Breeze Introduces Sign Language Matching for Hard-of-Hearing Users

Dating app Breeze has added a new feature to improve accessibility: users can now specify sign languages in their profile, and the app will prioritise matches with shared sign language abilities. This addition has been integrated into Breeze’s “Date Languages” settings, meaning that language preferences are incorporated into its matching algorithm.

Breeze, founded in 2020 in the Netherlands, differs from many mainstream dating apps by removing pre-match chatting altogether. Instead, once two people match, they arrange a date through the app directly. Breeze says this model helps users focus on real-life interaction rather than prolonged online messaging.
The platform reports organising over 400,000 such dates across the US and Europe.

For users who are deaf or hard of hearing, knowing whether someone shares a sign language can be crucial in a format where chatting is removed or minimal, especially given that there are multiple distinct sign languages across the world. The new feature allows selecting sign languages both when setting up a new profile and later via the “Date Preferences” tab. Breeze will display sign-language use prominently at the top of relevant profiles, aiming to ensure communication compatibility is clear from the outset.

Marco van der Woude, Breeze’s head of business development, explained the purpose: “Our ‘no-chat’ model is about creating genuine, in-person connections. This feature is a vital part of that mission, ensuring that a user’s language preference and ability to communicate is established and matched before the date is even arranged.” He added, “Focusing only on the ‘average’ user means eventually our product won’t work for anyone, because everyone is unique.”