18 Things Guys Do When Texting That Mean They Like You

Co-authored by John Keegan

Last Updated: October 12, 2022

He answers your texts promptly, never leaves you on read, and isn’t afraid to double text – does he like you or is he just being polite? While it can feel exhilarating to text with the guy you like, decoding his messages can feel impossible when you’re not talking face-to-face. Not to worry! We’ve compiled a list of 18 ways guys text when they like you; if he’s doing one or more of these things, chances are he’s crushing on you!

1

He texts you first.

He’s letting you know you’re on his mind. Whether that’s with a casual “Hello” or asking what you’re up to, a guy who’s comfortable texting you first definitely likes you, even if it’s just as a friend. That being said, it’s important to reciprocate if you’re interested in him; being the one to text first sometimes can reassure him that you like talking with him.^{[1]
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- “Hi there! Heard you moved to Houston. How are you liking it?”
- “Hey Maddie! I had a great time last night. Hope we can hang again!”
- “Hey! It’s been a minute. How’s it going?” XD

2

He texts you nearly every day.

If he’s reaching out to you every day, he likes you. This could particularly be the case if you work together, go to school together, or are in the same friend group and see each other rather frequently to begin with.
- “I know I saw you at Mike’s last night, but I feel like we didn’t get to catch up!”
- “Missed you in class today! Is everything okay?”
- “My shift was so boring after you left. When are we working together again?”

3

He makes up excuses to text you.

Is he texting you with random questions? If so, he might just be coming up with excuses to start a conversation with you. While he might genuinely need something if he sends an unprompted text, he’s probably looking for a casual starting point for a longer conversation.^{[2]
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- “Hey, did you take pre-calc last year? Any chance I could borrow your notes?”
- “Hi! My mom wanted me to ask if your parents need a new lawnmower? We’re selling ours.”
- “Hey! I’m visiting Boston today. You have family here, right?”

4

He asks a lot of questions about you.

He’s reaching beyond just asking what you’re up to. A guy will show his interest by asking questions about your hobbies, interests, friends, and family among other things. You can show him you’re equally interested by asking similar questions about him.^{[3]
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- “What’s your all-time favorite food?”
- “My little brother can be so annoying. Do you get along with your siblings?”
- “I’m loving the new Mac Miller album. Who’s your favorite artist?”

5

He uses emojis.

He’s getting playful when he’s adding emojis to his texts. It’s not common to use emojis in formal conversation, so if a guy is sending them to you, he’s feeling comfortable around you.^{[4]
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- “Congrats on the license 🥳! I better stay off the roads 🏎️”
- “I’m not feeling too hot about this exam tomorrow 😬”
- “Hopefully I’ll see you at the party tonight 🙏”

6

He responds quickly.

Faster responses to your texts means he’s excited to talk to you. While some people may try to play it cool by waiting longer to respond, if it only takes a few minutes for him to get back to you, he’s probably interested. ^{[5]
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- “Sorry to make you wait! I’d love to hang out this weekend!”

7

He tries to keep the conversation alive.

Even if it feels like you’ve reached a dead end, he keeps texting. A guy may draw out a conversation or a joke even when it feels like it should have reached a natural end in order to keep talking to you, and if the conversation has really gone stale, he might introduce a new topic.^{[6]
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- “Anyways, do you have any plans this weekend?”
- “I’m glad we’re on the same page. Now, are you a dog person or a cat person?”
- “That’s enough from me about Formula One! What’s your favorite sport?”

8

He lets you know if he can’t talk.

He won’t leave you on read. Instead of not responding or waiting until later to say that he’s busy, a guy will let you know if he can’t text. It shows that he wants to keep talking but needs to take a short break before getting back to you.
- “Hey! Can’t talk right now, I’m driving.”
- “About to board my flight! I’ll text you when I land.”
- “I’m not gonna have service when I go camping this weekend, but I’ll let you know when I’m back.”

9

He shares things about himself.

If he’s opening up with you in his texts, he wants you to get to know him. As much as he might ask about you, he’ll also want to feel free to share more about his interests so you can learn more about him and find common interests.^{[7]
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- “I’ve never told anyone this, but I’m terrified of spiders.”
- “My favorite movie is Trolls 🙈lol please don’t tell anyone!”
- “I love the Beach Boys! They remind me of summers in Maine with my Dad!”

10

He hints at making plans together.

This is a great sign that a guy wants to get to know you better. Sometimes he might come right out and say that he wants to hang out, but if he’s feeling shy or unsure of how you feel, he may just suggest you catch up some time with a low stakes activity you both enjoy.
- “Did you see the trailer for the new Harry Styles movie? We should go see it together!”
- “I can’t believe you’ve never been mini golfing! I have to take you!”
- “You like Dua Lipa too? We should buy tickets to see her!”

11

He texts you when he’s out with friends.

It’s a huge compliment if he’s thinking of you when he’s with others. If a guy is taking the time to respond to you while he’s drinking with his buddies or at the movies with his football team, he cares about you. These types of texts from him let you know that you’re on his mind even when he’s up to something else.^{[8]
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- “I’m at the bar with the guys! What are you up to?”
- “I’ve been out fishing with my friends all day. Look what I caught!”
- “You won’t believe what my buddy just did 😂”

12

He double texts you.

He’s engaged in your conversation. Not only does this mean he really cares about your thoughts and perspective, but also that he’s not afraid to show that he wants to hear back from you.
- “Sorry for all the texts! I just have a lot of thoughts about the game!”

13

He uses your name in texts.

People do this verbally to create a sense of connection. The same is true in texting; whether it’s to say hello, give a compliment, or joke around, addressing you by name in a text means that he feels comfortable with you.
- “Emma! Are you coming out tonight?”

14

He sends you other things besides texts.

He shares songs, articles, or videos to talk about with you. If it’s completely unprompted, he’s probably trying to find an excuse to talk to you or is appealing to your common interests.^{[9]
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- “I love this new song! You should listen!”
- “You have to see this video of corgis racing!”
- “Check out this New York Times piece about the Louvre. I remember you saying that you wanted to go.”

15

He compliments you.

He'll say that he enjoys talking to you or finds you funny. If he’s giving you compliments, he probably likes you and is feeling more comfortable expressing his interest over texts rather than face-to-face.^{[10]
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- “Chatting with you is the best part of my day :)”
- “Just wanted to say you looked beautiful tonight!”
- “You’re great to talk to.”

16

He shows interest in your dating life.

There’s definitely a way to do this without crossing a line. He may just ask simple questions about whether you're seeing anyone, what your type is, or if you’ve dated anyone in the past. Be sure to communicate if any of these types of questions make you uncomfortable.
- “So your friend William? Are you guys together?”
- “Is that your ex who commented on your Instagram?”
- “I heard Nick is going to ask you to the dance. He doesn’t really seem like your type.”

17

He matches your texting style.

Your texting styles and frequency are getting similar. Much like how people match body language in face-to-face interactions to show their engagement, he might adjust his texting style to mirror yours. He could use more emojis, use less punctuation, or send shorter, individual texts as opposed to singular long ones if that’s how you text.^{[11]
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- “I’m starting to sound like you with all these typos!”

18

He sends you “good morning” and “goodnight” texts.

He’s thinking of you right before bed and right when he wakes up. Though it may feel a bit formal if you’re not already engaged in a conversation, opening with a “good morning” text or ending with a “goodnight” text shows that he cares.
- “Good morning! How are you today?”
- “I’m off to bed! I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
- “Good morning! Any chance you want to catch that movie some time this weekend?”