Honestly, trying to keep track of who Miley Cyrus was dating is like trying to map out a California wildfire—it’s fast, intense, and usually leaves a lot of people talking for months after the smoke clears. If you've been following her since the Disney days, you know her romantic life hasn't just been tabloid fodder. It’s been the literal blueprint for her music.
From the "7 Things" era to the "Flowers" revolution, Miley doesn't just date; she experiences.
Right now, in 2026, the big news isn't a breakup. It’s a diamond. Miley is currently engaged to musician Maxx Morando. They’ve been together for about four years now, and while she used to be the poster child for "wild child" public romances, things with Maxx are different. They're private. They're quiet. They’re actually... stable?
But to understand how she got to this calm, "harmonious" place (as her friends put it), you have to look back at the chaos that came before.
The Nick Jonas and Justin Gaston "Starter" Era
Before the wrecking balls and the leather, there was the purity ring phase. Sorta.
Miley’s first big public romance was with Nick Jonas back in 2006. They were 13. It was the peak of the Disney Channel Empire. They were "Niley." It ended in 2007, and Miley famously cried for weeks, eventually writing "7 Things" about him. It's wild to think that a middle-school breakup fueled one of the biggest pop-rock anthems of the 2000s, but that’s Miley for you.
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Then came Justin Gaston.
This one was a bit of a scandal at the time because he was a 20-year-old underwear model and she was 15. Her dad, Billy Ray, actually introduced them. They dated for nine months before she headed to Georgia to film a little movie called The Last Song.
And that’s where everything changed.
Who Was Miley Cyrus Dating for a Decade? The Liam Hemsworth Saga
If you ask anyone "who was Miley Cyrus dating," the answer is almost always going to be Liam Hemsworth.
They met in 2009 on the set of The Last Song. The chemistry was so real it basically leaked off the screen. For the next ten years, their relationship was a dizzying cycle of "are they or aren't they?"
- 2010-2011: They broke up and got back together more times than we can count.
- 2012: They got engaged. Miley was only 19.
- 2013: The "Bangerz" era happened. The engagement was called off. Miley twerked on Robin Thicke, and the world lost its mind.
- 2016: They found their way back to each other. The ring was back on.
- 2018: They finally got married in a low-key ceremony in Tennessee after their Malibu home burned down in the Woolsey fire.
It felt like the endgame. It wasn't.
They separated just seven months after the wedding. By early 2020, the divorce was final. Looking back, Miley has been pretty vocal about how that relationship was a "disaster" toward the end. She told Joe Rogan that the hardest part wasn't the loss of love, but the public nature of the "death" of the relationship.
The Rebound Summer: Kaitlynn Carter and Cody Simpson
Immediately after the Liam split in August 2019, Miley went on a whirlwind.
She was spotted kissing Kaitlynn Carter in Lake Como literally days after the breakup news hit. It lasted about six weeks. It was fast, it was messy, and it was exactly what someone does when a ten-year relationship implodes.
Then came Cody Simpson.
Cody was a long-time friend, and they dated for about ten months through the start of the 2020 pandemic. They made TikToks, they got tattoos, and then—poof. It was over. Cody later said they were just "going in different directions."
Maxx Morando: The Engagement Everyone Missed
Since late 2021, Miley has been linked to Maxx Morando, the drummer for the band Liily.
They met on a blind date. Miley joked to British Vogue that it was "blind for me, and not really for him." Unlike her past relationships, Maxx doesn't seek the spotlight. He’s a "cool, boho-rock" guy who produces her music (he worked on Endless Summer Vacation) and stays out of the drama.
In December 2025, the news finally broke: they’re engaged.
Miley showed off a massive cushion-cut diamond on a thick gold band at the Avatar: Fire and Ash premiere. At the 2026 Golden Globes, she was spotted flashing the ring again, though she attended the ceremony without him to keep the focus on her nomination for "Dream As One."
Insiders say she’s "thriving" because Maxx treats her with a level of respect she didn't always have in her 20s. She’s even admitted that she gets "cringed out" calling him her fiancé because she’s never really been one for traditional labels, but the stability is clearly doing her wonders.
What We Can Learn From Miley's Evolution
Miley’s dating history isn't just a list of names; it’s a case study in growing up. She went from the "hot but wrong" guys her mom supposedly warned her about to a partner who actually values her privacy.
Next Steps for You:
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If you’re looking to channel that "Miley Energy" in your own life, here’s how to do it:
- Stop labeling everything immediately. Miley identified as pansexual in 2015 and has always refused to be "put in a box." If you're dating, give yourself the grace to explore without needing a title on day one.
- Prioritize respect over "spark." In her 2025 interview with The Cut, she emphasized that Maxx treats her well. The "fire" of her younger years was fun, but respect is what kept her in a relationship for four years.
- Keep the private stuff private. Notice how much happier she seems now that she isn't posting every single detail of her love life? There’s a lesson there.
Whether you're a die-hard Smiler or just curious about the girl who once rode a wrecking ball into pop culture history, it’s clear Miley has finally found her "Flowers."
She can buy them herself, sure—but it looks like Maxx is doing a pretty good job of it, too.