10 Handshake Alternatives: Greet Anyone Without the Germs

Discover 10 science-backed handshake alternatives, from fist bumps to the eyebrow flash. Learn how to greet anyone warmly without shaking hands.

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.

Maybe you’re getting over a cold. Maybe the person approaching you just sneezed into their palm. Maybe you simply prefer less physical contact. Whatever the reason, knowing how to greet someone without a handshake is a skill worth having.

Here are 10 alternatives that keep the warmth without the germs.

Why Handshakes Matter (and Why Alternatives Do Too)

Before replacing the handshake, it helps to understand what makes it so powerful in the first place.

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. Only about 30% of pairs shook hands on their own, and those pairs did better.

Physical touch during a handshake is linked to oxytocin release, which draws people together and lowers stress.¹ That’s why a good handshake feels like an instant connection.

You still need that sense of connection when a handshake isn’t the right move. The alternatives below get at the same warmth through eye contact, open body language, and genuine acknowledgment.

The best handshake alternatives replicate warmth through eye contact, open body language, and genuine acknowledgment.

10 Handshake Alternatives That Actually Work

#1. The Fist Bump

Fist bumps get written off as unprofessional. They’re also the cleanest greeting anyone has actually measured.

A 2014 study at Aberystwyth University, published in the American Journal of Infection Control, found that fist bumps transfer roughly 90% fewer bacteria than handshakes.² 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

Best for: Colleagues, casual professional settings, anyone you’ve met before. A sitting US president spent eight years bumping fists with janitors and heads of state alike, which did a lot to make it acceptable at work.

Action Step: Next time a coworker extends their hand, try offering a fist instead. Say something like, “I’m a fist-bump person, keeps us both healthy!” 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 shows respect and formality. You’re briefly exposing the top of your head, which signals non-aggression. Use this with bosses, clients, and people you’re meeting for the first time.
• An upward nod shows familiarity and trust. You’re exposing your throat, a vulnerable area, which signals comfort. Reserve this for people you already know.

Pro Tip: Allan Pease reports that nodding while someone speaks can increase the amount of information they share three- to four-fold. It works like a green light to keep talking.

#3. The Smile and Wave

Open-palm gestures tap into something ancient. Showing empty palms signals “I have no weapons” and “I mean no harm.” Body language researcher Desmond Morris linked palm-up cues to perceptions of honesty and trustworthiness. Audiences consistently rate open-palm users as more approachable and credible.

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

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.

Showing empty palms signals ‘I have no weapons,’ and open-palm gestures are rated as more honest and trustworthy across cultures.

#4. The Eyebrow Flash

German ethologist Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt spent decades filming candid interactions across dozens of cultures using a hidden mirror-lens camera. He documented the eyebrow flash, a rapid raise-and-lower of both eyebrows lasting about one-fifth of a second, in every culture he studied: Europeans, Balinese, Samoans, Papuan tribes, South American indigenous groups, and more. Even children born deaf and blind perform it when they recognize a familiar person approaching, which suggests it’s hardwired into our biology. Nobody taught them.

The flash widens your eyes, making the whites more visible, which helps the other person instantly confirm you’re looking at them. It’s especially effective at 20 to 30 feet, where a smile might be hard to see.

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 Japan, an eyebrow flash can be seen as inappropriate in formal settings. Stick to a bow or nod there.

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. Professional chefs have used it for decades, and they call it the “chef’s handshake,” because their hands are constantly covered in flour, oil, or raw ingredients. The term “elbow bump” was first documented in 1981, and the WHO promoted it during the 2006 avian flu scare.

It went global in 2020, when the U.S. Surgeon General demonstrated it at a press conference and suggested rethinking the handshake for a while.

The WHO later reversed course, having noticed that people were told to cough into their elbows while also bumping them as greetings. It shifted to recommending fully no-contact alternatives like the hand-on-heart gesture.

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)

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 February 2020 when videos from Wuhan, China showed people tapping feet together as a playful, touch-free greeting. It spread globally within weeks, all the way to OPEC officials at a meeting in Vienna.

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 levels:

• Eshaku (15°) is casual, for passing greetings
• Keirei (30°) is the standard business bow
• Saikeirei (45°+) is for deep respect or a formal apology

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 while greeting someone is common across Middle Eastern cultures, where it signals sincerity, respect, and goodwill. It’s especially useful in contexts where physical touch between genders may not be appropriate.

The WHO recommended this gesture as its preferred handshake alternative in 2020, calling it “highly recommended” in traditionally affectionate cultures.

The gesture draws attention to the heart area, which suggests emotional openness. 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.

#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 the point. The shared laugh creates connection even without physical contact.

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

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.

Are Handshakes Still a Thing?

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

A 2024 Preply survey found that while about 60% of Americans still prefer a handshake when meeting strangers, Gen Z’s preferred greeting is a smile. Nearly 30% of Gen Z say physical contact during greetings feels awkward.

A 2025 Harris Poll found that 65% of Gen Z had to relearn social skills after the pandemic. Many entered the workforce having never shaken a boss’s hand or navigated a networking event.

So read the room and follow the other person’s lead. If they extend a hand, shake it. If they wave, wave back. The goal is matching their energy, and there’s no single ritual to enforce.

What Does a Handshake Symbolize?

The handshake is 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.

The earliest known depiction dates to a 9th-century BCE Assyrian relief showing King Shalmaneser III sealing an alliance with a Babylonian ruler. In ancient Greece, the gesture was called dexiosis (“taking the right hand”) and symbolized trust between equals.

In the 17th century, Quakers popularized the handshake as an egalitarian alternative to bows and curtsies, treating everyone as equals regardless of social status. Today, it signals professionalism, respect, agreement (“sealing the deal”), and sportsmanship.

A Note on Cultural Greetings

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

• Thumbs up: Means “great” in the US and Northern Europe, but it’s a severe insult in parts of the Middle East (Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan) and Greece. Avoid it in international or multicultural settings unless you’re certain of the context.
• The eyebrow flash: Universal across nearly every culture studied, except in Japan, where it can be seen as inappropriate in formal settings.
• 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.

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’s a hardwired recognition signal that 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.

When you’re ready to start handshaking again, use our perfect handshaking guide, or read how to read people for more nonverbal cues.

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

Frequently Asked Questions