10 Handshake Alternatives (and Which One to Use Where)

From fist bumps to the hand-on-heart, 10 handshake alternatives that keep the warmth, plus what to say when someone's hand is already out.

Time for the dreaded handshake.

Maybe you’re getting over a cold. Maybe the person approaching you just sneezed into their palm. Or maybe you simply prefer less physical contact (totally fair!).

Whatever the reason, you need a hello that still feels warm. And you need it in about two seconds!

What Are Handshake Alternatives?

Handshake alternatives are greeting gestures that replace the traditional palm-to-palm handshake, also known as no-touch or low-touch greetings. These alternatives range from fist bumps and elbow taps to waves, nods, and culturally specific gestures like the bow or hand-on-heart. They allow you to warmly acknowledge someone without full hand contact.

The good news? You have LOTS of options!

Here’s how to keep the warmth without the germs, and what to do when a hand is already hanging in the air.

What a Handshake Does That Your Alternative Has to Replace

What is a handshake actually doing for you? (Turns out… a lot.)

A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology by researchers at Harvard Business School and UC Berkeley found that negotiating pairs who shook hands first reached better outcomes for both sides. They revealed their real preferences more openly and lied about them less.¹

So how many pairs do you think shook hands without being told to?

A. 30% B. 50% C. 80%

Did you guess A? Only about 30% of pairs shook hands on their own, and those pairs did better.²

But when a partner’s handshake came with a sign that they were sick, it lowered cooperation.¹

So the handshake is really a message: I’m friendly, and I’m here to work with you.

You still need that sense of connection even when you don’t want a handshake. The alternatives below get at the same warmth through eye contact, open body language, and less awkwardness than saying, “Umm… no thanks?”

Handshake Alternatives That Keep the Warmth

#1. The Fist Bump

Fist bumps get written off as unprofessional. But that’s not always the case! They’re also the cleanest greeting anyone has actually measured.

Researchers at Aberystwyth University found that fist bumps transferred roughly 90% fewer bacteria than handshakes,³ and even a high five cut the transfer about in half.⁴ Less skin touches, and it’s over faster. A firmer handshake grip actually transfers MORE bacteria.

How to do it:

1. Make a relaxed fist (not clenched tight) while you’re still 3 to 5 feet away so the other person can see your intention
2. Extend your fist at about waist height
3. Give a light, quick tap, one second at most
4. Pair it with a smile and eye contact

Any extras like fireworks or fiddly fingers at the end, and that’s a bonus.

Best for: Colleagues, casual professional settings, anyone you’ve met before. Probably not a good idea after you’ve been given a raise.

Action Step: Next time a coworker extends their hand, try offering a fist instead. Say something like, “I’m a fist-bump person!” Most people laugh and match you immediately.

#2. The Head Nod

The nod works at any distance, needs no physical contact, and says one thing clearly: I see you.

The key is TIMING. When someone is approaching and still at least 3 feet away, give them a deliberate nod before they can extend their hand. This shows you’ve already acknowledged them, which makes a handshake feel unnecessary.

Direction matters more than you think:

• A downward nod is the more formal version. Use this with bosses, clients, and people you’re meeting for the first time.
• An upward nod is the casual version. Reserve this for people you already know, like the coworker you pass at the coffee machine every morning.

Pro Tip: Keep the nods going once the conversation starts. A slow nod while the other person talks tells them you’re following. It works like a green light to keep talking. It also gives your head something to do besides wondering whether you should have shaken their hand!

#3. The Smile and Wave

A wave works from across a parking lot… or across a crowded video call. Pair it with a big, genuine smile and it’s one of the warmest greetings you can give, no contact required!

It’s my go-to when I spot someone I know across the room… much better than an awkward speed-walk over.

How to do it:

1. Make eye contact first
2. Smile genuinely (a real smile engages the muscles around your eyes as well as your mouth)
3. Raise one hand to about shoulder height with fingers relaxed and open
4. Give 2 to 3 small waves, loose and relaxed (nothing frantic or robotic)
5. Add a slight eyebrow raise for extra warmth (more on that next)

Best for: Group settings, virtual meetings, arriving at a party, greeting someone across a room.

A big, genuine smile paired with a wave is one of the warmest greetings you can give, and it needs no contact.

#4. The Eyebrow Flash

Ever noticed someone’s eyebrows jump the second they spot you? In footage from three very different cultures, people raised their eyebrows the same quick way. They held the raise a beat longer when saying hello than mid-conversation, and they usually added a smile.⁵

It’s especially handy across a room, where a smile alone is easy to miss. It tells the person you’ve spotted them.

How to do it:

1. Lock eyes with the person you want to greet
2. Quickly raise both eyebrows (it should feel natural and understated)
3. Let them drop back immediately, so the whole thing takes less than a second
4. Pair it with a smile or nod for maximum warmth

Cultural note: In formal settings in other cultures such as Japan, a bow or a nod might be the safer choice.

