Connect with People Near You on UTurn

Meet, message, and connect with people around you—safely and in real time.
Whether you're looking for someone to join you for a coffee, a walk, or a quick chat, the Connect feature on UTurn helps you meet others nearby who are open to spontaneous social moments.

What Is "Connect"?

Connect is UTurn’s location-based feature that allows users to discover and meet others who are close by—within approximately 3 kilometers (or 2 miles). It’s designed for spontaneous, one-on-one, real-world interactions based on shared activities and mutual interest.

This feature is entirely opt-in and designed with privacy and control at its core. You decide when to be visible—and when to disappear.

How It Works

When you feel like meeting someone:

1. Turn on Discovery from the Connect screen in the app’s main tab bar.

2. Choose an activity you’d like to find a partner for, such as:

   • ☕ Cup of coffee

   • 🍽️ A meal

   • 🚶 A walk

   • 🐕 Dog walk

   • 🚲 Bicycling

   • ⚽ Sports partner

   • 🍸 A drink

3. Once enabled, your device shares your location with UTurn’s servers, and you are taken to the Discovery View—a grid showing other users who:

   • Are currently visible

   • Are within a 3 km radius

   • Have also enabled Discovery mode

The Discovery Grid

The grid is divided into three distance zones, helping you understand how close others are:

• Zone 1: Up to 1 km

• Zone 2: Up to 2 km

• Zone 3: Up to 3 km

Each user is shown as an icon representing their selected activity. Tapping a user icon opens their Connect profile, which includes:

• Nickname

• Age

• Profile photos

• A short introduction

From there, you can choose to send them a message to arrange a meeting.

One-on-One, In-the-Moment Connections

Connect is all about meeting someone now—not planning weeks in advance. It’s ideal for those looking to make a spontaneous connection, meet for a walk, or strike up a meaningful conversation.

Some things to know:

• All users on your grid are within walking distance.

• You can message anyone on your grid to coordinate a meeting.

• The Connect chat is independent from your main UTurn conversations.

Privacy and Security

Connect is built with privacy by design:

• Your main UTurn identity (phone number) is never linked to your Connect profile.

• Once Discovery is turned off, you disappear from other users’ grids and can no longer view others.

• Your exact location is never shown to other users—only general proximity.

• All users are required to use real profile photos—so you know who you're meeting.

• You can block or unblock users at any time; blocked users won’t see you and vice versa.

Who Sees Whom?

• You’ll only see users who are:

  • Within 3 km of you

  • Online and have turned Discovery on

• Activity selection doesn’t filter the grid—you’ll see all users in range, regardless of activity.

• If you want to be invisible, just turn off Discovery—simple as that.

Why Connect?

Meeting people nearby brings social experiences back to the real world. With Connect, you can:

• Make spontaneous plans

• Expand your local network

• Enjoy low-pressure, in-person interactions

• Stay safe while keeping your identity private

Join the Conversation Nearby

Ready to meet someone in the moment?
Turn on Connect, choose your activity, and discover who’s just around the corner.

🛡️ Your privacy. Your choice. Your moment.