How To Make A Guy Miss You – 13 Simple Yet Practical Tips

A fading emotional connection, a major crush, or a hasty breakup—all these scenarios have one thing in common! In all three, you catch yourself thinking, “How to make a guy miss you?” Is it possible to make a man miss you, without being too overbearing and playing it cool? I get it, completely.

My relationships too have been a lot like the maze of chutes and ladders. There were days of romantic goodness sweeping me off my feet. And then the rough patches hit, and it felt like with every moment my partner was drifting away. The phone calls became lesser, and conversations sounded forced and half-hearted. That is when I wondered if he is actually emotionally invested in us, or is the relationship heading south? That is when I started to look for ways to be absent and away from him, so I could see if he misses me or his life goes on as usual.

Sounds like your dilemma too? Well, if your guy falls short of meeting your yearning for affection and appreciation, there’s a lot you can do to turn the tables. No scheming. Nothing sneaky. Just a few harmless psychological tricks to make him want you more and be more grateful for the bond you share. I have also tried most of them, and they do work. Before I get in the details, let us decode what really makes a man miss his woman?

What Makes A Man Miss A Woman? 

The other day, my friend Haley admitted she’d made a huge mistake ending her relationship in a snap. “Does he think about me at all? How do I make him feel my absence?”—she sounded desperate. 

Honestly, her ex is probably walking around with a Haley-shaped hole in his heart. A study published by Cambridge University Press even suggests that men suffer more than women after a breakup. Since men and emotional vulnerability don’t exactly go hand in hand, those feelings could take their sweet time to surface. 

Meanwhile, let’s decode the male psychology behind what makes a guy miss you:

• Intensity of the relationship: The way he values your romantic bond plays a huge role in how badly he will miss you in separation. According to a study, it’s the level of commitment that determines whether a person would miss their ex-partner. The loyalty and devotion motivate them to go that extra mile to make things work. 
• Attachment style: If your man tends to get anxiously attached, a slight drop in your energy can be unsettling for him. People with an avoidant attachment style are often misunderstood for having a stone-cold heart. In reality, he is only better at hiding his feelings from everyone around him. Research confirms that avoidant men suffer nearly the same emotional turmoil as avoidant women. 
• Your impact on his life: Do you know what makes a guy miss you without talking to him? It’s your unique presence in his life that’s pretty much irreplaceable. Your warmth, your kindness, the memories you gathered, the traditions you built together—it will all leave a lingering impression in his heart. 
• Zeigarnik effect: As the Gottman Institute elaborates, the  Zeigarnik effect is a psychological phenomenon of remembering “uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks.” That holds good for relationships as well. For instance, a lack of closure after a breakup, or a connection that got nipped in the bud. The classic male impulse to chase what he can’t attain makes him miss you even more.

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When Does A Man Start To Miss A Woman? 

There’s a popular theory on the internet that it takes men at least 8 weeks to start missing their woman after a fight or breakup. But human emotions don’t exactly function like clockwork. 

Here are a few possible scenarios that can activate his attachment triggers and make a man start to miss his girl:

• When nostalgia takes over, and he reminisces about your time together
• When the first pang of losing you finally hit him hard, seeing you move on and thrive without him
• When, in a moment of weakness, he realizes how much he relied on your strength and support
• When every date disappoints him because no one can match your chemistry

13 Tips On How To Make A Guy Miss You

Now that you know the loopholes to find your way back to your partner’s heart, it’s time for some action. Fair warning: we are not handing out a quick fix on how to make a guy miss you. Whether it’s the long distance ripping you apart or the silence after a fight, every situation is delicate and unique in its own way. 

So, patience, my friend! Follow our lead, and you will find out exactly how to make him miss you:

1. Reduce contact strategically  

Research reveals that a perfectly good relationship can slowly collapse with a lack of interaction. So, we don’t suggest implementing the no contact rule just yet. Let’s begin with some good old communication boundaries and observe how he responds:

• Match his energy. If he is a one-word texter, don’t bother him with your heartfelt paragraphs
• Don’t jump in to answer his calls and messages immediately 
• Consciously reduce the frequency of your daily back-and-forths 
• Don’t be the first one to initiate every interaction and the last one to end it 

2. Return to the life you had before him 

Let’s play some psychological tricks to make him miss you. So far, he’s only seen one version of you—the girl whose days revolve around her boyfriend. You might not seem emotionally stimulating enough to him, since you have always prioritized him. Care to break the pattern? 

Start dressing up more often, but this time for yourself. Hang out with your girls, take solo trips, learn something new, like scuba diving. Be the fun, free soul you were before worrying about a boy sidelining her. He will take notice of you and come back rushing, now more than ever!

3. Don’t underestimate the power of ‘no’

As someone fond of her boyfriend, I always adjusted my schedule depending on when he can make time for me. I’d cancel my plans just to accommodate his last minute changes. You see, I cared too much.

As yourself –

• Do you always meet up at his convenience?
• Is he the one who picks the restaurants or which movie to watch?
• Does he often text you suddenly canceling a date saying something urgent has come up?
• Is he always calling the shots when it comes to you too?

We thought so! How about you take control of your own choices? Cancel the next date politely. Tell him you want to meet at that coffee shop you have always loved. Just start being vocal about your schedule, life, and choices.