Best for: Long-distance acknowledgment, pairing with any other greeting on this list, and making someone feel instantly recognized.

#5. The Elbow Bump

The elbow bump has a longer history than most people realize. Fun fact: it had a trial run long before 2020. In 2006, with bird flu in the headlines, the World Health Organization was already suggesting people greet each other elbow to elbow.⁶

In 2020, the U.S. Surgeon General walked into a school of public health and greeted a whole line of people with elbow bumps instead of handshakes.⁷

Then the head of the WHO pumped the brakes. Elbow bumps still put you within a meter of the other person, he pointed out, and he’d taken to greeting people with a hand on his heart.⁸ (It doesn’t help that the elbow is also where everyone’s been told to cough.)

How to do it:

1. Bend your arm at a 90-degree angle
2. Gently tap the outside of your elbow against the other person’s elbow
3. Keep it light. It’s a tap, not a collision
4. Smile through it (the slight awkwardness is part of its charm)

Adding an extra “Elbows!” might be a fun way to make things less awkward.

Best for: Semi-formal situations where you want some physical connection. Works well when someone extends a hand and you need a quick pivot.

#6. The Foot Tap

The foot tap, sometimes called the “Wuhan Shake,” went viral in early 2020 when videos from Wuhan, China showed people tapping feet together as a playful, touch-free greeting. Within weeks, even OPEC’s secretary general was filmed doing it.⁹

It’s largely faded from everyday use, but it remains a fun option when you want to break the ice with humor.

How to do it:

1. Extend one foot forward (keep your balance!)
2. Lightly tap the side of your foot against the other person’s foot
3. Say something like, “Let’s skip the germs. Foot tap?” to cue them in

Best for: Lighthearted moments with friends or colleagues who appreciate humor. Not recommended for formal professional settings or first meetings.

#7. The Bow

Bowing communicates respect without any physical contact. In Japan, there are three distinct levels¹⁰:

• Eshaku (15°) is for people of equal rank
• Keirei (30°) is for a boss or a teacher
• Saikeirei (45°+) is for a formal apology or the deepest respect

In Western contexts, you don’t need to follow these precise angles. A slight dip of the head and shoulders, more than a nod and less than a full bow, conveys warmth and respect.

How to do it:

1. Make brief eye contact first
2. Dip your head and upper body slightly forward (about 15 degrees for casual settings)
3. Keep your back straight, arms relaxed at your sides
4. Return to upright after about one second

Best for: International business, formal occasions, meeting elders, or any situation where you want to show extra respect.

#8. The Hand-on-Heart

Placing your right hand over your heart is a long-standing greeting among many Muslims, and in more conservative parts of Iran it’s more common than a kiss on the cheek. It’s a sign of respect and warmth.⁸ It’s especially useful in contexts where physical touch between genders may not be appropriate.

In a set of experiments, people photographed with a hand on their heart were described as more honest, and looked more trustworthy, than the same people making a neutral gesture. Putting a hand on your own heart made people less likely to cheat, too.¹¹

It feels warm because it looks like you mean the greeting.

How to do it:

1. Place your right hand flat over your heart
2. Make eye contact and smile
3. Give a slight nod of the head
4. You can add a verbal greeting: “So good to see you” or “It’s a pleasure”

Best for: Cross-cultural settings, formal situations, and when you want to convey sincerity without touch. Meeting a new client whose greeting style you don’t know yet? Start here.

#9. The Namaste

Derived from Sanskrit, “namaste” translates to “I bow to you.” The gesture involves pressing your palms together at chest height and giving a slight bow.

A note on cultural sensitivity: Namaste carries spiritual significance in Hindu and South Asian traditions. The Western yoga-studio interpretation (“the light in me recognizes the light in you”) is a modern reinterpretation. If you use this greeting, do so with genuine respect for its origins, and never as a trendy alternative or a punchline.

Best for: Yoga settings, interactions with South Asian colleagues or clients where it’s contextually appropriate, or situations where both parties understand and respect the gesture.

#10. The Air Hug

I’m a big fan of air hugs. Sometimes you spot a friend heading your way with open arms and you’d rather keep your distance, and the air hug lets you match their energy without the contact.

How to do it:

1. Open your arms wide like you’re going in for a hug
2. Stop at about arm’s length
3. Mime the hug with a big smile
4. Cheerfully say, “Air hug!” The playfulness is what keeps it warm instead of rejecting

It’s a little silly, but that’s totally the point. When’s the last time you air hugged someone?

Best for: Friends, family, and people you’re genuinely happy to see but want to greet from a distance.

