Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Muse.
Getting Started
What is Muse?
Muse is a social music app that connects people through their taste in music, both in the app and at live music events. Instead of just photos and bios, Muse puts your music taste front and center, so you can find people who share your vibe. Find new music through people, find new people through music.
Who can use Muse?
Anyone 18 or older, and you don't need to be a college student. Muse is intentionally gated, and there are four ways in: verify a US college (.edu) email, apply with any email for our team to review, use an invite code from a friend who's already on Muse, or check in at a Muse event. Keeping the door small is how we keep the experience high quality.
How do I sign up?
Download Muse from the App Store or Google Play. The onboarding walks you through choosing your way in: verify a US college (.edu) email, or apply with any email and our team will review your application. If a friend on Muse gave you an invite code, you can enter it while your application is pending to skip the wait. At a Muse event, scanning the event's QR code gets you in too. Along the way you'll sign in with Apple on iPhone or with Google on Android.
Why is Muse gated?
Because quality beats scale. Every way in has a gate: a US college email, an approved application, an invite from a friend, or showing up to a Muse event. Gates keep the crowd tight, but they are not identity checks.
I applied with my email. What happens next?
Our team reviews applications as we open up more spots. When you're approved, you'll get an email letting you know you're in. Approvals roll out gradually so the community grows at a pace that keeps the experience high quality. If a friend on Muse gave you an invite code, you can enter it while you wait and get in right away.
Do I have to be a college student?
No. A US college (.edu) email gets you in right away, but you can also apply with any email for our team to review, use an invite code from a friend on Muse, or check in at a Muse event.
Is Muse available on Android?
Yes. Muse is on iPhone and Android, on the App Store and Google Play. Everyone is in the same community, so you can match and chat with people on either phone.
Is Muse free?
Yes. Muse is free to use. You can sign up, build a profile, discover people, match, and message without paying anything. There are optional extras (Peeks, Spotlights, and Super Stars), but none of them are required to use the app.
Does Muse have a Pro subscription?
No. Muse doesn't have a subscription, and that's a deliberate choice. On most dating apps the best experience sits behind a monthly paywall, which means the app works best for whoever pays the most. We don't think meeting people should work that way. On Muse, everyone gets the same discovery, the same matching, and the same messaging. If that ever changes, you'll hear it from us first.
Spotify & Music
Do I need Spotify to use Muse?
No. Muse uses Spotify for music playback and features like Live Mode, but connecting Spotify is optional. You can use Muse without it, with some music features limited.
What Spotify data does Muse collect?
Muse does not import your Spotify playlists, followers, or listening history. Your top artists and genres are ones you pick yourself, not pulled from your Spotify account. Songs you play inside Muse appear as a Recently Played list on your profile, so others can see your current taste. When Muse is synced with the Spotify app on your phone, it also sees the song that's playing, which is how Live Mode finds people on the same track.
What is a music personality profile?
Your music personality is made up of the top genres and artists you add to your profile, plus the songs you play on Muse. It shows on your profile so others can see your taste at a glance and understand your vibe.
Live Mode
What is Live Mode?
Live Mode is discovery through a song. Play a track and you'll see other people on Muse who have played that same track recently. It's a way to meet someone through a song you're both into right now.
How do I use Live Mode?
Play a song on Muse (which opens Spotify automatically) or play a song on Spotify and sync it in Muse. Live Mode shows you other people who have played the same track recently. Browse their profiles and connect.
Can I use Live Mode without playing a song?
No. You enter Live Mode by playing a song. Once you do, Muse connects you with other people who have played the same track recently.
I'm playing a song on Spotify. Why doesn't Live Mode see it?
Live Mode works by syncing Muse with the Spotify app on your phone. To sync, tap the Spotify icon in the top right of Muse, or simply play any song from inside Muse. A few things can break the link: closing Muse or Spotify, or playing Spotify on another device like your laptop, since Muse can only capture playback from the Spotify app on the same phone. If Live Mode seems out of sync, just open Muse and tap a song or the Spotify icon. That opens Spotify and reconnects the sync automatically.
Will others know what I'm listening to?
When you play a song, people in Live Mode on that same song may see you there for up to 12 hours afterward. Songs you play inside Muse also appear in the Recently Played section of your profile. Muse doesn't post your listening anywhere outside the app.
Discovery & Connecting
How does Muse show me people?
Muse shows you profiles based on your preferences, like age, location, and gender. You can also match by genre: pick a genre in your discovery filters and Muse only shows you people who count it among their top genres. Every profile shows music info (their top artists, genres, and songs) so you can find people whose taste aligns with yours.
How do I message someone?
You can message someone once you've both expressed interest in each other. Tap on your matches to start a conversation. Messaging is only available between mutual connections.
Is there a daily like limit?
Yes. You can send up to 10 likes a day, and the limit resets every day at 6pm. Passing on someone is always unlimited. Responding to someone who liked you counts toward the same daily total, except when they sent you a Super Star or you used a Peek to open their card. Those replies are always free. The limit keeps likes meaningful, so a like on Muse actually says something.
What are Peeks?
When someone likes you, they join the line in your Likes You list. Whoever is at the front of that line is open for you to see for free, along with anyone who sent you a Super Star, and everyone else shows up blurred until it is their turn. A Peek opens one blurred card for good, so you can check out their taste right away, and replying to that person never counts against your daily likes. Peeks come in packs of 1, 10, or 500 and carry over until you use them. There is no free daily Peek, since the front of the line is always free.