Being at his constant beck and call 24×7 won’t win you any brownie points. Start saying “no” even at the risk of him being offended. He will have a newfound respect for you when you finally hold your ground.

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4. Respect his personal space 

I once dated a red flag who was a festival of excuses. This busy bee couldn’t reply to a couple of texts throughout the day. I spent three months waiting for the blank screen to light up, until I couldn’t anymore. 

So, how to make a guy think about you constantly? He asks for his space; you let him have it. The long gaps will only amplify your existence, giving him time to miss you. Here’s how:

• Keep in touch just enough to be present in his mind. Not more, not less
• Limit your emotional dependency on him
• If he wants to have a boys’ weekend, make peace with it
• Avoid doing the things that he finds clingy

5. Gift him experiences   

How to make a man miss you? Well, he can misplace the wallet you once got him. But the magical experiences you carefully created together? That’s bound to be etched in his heart far longer than anything materialistic. 

On that note, how do you feel about a romantic fall picnic in the park? If he isn’t quite the Bridgerton type, maybe you could take him to a concert by his favorite band. Or simply enjoy a quiet evening at home, baking fresh cookies. When the emotional distance grows, he will miss your company—trust us on this!

6. Don’t chase the relationship or him 

Right now, you are probably reaching out to him ten times a day, dropping by his office with home-cooked meals, nagging him for more ‘us’ time. And, he, in return, is simply taking your concern and care for granted. 

This is where the ‘scarcity effect’ comes into play: anything that’s rare and unavailable is always more appreciated by us humans. To make someone realize your absence, you need a solid pullback strategy. For instance:

• Minimize non-sexual physical affection 
• Don’t sound over-enthusiastic in conversations or overexplain yourself 
• Hold back your feelings for a while. Be a little indifferent to his emotional requirements

7. Leave something of yours with him 

Something very subtle yet meaningful—just a little reminder of your essence! You could recreate the Gossip Girl scene, and sew a heart charm on his sweater sleeve. It will be romantic as hell! 

Maybe return his book with a pressed flower inside. Leaving the shampoo bottle at his place is another clever move. When he smells the intoxicating scent of your hair, those love hormones will draw him back to you. 

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8. Press the jealousy button

The oldest trick in the book: make him jealous and want you more. Are you sick of his utter disregard for your feelings? Then here’s how to make him regret losing you—let’s resort to pretense! 

Introduce a third person in the story as ‘just a friend’. Show up with this guy at some parties, long enough for your mutual acquaintances to notice and spread the word. Post a few pictures with your ‘new friend’. And the ball will start rolling. It won’t be long before you receive the midnight “I miss you” text. 

9. Be the kind of person he would turn to in good times and bad

When you are feeling consistently neglected, it’s easy to go down the rabbit hole. You become a person who nags, throws tantrums, or fights over the minor things. If anything, your sour mood will push him further away. So, here’s how to make him chase you without compromising on your dignity:

• Be supportive of his life choices and celebrate his wins!
• Compliment him just because
• Don’t miss a chance to look your best when he is around
• Drip confidence in your every move
• Flaunt your delightful, life-affirming, goofy side that he can barely resist

10. Keep him curious!

Does your office crush give no clue about what’s going on inside that handsome head of his? At this point, you must be this close to black magic just to steal his attention. Hold your horses because we know exactly how to make your crush miss you. Mystery and space in relationships are often the glue that pulls two people closer. 

End calls with a lingering suspense, “I’ve got to run. I have to be somewhere in an hour…” Share just the tempting highlights of your day: “You should see the dress I got for the party. It hugs me in all the right places!” Also, don’t flood Instagram with a 20-slide carousel. Pick the aesthetic, thoughtful ones, and leave the rest to his imagination.

11. Text smart, not needy

Not sure how to make a guy miss you over text? The trick is to sprinkle your feelings across ten messages instead of pouring everything into one. To rebuild emotional attraction, he has to know you are still sweet on him. Just keep it light and playful. Here are a few texts to make him miss you:

• “Miss our talks”
• “Stop distracting me with that smile!”
• “The sunset today reminded me of our last evening together”
• Some funny couple memes he might find relatable 

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12. Appreciate your true worth

If you can’t embrace yourself wholeheartedly, how do you expect him to miss you? Value building is your ultimate goal to win over anyone—be it a person, a relationship, or even a breakup. You have to first learn to love yourself, even when you are in a relationship with someone.

As a high-value woman confident in her abilities, a man’s indifference can’t shake you to the core. Shine no matter what; grow as nothing can stop you. Give him a chance to see how your presence can elevate his life for good. Eventually, it will transform your relationship dynamic.

13. Take the high road and withdraw yourself 

If the situation is going south every day, and it’s your self-respect and dignity on the line, call for desperate measures. Walk away and make him miss you. Deliberately cut off communication. Keep your distance when your paths cross. Then sit tight. If he can own responsibility for his mess and come back, it will be worth the wait.

Knowing you are missed and desired is pure emotional bliss. You are not completely out of line for craving the same energy and attention from your man. Tailor our suggestion to fit your current situation. And let us know which ‘how to make a guy miss you’ tip finally helped you win him back!

Infographic- 13 Simple Yet Practical Ways To Make A Man Miss You

Frequently Asked Questions On How To Make A Man Miss You