Handshake Ideas With Friends: 25 Secret Handshakes

7 min read · Aura

The best handshake ideas with friends mix three to six simple moves (a slap, a snap, a bump, a spin or a pose) into a sequence that ends with something that feels like you. Below are 25 secret handshakes, written step by step and sorted from easy to "we practiced this for a week," so you can actually learn one instead of squinting at a blurry TikTok.

A good handshake is also a tiny confidence flex: if you freeze or go stiff when people are watching, Aura finds whether your body language is leaking and gives you one small move a day to loosen up: Find my aura leak.

How to make a handshake that sticks

Before the list, a few rules for making your own secret handshake:

1. Keep it to 4-8 moves. Longer than that and someone always forgets step six.
2. Start with something normal. A regular shake or a dap, so it's easy to launch in public.
3. Put the signature move at the end. The ending is what people remember.
4. Add an inside joke. A move that references something only you two get.
5. Say the steps out loud while learning. "Slap, slap, bump, snap, spin." Rhythm makes it stick.

Handshake moves list (the building blocks)

Mix and match these and you can build hundreds of cool handshakes.

Easy two-person handshakes (easy handshake ideas)

Great for beginners, new friends or doing it in the hallway without holding people up.

1. The Classic Dap. Clasp hands, pull in, bump shoulders, let go with a snap.
2. High-Low-Too-Slow. High five, low five, one person pulls away, both laugh. Then do a real fist bump.
3. Bump and Explode. Fist bump, both open your hands and wiggle fingers while pulling back ("explode").
4. Snap Back. Regular handshake, slide palms apart, both snap at the same time.
5. Elbow Twin. Right elbow bump, left elbow bump, finger-guns at each other.
6. The Salute. High five, then both do a two-finger salute from the eyebrow.
7. Thumb Kiss. Clasp hands in thumb-war grip, touch thumbs, pull away with a point.

Secret handshakes for best friends

These are your bff handshake options: longer, weirder and personal. Perfect handshake ideas for best friends who see each other every day.

8. The Mirror. High five right, high five left, both hands together, then pretend to wipe a mirror in sync, and finish with a fist bump.
9. The Heart. Fist bump, snap, then each person makes half a heart with their hands and you join them.
10. The Pinky Promise. Pinky lock, twist, thumbs touch, pull away and point at each other: "you know."
11. The Hair Flip. Clap, clap, hip bump, then a dramatic synchronized hair flip. A favorite for best friend handshakes for girls, but honestly anyone can hair flip.
12. The Tea Sip. Handshake, snap, both pretend to sip tea with a raised pinky, then nod. Great for friends who share gossip... sorry, "updates."
13. The Rocket. Low five, high five, both hands clasp, then pull apart with a whoosh sound and point to the sky.
14. The Mind Reader. Touch index fingers to temples, point at each other, then do whatever move you "guess" the other will do. When you match, it's legendary.
15. The Double Dap. Dap right hand, dap left hand, cross arms and dap both at once, then step back and nod.

Handshake ideas for couples

Some of these work for couples too, especially The Heart and The Pinky Promise. Keep it cute, keep it short, and don't make your friends watch it 40 times.

Team and squad handshakes (handshakes for 3 people or more)

Group handshake ideas work best with a leader who calls the moves.

16. The Triangle (3 people). Everyone fist bumps in the center, then each person high fives the person on their right, then all point up.
17. The Wave (4+ people). Stand in a line. First person high fives the second, second the third, and so on down the line, then the last person yells a word and everyone poses.
18. The Stack. Everyone puts a hand in the middle, stacks up, counts "3, 2, 1," then throws hands up. Classic team handshake idea before a game.
19. The Tunnel. Two people make an arch with high fives, and the others duck through and pose on the other side.
20. The Circle Snap. Stand in a circle. Everyone snaps in order around the circle, as fast as you can, then one big group clap.
21. The Squad Pose. Everyone does their own signature move at the same time (spin, salute, finger-guns), then freezes for a photo.

Viral handshake trends (cool handshakes to do in 2026)

Handshake trends come and go on TikTok and Reels, so these are formats, not exact copies of any one video.

22. The Speed Run. Pick any handshake above and do it three times, faster each time. The final round always falls apart, which is the fun part.
23. The Blindfold Test. Do your secret handshake with eyes closed. If you nail it, you're certified best friends.
24. The Teach-a-Stranger. Teach your handshake to someone new (a sibling, a teacher who's up for it) and film the attempt.
25. The Sports Tribute. Recreate a famous team celebration or a pregame handshake you've seen from pro athletes, and add your own ending.

Teaching it without it being cringe

Here's the part no list tells you: the handshake itself is rarely cringe. What makes it cringe is hesitating. Half-committing, looking around to see who's watching, going stiff halfway through. Full commitment turns a silly move into a flex.

How to teach and do it well:

• Teach it slowly, in chunks. Two moves at a time, then add the next.
• Practice it privately first. Your room, the bus stop, the group chat video call.
• Do it with energy. Smile, look at your friend, not the crowd.
• Laugh when you mess up. Messing up together is half the point.
• Know your audience. A 12-step routine in the middle of a funeral? No. Before a match or at lunch? Absolutely.

If you notice you get stiff, awkward or small when people might be watching, that's not about the handshake. It's about how your body reacts to attention, and it shows up in other places too.

Freezing up when eyes are on you is hard to spot yourself, because it feels normal from the inside. Aura's 16-question quiz checks for things like body language that gives you away and shrinking when you walk in, then gives you one small move a day, like keeping your shoulders open when people are watching, with a one-tap check-in at night to track your streak. Find my aura leak

A secret handshake is also a small way to hype a friend. Doing it loudly before their big moment says "I've got you." More ideas on that in how to hype up your friends. And if you're making new friends right now, a simple handshake can be an easy icebreaker; how to not be awkward when meeting new people covers the rest of that first chat.

Pull off any handshake with more aura

The best handshake ideas with friends only work if you do them with zero hesitation. Aura's two-minute quiz finds where your aura leaks, from body language to shrinking when you walk in, and gives you a 14-move plan with one small thing a day and a streak to keep you going. Pay once, nothing to cancel, and it works on your phone.

Find my aura leak

FAQ

What are some easy handshake ideas for friends?

Start with a dap and a snap, a fist bump that "explodes," or high five, low five, fist bump. Three or four moves is plenty for a first handshake. Once you've got it down, add a signature ending.

How do you make a secret handshake with your best friend?

Pick four to eight moves from the building blocks (slaps, snaps, bumps, spins, poses), put the most personal one at the end and add an inside joke move. Say the steps out loud while practicing so the rhythm sticks.

What are good handshakes for 3 people?

The Triangle works well: center fist bump, high five to the right, all point up. The Stack and The Circle Snap also work for three or more. Have one person call the moves while you learn.

What's a cool handshake for a sports team?

The Stack (hands in, count down, throw hands up) is a classic for a reason. For something more original, try The Wave down a line of teammates, ending with a team word and a pose.

How do you do a secret handshake without looking cringe?

Commit fully. Hesitating and glancing around is what looks awkward, not the moves. Smile, focus on your friend and laugh if it falls apart; confidence makes anything look cool.