How to tell if an introverted guy likes you: 15 surprising signs (2023)

It can be hard to tell whether or not an introverted guy likes you. Unlike other guys, they’re often quiet and reserved.

Even so, introverts do make subtle signs when they like someone. If you’re curious about these gestures, read on below.

1) He always smiles at you

Introverts are very quiet people. They aren’t animated as the rest of us, which is why they appear sad or sullen to most.

That said, introverts do smile – especially when they see someone they like. They’re just like most of us. I know I can’t help but grin whenever I see my crush.

You may not even notice it, mainly if you’re used to smiling guys. Some people might even have to point it out to you!

So if you find him grinning at you often – it’s a good sign that he likes you. Introvert or not – who wouldn’t?

2) He likes talking to you

An introvert often feels shy around people. But if he likes you, he will try to start the dialogue, which is something he barely does!

Introverts, even the confident ones, feel uncomfortable speaking. Small talks and phone calls are a real pain for them, so they’d rather write than talk.

Although this is the case, an introvert who likes you will try to start a conversation – no matter how hard it is for him.

He’ll do so by talking about your:

• Family, job, or pets
• Hometown
• Traveling
• Favorite food, music, quotes, books, or movies
• Fondest memories, i.e., the craziest thing you did in college

At times, he’ll try to lead the conversation with things unrelated to you. He may talk about the news, even the memes he saw on the internet. He might even try to ask for recommendations for restaurants or fitness centers, to name a few.

While you might dismiss this as typical, know that striking up a conversation is challenging for an introvert! So if he does this, it’s more or less a heads-up that he likes you.

3) He remembers the smallest of details

An introverted guy who likes you will do more than just talk to you. He’ll fondly remember the details of the conversation – whether it’s big or a trivial one.

Apart from the fact that he likes you, introverts are known to have good long-term memories. According to a study, they have a more active cortex – the information-processing part of the brain.

As a result, introverts are better at consolidating memories – and storing them.

So don’t be surprised if he fondly remembers your birthday or favorite food. He likes you, so these details are ingrained in his mind because he thinks about you.

4) He’ll flirt with you – but you may not notice it

Flirting is something you can expect from any guy who likes you. But if he’s an introvert, he’ll find it hard to do the things that others do.

Despite this challenge, he’ll try to make his little flirty move. It’s usually not obvious, so he might:

Try to get you to make the first move

An introverted guy is very self-aware. Yes, he likes you, but he wants it to be as low-key as possible.

That said, he may resort to some sort of reverse psychology. So instead of asking you out, he’ll make you want to ask him out.

Yes, introverted guys can be quite sneaky!

Write to you

If you think that love letters are dead, think again. Introverts like writing more, so they are great pen-pushers. He may not be able to flirt with you as much as he wants to, so he’ll write it all on paper.

Introverts, being naturally creative and innovative, can write you something that’ll tug on your heartstrings.

Do you favors

He didn’t have to save you a cake slice from a party, but he did.

Doing favors is one of the ‘subtle’ ways that introverts flirt. Remember: they’re not always good with words, so they make up for it with their actions.

5) He gets a little nervous sometimes

Although not all introverts are nervous, most of them feel this when they’re around other people. So yes, one of the signs he likes you is that he acts all edgy around you.

It’s common in most introverts, as they are prone to overthinking or ruminating. This guy might think that he wouldn’t make a good impression, which shows in his nerves.

So how do you know if he’s a nervous nelly – simply because he likes you? Well, you’ll have an idea once you see these signs:

• Sweating. His face and palms are drenched, even if it’s cold around the room!
• Shaking voice. In case you make him talk, you’ll notice the shakiness in his voice.
• Fidgeting. You’ll see these small nervous movements on his hands and feet.
• Pacing. He’ll walk up and down the room, as if he’s unable to stay in one place.
• Swaying or rocking. In case he remains in one place, you’ll see his body rocking back and forth.
• Freezing. Then again, you’ll be lucky if he moves at all! Nerves can quickly make someone freeze right on the spot.
• Arm-crossing. This ‘closed’ body language is a sign that he feels uncomfortable or nervous about the situation.
• Nail-biting. This is another sign of nervousness. However, it can eventually develop into a bad habit.
• Knuckle-cracking. Some think that guys who do this are aggressive. More often than not, they’re just nervous!

Apart from these signs, there’s one more sign that suggests more than just nervousness. It’s apparent that he has a crush on you if he can’t help but blush! It’s harder to control than those signs above – so this is more or less a dead giveaway!