What are Spotlights?
A Spotlight (also called a boost) makes your profile more visible for 1 hour, so more people see you in their feed. It is an optional purchase and is not required to make connections.
What are Super Stars?
A Super Star is a like that goes to the top of someone's list, and you can attach a short note to it. You get one free Super Star a week, which resets every Sunday and does not carry over, so use it on someone worth it. You can also buy packs of 3, 12, or 35, and those do carry over until you use them.
What is the Daily Ballot?
If your college has it turned on, Muse runs a daily ballot for your campus: a prompt of the day and a small set of candidates drawn automatically from students who verified a college email at your school. You pick one, and the results show up before the next ballot opens. Your first name, age, photos, and the profile details you have set to visible can appear if you are drawn as a candidate. Results are shown by candidate, never by voter, so nobody sees who you voted for, and paused and banned accounts are never drawn.
Why does Muse charge for Peeks, Spotlights, and Super Stars?
We know dating apps are exhausting, and most are designed to keep you paying. Muse is built to be the opposite. If we could run it at no cost, everything would be free, but keeping the servers on, screening profiles and messages for abuse, and staying free of ads and data selling all cost real money. Small optional extras like Peeks, Spotlights, and Super Stars cover those costs so everything that matters stays free for everyone. Nothing you buy changes who you can match with, and you never have to spend a dollar to get the full Muse experience.
At a Muse Event
What happens at a Muse event?
Muse partners with live music events. Scan the Muse QR code at the venue to check in, post a selfie to the event's photo wall, and see everyone else who's there. It's a fun way to capture the moment and discover people who share your taste in music.
Do I need the full app to join an event?
Not on iPhone. You can scan an event QR code and post to the photo wall instantly through the Muse App Clip, with no download or full account required to start, and if you download the full app later on the same device, your event activity carries over. On Android, the event QR code opens the Muse app, so you'll need it installed.
Who can see the photos I post at an event?
Photos you post to an event's wall are visible to other people at that event viewing the wall. Every photo is automatically screened before it appears, and you can delete anything you posted at any time.
Do I have to be at the venue to post?
Yes. Muse confirms you're at the event venue (using your device location just for that check) before you can post to the wall. Your exact location isn't stored, only that you checked in.
Privacy & Safety
Does Muse sell my data?
No. Muse never sells your personal data to third parties, advertisers, or data brokers. We don't track you across apps. Your data is used only to power your Muse experience. Read our full Privacy Policy for details.
Is my location shared with other users?
Your exact location is never shared. Other users may see an approximate distance (for example, "5 miles away"), but never your coordinates or address. You can turn location off in your phone's settings at any time, but keep in mind that Muse matches you with people nearby, so without it you won't appear in discovery or see new people. Your existing matches and chats keep working either way.
How does Muse prevent fake profiles?
Every way in has a gate, device integrity checks help us spot bots and duplicate accounts, profiles and event photos are automatically screened, and you can report anyone you chat with or see on a photo wall. No gate catches everything, so use your own judgment.
What does the verified badge mean?
A verified badge means that person joined Muse by confirming an email from a US college or university. It shows they had access to that college email when they signed up, nothing more. It is not identity verification, and Muse does not run background checks, so always use your own judgment when meeting someone new. And no matter the path in, every member must be 18 or older.
How do I stay safe when meeting someone from Muse?
Get to know someone in the app before meeting up. For a first meeting, pick a public place, tell a friend where you are going, and arrange your own ride there and back. Never send money or share financial information with someone you met on Muse, no matter the story. If anyone makes you uncomfortable, report them from your chat with them. Reporting also blocks that person.
How do I report or block someone?
Open a chat with them, tap the three dots, and choose Report. You can also swipe on the conversation in your inbox. Reporting also blocks: you are unmatched, your chat is removed, and they will not be shown to you again. Reports are private, and the other person is not notified. You can also report a selfie on the campus wall or a photo on an event wall.
What happens when I report someone?
Our team looks at every report. If we find a policy violation, we can remove the profile and permanently ban the account. We never tell the other person who reported them.
Account Management
How do I delete my account?
Go to Settings, tap Delete or Pause Account, then choose Delete Account. Deletion is permanent and irreversible. Your profile, photos, matches, and messages are permanently removed from Muse servers. A few exceptions: we keep ban records so a banned person cannot sign up again, reports and the evidence attached to them, our content moderation records, and the record that you accepted our Terms and Privacy Policy. Our Privacy Policy explains how long each of those is kept.
Can I pause my account instead of deleting it?
Yes. Pausing hides your profile from other users but keeps your account, matches, and data intact, and you can still chat with your existing matches. You can unpause at any time from Settings. Deleting is permanent; pausing is temporary.
Can I change my name or age after signing up?
No. Your name and birthdate are locked after you create your account. In Settings, the Name and Age fields show a lock and cannot be edited, so make sure they are correct during onboarding.
How do I disconnect Spotify?
Revoke Muse access to your Spotify account at spotify.com/account/apps. Revoking access will disable music features but will not delete your Muse account.
Still have questions?
Reach out to us at support@museapp.coand we'll get back to you.