Which Alternative Fits the Moment

So which one should you use?! It depends on where you are and who’s walking toward you. Here’s a cheat sheet you can screenshot:

The moment	First choice	Backup	What to say
Job interview	Shake if they offer; otherwise a nod and smile	Hand-on-heart	“Thanks so much for having me.”
First meeting with a client or boss	Downward nod with a verbal greeting	Slight bow	“It’s great to finally meet you in person.”
Conference or networking event	Fist bump	Wave	“Fist bump? I’ve shaken about 200 hands today.”
You’re sick	Hand-on-heart or wave	Nod	“I’m fighting something off, so I’ll wave from here. So good to meet you!”
Cross-cultural or religious setting	Wait for their lead, then hand-on-heart or a slight bow	Smile and a verbal greeting	“It’s an honor to meet you.”
Video call	Wave at the camera	Eyebrow flash and smile	“Hi everyone, great to see you.”
A friend going in for a hug	Air hug	Elbow bump	“Air hug!”

About that “You’re sick” row: a fist bump still isn’t germ-free. In a lab simulation of greetings, virus moved from one hand to the other in 91% of handshakes, and it still moved in 59% of fist bumps.¹² So if you’re the one who’s sick, the kind choice is a greeting with no contact at all.

And about the job interview row? Plenty of interviewers still offer a handshake by default. If they do and you’re healthy, taking it is the easy call. The alternatives are for when you have a reason… and you don’t owe anyone more than ONE warm line.

Action Step: Pick your “sick day” greeting now, before you need it. Say the script out loud once in the car. Then it comes out naturally when a hand is already coming at you!

How to Politely Decline a Handshake

Show your intention before someone extends their hand. Once a hand is hanging in the air, the awkwardness has already started.

The Pre-Empt Method:

1. Smile and make eye contact while the person is still approaching. Positive nonverbal cues signal friendliness before you even speak
2. Lead with a warm verbal greeting: “It’s so great to meet you!” or “Hello! I’ve been looking forward to this.”
3. Offer your alternative gesture immediately. A wave, a hand on your heart, or a fist bump fills the social gap so the other person doesn’t feel rejected.

If someone already has their hand out:

• Acknowledge it with warmth: “I appreciate that! I’m getting over a cold, so I’ll spare you the germs.” Then offer a fist bump or wave.
• Or keep it simple: “I’m a fist-bump person, keeps us both healthy!” (said with a genuine smile)

Scripts that work:

• “Let’s do the germ-free version!” (offer a fist bump or wave)
• “I’m fighting off a cold. Elbow bump?” (gives them a reason and an alternative)
• “Great to meet you!” (paired with a hand-on-heart gesture, no explanation needed)

As long as you make someone feel acknowledged, you can skip the handshake without anyone feeling snubbed.

Show your intention before someone extends their hand. Once a hand is hanging in the air, the awkwardness has already started.

Action Step: Pick one alternative from this list and practice it at your next meeting or social event. The more naturally you offer it, the less anyone will notice the handshake didn’t happen.

When Someone Doesn’t Shake Your Hand

Your hand is out. The other person smiles, touches their chest, and nods. And your hand is… still out.

Um… now what?!

If that happens, you can lower it into a small wave or bring it to your own chest. Then keep talking: “So good to meet you! How was the drive in?” The faster you move on, the faster the moment disappears for both of you.

And it happens more than you’d think! More than one in five Americans say they aren’t comfortable with physical contact when they greet someone.¹³

Some people have religious reasons. Many Orthodox Jews, for example, avoid touching anyone of another gender outside their immediate family.¹⁴ Others might have arthritis in their hands, a newborn at home, surgery next week, or a sensory sensitivity that makes a stranger’s grip unpleasant.

Will you know which reason it is? Almost never, and you don’t need to. The declined handshake is about THEIR situation. Your job is to make the next 10 seconds easy.

What to do in the moment:

1. Turn the extended hand into a wave or a hand-on-heart
2. Say one warm line: “No problem at all, great to meet you!”
3. Ask a question right away, so the conversation is what they remember

Try This: If you’re hosting, greet the first few guests with a smile and a verbal hello before offering anything physical. People who’d rather not shake can match you, and people who want a handshake can still reach out.

Are Handshakes Still a Thing?

You bet… though the rules have loosened. Handshakes have largely returned in professional settings, and comfort levels vary more than they used to.

A 2024 survey found that 60% of Americans greet strangers with a handshake, while Gen Z tends to go for a smile when meeting someone new. Almost 30% of Gen Z say physical contact during a greeting feels awkward.¹³

A 2025 Harris Poll found that 65% of Gen Z say they had to relearn social skills after the pandemic, compared with 22% of Boomers.¹⁵ If greetings feel a little rusty for you, you’re in good company!

The safest move? Read the room and follow the other person’s lead.