6) His body language says so

An introverted guy can keep mum about his feelings, but there’s something he can’t hide: his body language.

Yes, the way he acts around you can be indicative of what he feels.

Here are some body languages that occur when a guy is into you:

• He raises his eyebrows. He’s not mad – he’s intrigued!
• His eyes are wide open. It’s a sign that he’s keenly listening.
• His nostrils flare, which means he’s excited.
• He parts his lips, so he appears more ‘open’ to you.
• He’s always fixing himself. Be it his tie, shirt, or socks, he often straightens them up when you’re near.
• He’s grooming his hair as well. Just like fixing his clothes, he wants to look the best for you.
• He tries to stand taller. Even if he’s tall already, he’ll try to flaunt his stature by advancing his chest and squaring his hips.
• He keeps his hands on his hips. This is another way for him to show his manly stance.

7) He tries to open up to you

An introverted guy who likes will try to do more than just talk to you. He’ll do his best to open up as well.

While most men find it easy to do, it’s hard for an introvert. However, it’s something he’ll try to do for you.

Remember, he may be the restrained or inhibited type. That means he thinks a lot (and long) before he makes a move.

In other words, he won’t make rash decisions, like opening up to somebody who’s not close to him.

If you’re just any other person, he will clam up the moment you ask something. But because you’re special, he won’t hesitate to keep the ball rolling.

Should this happen, it means that he trusts you enough to let you in his small yet solid clique.

If you’re looking to get your introverted crush to confide in you more, here are some tips and tricks you can try:

• Go slowly but surely. Don’t go in for the kill and ask, “do you like me?” on the get-go. Start with light questions, such as asking him about the things he likes.
• Go one-on-one. Even if he likes opening up to you, he may refuse to do so in a big crowd. If you want to learn more about him, then go one-on-one with your introverted crush.
• Don’t interrupt. For most people, it’s okay to interrupt them from time to time whenever they talk. But if you’re conversing with an introvert, you should let him speak until he’s finished. Remember, him speaking is a golden opportunity, so give him all the time he needs.
• Revel in his silence. There are times when he likes opening up, and there may be times when he’d rather be mum. Either way, you should try to respect his silence.
• Leave him in his element. An introverted guy will open up to you more if they’re in a place that’s quiet and comfortable for them.
• Take a swipe at his hobbies. Introverts like doing solitary things, like journaling or playing musical instruments. Join them whenever they do so, and you’re sure to have a lot of conversation topics!

8) He feels very comfortable around you

Introverts, by nature, find comfort in being alone. However, they may feel nervous and anxious around other people.

This is one of the reasons why introverts don’t like being in a large crowd. They prefer being in the company of one to two persons, so they get fidgety when there’s more. As such, they often have few yet very close friends.

Despite this characteristic, an introverted guy who likes you will welcome you into this small clique.

He’ll show that by acting comfortably around you. Apart from talking to you and opening up to you, he’ll also:

• Make eye contact. This is something many introverts avoid. So if you find him staring intensely into your eyes, it’s a possible sign that he likes you.
• Smile a lot. Some may say that they have what many call a resting ‘B’ face. Introverts won’t bother putting on a fake smile, after all.
• Be at ease. He may be nervous at first, but he eventually feels more comfortable in your presence.
• Get physical in his little way. I’ll discuss more of this below.

9) He’s very caring towards you

One of the introvert’s social preferences is personal space – lots of it. They find it tiring being around others, much more caring about them. This is why they keep their clique small and true.

Because of this, an introvert may find it tiring to look after a person outside their circle.

But when they do, it’s not the way that most guys do. They may show these in their little ways, such as:

• Asking you if you’re okay
• Saying nice things or complimenting you
• Taking an interest in things you like
• Listening to you whenever you need to vent – introverts actually excel in this
• Supporting you in your efforts, i.e., joining a fun run you organized to raise funds
• Offering to help you with anything, such as carrying stuff to your office
• Messaging you, even if this is a little taxing to them
• Making a cup of coffee for you, even if you didn’t ask for one
• Sharing his food with you
• Giving you a little present – even if there’s no occasion

If the introverted guy does any of these for you, know that it’s his little way of caring. And yes, it’s another way for him to show you that he likes you!

10) He’ll try to reach out, even if it’s hard for him

An introverted guy will easily feel tired after spending time with a lot more people than usual. He will revert to his well-loved downtime, as this helps him think and make decisions.

As such, don’t be surprised if he’s sometimes out of the loop.

If he doesn’t respond to your text, don’t take it personally. As is the case of extroverted introvert Shane Crawford, there are times when they don’t want to talk to anyone.

