How to View Hidden Profile Photos

[Christopher187]

So, I'm as irritated about this as everyone else.  I learned that the profile photo is hidden using site cookies.  So, actually the person's profile photo is visible to everyone EXCEPT the host receiving the request/inquiry. 

If using Chrome, just right click on the person's name and select "Open link in incognito window".  Then you will be able to see their profile photo, if they have one.

[Rebecca160]

@Helen3If I am unable to see a potential guest's photo prior to booking, then I will not accept their request to stay. Let us say that I did make accept a guest with no picture and then required a photo after the booking and the guest uploads a photo of their cat. And then I make several requests for them to upload a clear picture of themselves and they do not change the picture and show up at my door. How will I know that the person showing up matches the person who booked (I have gotten 3rd party bookings before and rejected them)? What would I do if the person showing up is one who is intent on doing me harm (as in a previous stalker)? What would I do if the person showing up is in a wheelchair and would be physically unable to enter my home (I am a disability advocate, yet my home is inaccessible to thos in wheelchairs.)

If you cancel a booking after a photo is sent, it counts against you as a cancellation and one would lose their superhost status for a year.  And I just discovered that if you do not accept a booking when there is no profile and no profile photo and no reviews, that it counts as a CANCELLATION. Super mad about this and will post on it separately.

[Helen3]

Clearly what you would do, is what you do do before the system changed. Ask airbnb to cancel the booking. Simple.

You are wrong I am afraid. You would not lose your superhost status by cancelling. Why do you think that?

[Sarah977]

@Helen3  If it goes in as a host cancellation, yes, you lose Superhost. As opposed to a decline, which doesn't affect it. The requirement for Superhost is zero cancellations.

[Helen3]

Sorry @Sarah977 you are not correct on this. 

If for example once you saw the photo the guest was carrying a gun or wearing Nazi clothing for example, you would ask airbnb to cancel the booking as you are uncomfortable with the guest.

YOU would not be cancelling the booking you would be asking Airbnb to do this as you are uncomfortable with the guest.

As you don't believe me, why not check this with airbnb directly.

[Sarah977]

@Helen3   Oh, I don't not believe that- I said if it goes in as a host cancellation- like if a host doesn't know not to contact Airbnb and just cancels the reservation themselves.

But this whole not being able to see a guest's profile until after  a booking is confirmed, and then having to contact Airbnb to cancel if not comfortable,  just adds more time and hassle for hosts. 

Guests have the freedom to peruse the listings and book any property they want- can take a matter of minutes. But hosts can't cancel without having to spend maybe an hour of their time contacting airbnb, waiting on hold, to get a booking cancelled without penalties? That's just so unfair.

[Helen3]

Again our experiences are very different @Sarah977

1. i have only had to cancel one guests in hundreds who have booked over three years. Someone who wanted to bring a baby and animal when I accept neither.

2. This happened recently and took I would say no more than three minutes.

Realistically i don't believe this change of seeing a guest photo post rather than prebooking is going to have much impact .  I can't imagine that there are going to be thousands and thousands of hosts rushing to cancel a booking because they feel uncomfortable with a guest photo.

[Sarah977]

@Helen3  I've never canceled any booking or booking request in 2 and a half years of hosting. All my guests had clear profile photos, if they now don't, and we can't see them, I will use up far more of my time messaging with them to feel comfortable with them before accepting, while the clock ticks, then I'll be forced to accept even if they don't answer in time, otherwise start having declines showing up on my account.

There suddenly being thousands more cancellations isn't the point. And I don't think it's the point that most other hosts are making either in objecting to this policy. It's  a matter that a platform that claims to be build on sharing and honestly has moved towards non-transpárency. It's expecting us to just allow anyone into our homes who wants to to book without us being able to see their photo- they can see mine. It's putting all the power in the hands of the guest and taking tools away from hosts. I realize you have no objection to this, but others obviously do.

And the few times I've had to call Airbnb for other matters, it took no less than an hour to wait on hold, then try to get the CS rep to even understand what I was calling about, and in the end, they were entirely unhelpful. So I wouldn't look forward to having to spend that much time to have a reservation cancelled if necessary.

[Patricia1382]

This is the point I brought up with them , guests see everything about us and our homes , we get to see nothing ? 

[Emma97]

Thank you Christopher

We can also see the photos when a guest have a review, the photo is visible on thier previous host's profil

Hiding the photos is against the "community'" thing airbnb wants us to creat

Also, the very few guests who do not want us to see their photo do not put theire photos anyway

The others, the majorty, dont mind, since have posted their photos, so why would airbnb decide "on their behalf" to hide thier photos??

There should be at least an oprion, for the guest to choose, "show photo....." or not.....

The problem is i think because those who program the site, do not host in real, otherwoise, many things wont be programmed this way

[Patricia1382]

You make some really good points 

[Lynda148]

This surprises me - I can see profile pics of people when they enquire and when they book. I am in favour of this.  

I suppose it allows racism, ageism etc but if the host has prejudices, the guest is better rejected before booking is complete than on the doorstep.

This is in Australia in case that’s relevant.

[Ocean0]

Do you know how to do it in Safari?

[Christopher187]

Unfortunately, it didn't take the idiots at Airbnb very long to close the loophole.  I can no longer view profile photos by going incognito.  

The last remaining way that I know of to view profile photos, is to see if the guest ever left a review for another host.  By viewing that host's reviews, you will be able to see a thumbnail of the guest.

Clearly this photo hiding idea is terrible and universally hated by hosts.  It doesn't seem sustainable.  If not changed, I would not be surprised to see a third party rating site emerge.  Since Airbnb won't let us have actual guest ratings, and now won't even let us see the guest, something will have to give.

We're now going to have to vet guests even harder.  We do video chats when possible and we simply won't go for shorter, lower dollar bookings.  Given the resources we have to put into vetting guests, smaller bookings are simply not feasible.  

[Emma97]

Hi Christopher, totaly agree that this is very silly not allowing us see the photos and this is against the "community" thing airbnb want us to creat and it is also against the willing of the majority of guests who do accept to show their photos since they put them...

We should all decide to stop accepting bookings, unless we get the photo that the guest will have to send, this way airbnb can maybe reconsider this silly policy

i also found this other way  you mentioned of seeing the photos and already wrote it in my previous message you can see here, but many dont leave a review so wont have a photo

i since then stopped even recieving messages from guests so maybe airbnb did not like what we said so stoped showing our listings... 

[Dan586]

Did they already block it because I tried opening in the incognito window and still couldn't see their pic