How to turn a random chat into a friendship

Most random chats last a few minutes and that is fine. A few are worth keeping. Here is how to tell, and what to do about it.

Signs a chat is worth keeping

You have both stopped asking set questions and started reacting to each other.
They remember something you said ten minutes ago.
You have disagreed about something and it stayed friendly.
Neither of you has reached for Skip, and you notice the time only when you check.

One good joke is not a friendship. Give it a proper conversation before you decide, and trust the feeling if something seems off.

Say it before the chat ends

A random chat disappears when either person leaves, and there is no way to search for someone afterwards. If you would like to talk again, say so while you still can: "This was fun. Want to add each other?" is enough. Most people are relieved someone asked.

How adding a friend works here

You can only send a friend request to someone you were matched with. Nobody can find you by searching.
Nothing is shared until they accept. If they do not, nothing changes.
Friends see each other's display name and whether the other is online. Nothing else.
Friends can send each other direct messages. These are kept for up to 30 days so a friend can read what you wrote while they were away.
Either of you can remove the other at any time, which deletes the whole conversation for both.

Your friends list is tied to your browser. If you want it to survive a cleared browser or a new phone, use "Save account" in the chat.

Keeping it alive

The second conversation is the hard one, because the novelty has gone. Go back to something specific from the first: the film they said they would watch, the exam they were dreading. "How did it go?" works far better than "hey".

Do not expect instant replies. They have a life in another time zone.
Share small things, not only big ones. Friendships are mostly made of small things.
Let it be uneven sometimes. Some weeks one person carries the conversation.

Stay careful, even with a friend

A friend made online is still someone you have never met. Take your time before sharing your real name, other accounts or photos, and never send money, gift cards or codes, however good the reason sounds. If a friend starts pressing you for any of those, remove them. The safety page lists the common warning signs.

Keep reading

Or skip the reading and start a chat.