Then again, an introverted guy who’s interested in you will make a conscious effort to reach out. He may do so by doing any of the things I’ve mentioned above. He’ll talk to you, open up, and ask you out.

11) He can’t help but be a little jealous sometimes

A guy who likes you – introverted or not – will quickly get jealous of a possible rival. As for introverts, they show this jealousy a little differently.

Here are some signs that he’s a little jelly:

• He sulks whenever you talk of another guy. He can’t help but frown or look uncomfortable whenever you talk about a date.
• …Or he’s very curious about the other guy. Some introverts may stay quiet when you talk about somebody else, but some may end up asking more about this guy.
• He sends messages to you now more than ever. Introverted guys like getting out of the communication loop from time to time. But if he’s jealous, he might end up messaging you more than usual.
• He’ll pop up unknowingly. Introverts like their space. But when they’re jealous, they’ll be on the lookout for their rivals. You’ll be surprised by how often you see them! They’ll still keep some distance, though, especially if it’s a big social gathering.
• He acts the complete opposite. One day he’s talking to you nonstop, the next day, he’s almost mute. It may be a sign of jealousy, but remember, introverts like interaction time-outs from time to time.

12) He’ll try to get physical with you – in his own introverted way

Most guys don’t have a problem holding your hand or wrapping their arms around you.

For introverts, however, this physicality is a big issue. They find it hard being with a lot of people, much more being in contact with them.

That said, an introverted guy who likes you will try to push the boundaries. He’ll make an effort to be physical with you – at least in his little way.

He often gets close to you

He may start by sitting next to or close to you. You might not notice it at first, but he tries to be near you during conferences, meetings, and whatnot.

Remember: it’s a big step for him as introverts value their own space. Their trademark characteristic is wanting to be left alone, after all.

So if the introverted guy tries to get close to you most of the time – it’s a good sign that he adores you.

He ‘accidentally’ touches you

What might be a minor ‘accident’ to you may be something significant to him. A simple brush of the arm – or the hands – may be his way to get a little physical with you.

He’s doing things he doesn’t usually do

Yes, whispering is quite usual for most. But for introverts, this encroaches on their personal space.

So if you often find this introverted guy whispering things to you – no matter how platonic – it may be his way of getting closer than ever.

13) He’ll invite you to do things with him

Getting an invite from an introverted guy is a major sign that he’s into you. He is, after all, more comfortable doing things alone. He dislikes socializing with those he doesn’t know well.

That said, he does go out with a select number of people. These include close family, select friends, and obviously, someone he likes (yes, you!)

Unlike other guys, an introvert will invite you to do more signs that he’s a little jelly. So don’t expect him to ask you out to a crowded bar. Instead, he may nudge you to:

• Take up a new language
• Volunteer at an animal shelter
• Tend to a local garden
• Travel with him

Introverted guys are not always ‘inactive,’ though. They love moving too, so don’t be surprised if they ask you out to do any of the following:

• Yoga
• Running
• Mountain biking
• Golfing
• Bowling
• Ice skating

Remember: getting an introvert out of the house to do something with somebody is a hurdle by itself. But if he’s willing to do this for you, then it’s a sign that he likes you.

14) He’ll let you inside his private fortress (a.k.a. his home)

For an introverted guy, his home is his fortress. Unless you are special to him, you won’t get past the door.

So apart from doing the things mentioned above with you, he could take things up a notch by inviting you inside his home.

Unlike most guys, introverts don’t go in for the kill right away. Instead, this invite may be his way for you to share his other hobbies, such as:

• Reading books or listening to podcasts
• Playing chess or doing puzzles
• Watching documentaries
• Cooking superb dishes

You may be expecting something more intimate, but know that letting you inside his home is already a big step for him. So if he does this, then he’s definitely into you.

15) He’ll try to explore new things with you

Introverts don’t like socializing in big crowds. But even if he prefers doing the ‘solitary’ things I’ve mentioned above, he’ll try other things for you.

This doesn’t mean that you should expect him to try an uncomfortable situation right away!

That means no big parties! Ease him in by bringing him to a smaller or more intimate get-together. Maybe you can work your way up there.

It’s important to remember, however, that this exploration may take some time. You can’t expect him to acclimatize to a group – no matter how small – as fast as other guys do.

Likewise, you should respect his decision if he wants to take some time off from these new things. As mentioned, introverts require some downtime from the hurly-burly of it all.

Should he decide not to push through with these new things, don’t feel bad. Just think of all the efforts he made! He likes you enough to break out of his introverted shell.