VRChat is a popular social virtual reality platform that allows users to interact with others using 3D avatars. With an endless variety of worlds to explore and players to meet, it can be an exciting way to make new friends. However, it may not always be clear how to actually add friends or find like-minded people to connect with. This guide covers tips and strategies for safely and effectively finding and friending new people on VRChat.
Table of Contents
Enable Appropriate Safety Settings
Before interacting with strangers, it’s important to configure your safety settings appropriately under the “Safety” tab in the quick menu. Consider enabling these options:
- Set your personal space bubble to stop avatars from getting too close.
- Enable safety shields to block potentially problematic avatars or particles.
- Disable custom animations from strangers to prevent crashes or unwanted interactions.
You can always adjust permissions for specific users you trust. Safety should remain the priority, especially when meeting new people.
Explore Public Worlds and Events
Public worlds are open for anyone to join, making them ideal for meeting new avatars from all over the world. Rather than just standing around, try participating in activities:
- Join games and conversations at the various tables and seating areas.
- Dance at clubs or perform on open mic stages.
- Attend scheduled events like trivia, speed friending, or movie nights.
Interacting with others establishes connections that can lead to friend requests. Public activities also vet whether you actually enjoy spending time with someone.
Search Profile Tags and Communities
VRChat allows you to add tags to your profile indicating hobbies and interests. You can then search tags to find like-minded individuals. For example, searching #music may reveal avatars who also enjoy music. Send friend requests to avatars you vibe with.
Alternatively, join VRChat communities focused on specific interests like gaming, sports, or learning languages. Introduce yourself and participate to organically meet potential friends.
Friend People You Enjoy Spending Time With
While exploring worlds, take note of avatars you enjoy hanging out with. If you’d like to friend someone:
- On desktop – Click on their avatar to open the profile card then select “Send Friend Request”
- In VR – Use the laser pointer to select their avatar and choose the friend option
Don’t send friend requests to everyone you meet – be selective with those you genuinely want to stay in touch with.
Accept All Friend Requests
To grow your network, accept all incoming friend requests from others (which you’ll receive as notifications). Revisit Safety settings to block individuals if issues emerge later. Building up friends increases opportunities to meet in both public and private worlds.
Join Friends+ Instances
Once you directly friend someone, you can join them in Friends+ instances they create for invited friends only. This provides a more private setting to get to know potential new friends.
You may also consider creating your own Friends+ instance. Invite recent friends you want to spend more time with as you continue evaluating if you actually bond over shared interests.
Utilize the VRChat Discord
Join the official VRChat Discord server to further engage with the community outside the platform. Introduce yourself in the #introductions channel while indicating hobbies and interests. Participate in other channels like #events, #help, or #avatars to find like-minded individuals to potentially friend.
Exercise Caution When Friending Strangers
While most VRChat users have good intentions, always exercise some caution when interacting with strangers online. Politely disengage from anyone making you uncomfortable. Report abusive players to the VRChat moderation team.
Continue to reevaluate Safety settings and friend lists to create the most positive experience. Protect personal information until fully trusting someone. Meet up IRL only after extensively interacting within VRChat first.
Finding true friends on VRChat requires proactively putting yourself out there to meet people united by common interests. Maintain appropriate precautions, but don’t let fear hold you back from making connections. The social dynamics of VRChat ultimately reward those willing to socially participate.