Did they extend a hand? A handshake is the easy answer. Did they wave? A wave back works. The goal is matching their energy, and there’s no single ritual to enforce.

What Does a Handshake Symbolize?

So where did the handshake even come from? It’s one of humanity’s oldest gestures.

The most widely accepted theory is that extending the right hand showed you were unarmed. The up-and-down shaking motion may have been used to dislodge weapons hidden up a sleeve.

One of the earliest known depictions is a 9th-century BCE Assyrian relief. It shows King Shalmaneser III sealing an alliance with a Babylonian ruler. In ancient Greece, Homer’s epics describe handshakes as pledges of trust. Gravestones from the fifth and fourth centuries BCE often show the dead shaking hands.

In the 17th century, Quakers helped popularize the handshake as an egalitarian alternative to bowing or tipping a hat, treating everyone as equals regardless of social status.¹⁶ Today, it signals professionalism, respect, agreement (“sealing the deal”), and sportsmanship.

Greetings That Mean Something Different Abroad

Some gestures that seem universal carry very different meanings across cultures:

• Thumbs up: Means “great” in the US, but in places including Iran and Greece it’s roughly the equivalent of giving someone the middle finger.¹⁷ Avoid it in international or multicultural settings unless you’re certain of the context.
• The bow: Casual in the West, but in Japan the angle and duration carry specific social meaning. A too-deep bow to a junior colleague can create confusion.
• Namaste: Carries spiritual significance in Hindu traditions. Use it only with genuine respect for that meaning.

When greeting someone from a different cultural background, the safest default is a warm smile, eye contact, and a verbal greeting. Then follow their lead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the handshake emoji mean in texting?

The handshake emoji represents agreement, partnership, or mutual respect. Common uses include confirming plans, showing solidarity, acknowledging someone’s point, or signaling “no hard feelings” after a disagreement. On platforms like Slack or LinkedIn, it works as a polite “Nice to meet you” or “We have a deal.”

What is the 6 handshake rule?

The “Six Handshakes Rule” (or “Six Degrees of Separation”) is the idea that any two people on Earth are connected through a chain of about six people. It comes from a 1967 study known as the “Small World Experiment.” Modern data suggests the number is even smaller. A Facebook study found the average was closer to 3.5 degrees of separation.¹⁸

What if you don't want to shake hands?

Smile, make eye contact, and offer a warm verbal greeting paired with an alternative gesture (wave, nod, fist bump, or hand on heart). If you need a reason, keep it light: “I’m getting over a cold. Fist bump instead?” The key is acknowledging the other person warmly so they don’t feel rejected.

Is it rude to refuse a handshake?

Usually not, as long as you replace it with something warm! The handshake’s job is to show you’re friendly, so a smile, a hand on your heart, and “So great to meet you!” do the same job. A hand left hanging with no greeting at all is what tends to feel rude. If you’re sick, skipping the handshake is the considerate move.

Do Gen Z shake hands?

Gen Z tends to prefer lower-touch greetings. A 2024 Preply survey found that Gen Z tends to greet new people with a smile, and almost 30% say physical contact during greetings feels awkward. A 2025 Harris Poll found that 65% of Gen Z say they had to relearn social skills after the pandemic. That said, many Gen Z professionals are adapting to workplace norms that include handshakes. The preference is shifting, but it hasn’t disappeared.

Is shaking hands old-fashioned?

It’s no longer the only option. Handshakes remain common in professional settings, and alternatives like fist bumps, waves, and verbal greetings are increasingly accepted. The modern approach is to read the room and match the other person’s greeting style rather than defaulting to a handshake every time.

Handshake Alternatives Takeaway

1. Lead with the fist bump when you want a hygienic greeting that still involves contact. It transfers about 90% fewer bacteria than a handshake.
2. Use the head nod to acknowledge someone before they can extend their hand. A downward nod for formality, upward for familiarity.
3. Try the eyebrow flash from across a room. It works at distances where a smile might be hard to see.
4. Pre-empt the handshake with a warm verbal greeting and an alternative gesture before the other person reaches out.
5. Match the other person’s energy. The new norm is flexibility over any single default greeting.
6. When in doubt internationally, default to a smile, eye contact, and a verbal greeting, then follow the other person’s lead.
7. Say your opening line out loud once tonight. Pick one, like “It’s so great to meet you!”, so it’s ready the next time someone walks toward you.
8. Choose your sick-day greeting tonight. Decide on the no-contact option you’ll use the next time you’re under the weather, so you aren’t deciding while a hand hangs in the air.

When you’re ready to start handshaking again, use our perfect handshaking guide, learn how to tell whether someone wants a handshake or a hug, or read how to read people for more nonverbal cues.

The new norm is matching the other person’s energy with warmth and flexibility.