What read receipts do and where to find them

A read receipt is a notification that tells you when someone opens an email you sent them in Outlook. When you turn on read receipts, Outlook sends you a message back saying "this person opened your email on this date at this time." It does not tell you if they actually read it — only that they opened it.

Read receipts work differently depending on which version of Outlook you use. The steps for Outlook on the web (the version you access through a browser) are different from Outlook on your computer. Both are straightforward, but you need to know which one you have before you start.

Not everyone has read receipts turned on by default. Some people turn them off because they do not want others to know when they open emails. If someone has disabled read receipts on their end, you will not get a notification even if you request one.

Key Takeaways

  • Read receipts notify you when someone opens an email, but only if they have read receipts enabled on their account.
  • In Outlook on your computer, you request a read receipt for each email individually through the Options menu.
  • In Outlook on the web, you turn on read receipts in Settings under Mail, and it applies to all emails you send going forward.
  • If someone declines a read receipt request, you will see a message saying they declined rather than a confirmation they opened it.

Enabling read receipts in Outlook on your computer

If you use Outlook as a desktop application on Windows or Mac, you request read receipts one email at a time. Open the email you want to send and look for the Options tab at the top of the compose window. Click it, then look for a button or checkbox labeled Request a Read Receipt or Request Delivery Receipt. Click that button before you send the email.

The exact location depends on your Outlook version. In newer versions of Outlook for Windows, the Options tab is visible at the top. In older versions, you may need to click the arrow next to Options to see more choices. On Mac, the button is usually in the toolbar at the top of the compose window, sometimes under a menu labeled Tracking.

Once you click Request a Read Receipt, a small icon or indicator appears in the compose window to confirm it is turned on. Send the email as normal. When the recipient opens it, Outlook will send you a read receipt message to your inbox — it looks like a regular email notification.

Turning on read receipts in Outlook on the web

If you use Outlook through a web browser (outlook.com or your work email portal), read receipts work differently. You set them once in your settings, and they apply to all emails you send from that point forward. Click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner of the screen, then select View all Outlook settings.

In the Settings window, click Mail in the left sidebar, then look for Tracking or Read receipts. You will see an option that says something like Request a read receipt when your message is delivered or Request read receipts for all messages. Check the box next to it, then scroll down and click Save.

After you save, every email you send will automatically request a read receipt. You do not have to do anything for each individual email. If someone opens your email and has read receipts enabled, you will get a notification in your inbox.

What happens when someone declines a read receipt

When you request a read receipt, the recipient sees a prompt asking if they want to send you a read receipt. They can choose to send it or decline. If they decline, you will get a message in your inbox that says something like "Read receipt declined" or "This person chose not to send a read receipt."

Some people decline read receipts because they want privacy. Others decline them by accident. Either way, you will know they received the message and saw the prompt, even if they did not send the receipt back. You will not know exactly when they opened the email, but you will know they got it.

If someone has read receipts turned off completely on their account, you will not get any notification at all — no decline message, no confirmation. The email will send normally, and you will have no way to know if they opened it.

Turning off read receipts if you do not want to send them

If other people are requesting read receipts from you and you do not want to send them, you can disable them. In Outlook on your computer, go to File, then Options, then Mail. Look for a section called Tracking and find the option that says Always send a response or Never send a read receipt. Choose the option you prefer and click OK.

In Outlook on the web, go to Settings, then Mail, then Tracking. Look for the option about read receipts and uncheck the box. You can also choose to be asked each time someone requests a read receipt, so you can decide case by case.

When you have read receipts disabled, people who request them will see a message saying you declined or that your email system does not support read receipts. They will not be able to force you to send one.

Why read receipts sometimes do not work

Read receipts only work if both people are using email systems that support them. If you send an email to someone using Gmail, Yahoo Mail, or another service that does not support read receipts the same way Outlook does, your request may not go through. The email will still send, but you will not get a read receipt back.

Read receipts also do not work if the recipient has their email set to offline mode or if they are using a mobile device that does not support read receipts. Some corporate email systems disable read receipts for security reasons. If you are not getting read receipts from someone, it may be because their system does not allow them.

If you request a read receipt and hear nothing back after several days, the recipient probably has read receipts disabled on their account. This does not mean they did not open the email — it just means you will not get a notification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request a read receipt for an email I already sent?

No. You have to request a read receipt before you send the email. Once it is sent, you cannot go back and add a read receipt request. If you need to know if someone opened an important email, you can send a follow-up message asking them to confirm they received it.

Does a read receipt mean someone actually read my email?

No. A read receipt only means they opened the email. They could have opened it by accident, skimmed it, or deleted it without reading the whole thing. Read receipts tell you about delivery and opening, not about whether someone actually read and understood your message.

What if someone opens my email multiple times?

You will only get one read receipt per email, even if the recipient opens it multiple times. The receipt comes the first time they open it. If they open it again later, you will not get another notification.

Can I see read receipts on my phone or mobile Outlook app?

You can request read receipts in the mobile Outlook app, but the option may be harder to find. Look in the compose window for a menu or options button. Not all mobile versions of Outlook support read receipts the same way the desktop version does, so check your specific app version.

Why did I get a read receipt but the email shows as unread in my inbox?

The read receipt is a separate message from the original email. When someone sends you a read receipt, it means they opened your email, but that does not change whether your email to them shows as read or unread in your inbox. Those are two different things.