”
- exams: “Which subject is giving you the most trouble? Let’s complain together.”
Our list of conversation starters that work has more ideas, and how to keep a conversation going helps once you’re past the first few messages.
What tags don’t do
- Tags are not a search. You can’t pick a specific person, age, gender or city, and that’s deliberate. It keeps Chatavi anonymous and safe for everyone.
- Tags don’t filter language. People write in English, Hindi, Hinglish and other Indian languages, often mixed. If language matters to you, mention it in your first message.
- Keep tags impersonal. Don’t put your name, college, city or social media handle in a tag; the tags you share are shown to your chat partner.
Now pick a few interests, tap Find someone, and see who shares them.