Is it a compliment when someone says you look different?

The first thing to check is what she's comparing you to. "Different from your photos" usually lands as a positive or a joke, because people often look better in person than in a profile picture, or vice versa. "Different from last time" is more pointed, and it could mean your hair, your clothes, your weight, or just that you seemed more relaxed. The second thing to check is whether she's the kind of person who gives compliments freely. Some people say "you look great" to everyone. Others almost never say anything about appearance, so when they do, it carries more weight. Look at whether she's commented on other things about you, like your humor, your opinions, or something you did, and whether those comments feel warmer. If she's already engaged with you as a person, the appearance comment is probably friendly. If the conversation has been thin, a single comment about your look is less likely to be a sign she's into you, and more likely to be a surface observation she's made to fill space.

The words "you look different" tell you almost nothing on their own. The rest of the message and the surrounding conversation tell you the rest. An exclamation point, an emoji, or a laugh after the comment usually means it was meant warmly. A flat statement with nothing after it could be neutral or slightly critical, and you can't tell which. Pay attention to whether she came back to the topic later. If she brings it up again, mentions something you said about it, or asks about it, she's interested in the idea of you, not just noticing a change. If she drops it and moves on, it was a passing remark. Don't build a theory out of one line. Let the next few messages show you the direction, and respond to what she does next, not to the comment itself.

The most common way people blow this moment is by trying to get her to spell out what she meant. Asking "is that a good different or a bad different" puts her in an awkward spot. If she meant it kindly, she now has to explain herself and the moment goes flat. If she didn't mean it kindly, she has to either backpedal or be direct. Neither helps you. Instead, take the comment lightly and give her an easy place to go. Say you'll take it as a compliment, or mention what changed and ask whether she likes it, which turns the focus back to a neutral topic she can answer easily. The goal is to keep the conversation moving toward things you both enjoy. You learn much more about her interest from what she brings up next than from anything you can extract by pressing on one line.