Where to find read receipts and how they work

Read receipts are notifications that tell the person messaging you when you have opened and read their message. They appear as small indicators — often a checkmark, timestamp, or "Seen" label — next to the message in the conversation. When you turn off read receipts, people can still send you messages, but they won't know whether you have actually read what they wrote.

Read receipts exist in most messaging apps by default, including text messages, iMessage, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct Messages, and email clients. The setting to turn them off is usually buried in the app's settings menu rather than in a quick-access menu, which is why many people don't realize the option exists.

Turning off read receipts affects only outgoing information — it prevents others from seeing that you have read their messages. It does not prevent you from seeing read receipts when other people send you messages, unless you also turn off that view in your settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Read receipts are turned off differently in each app, but the setting is almost always in the app's main settings or privacy menu, not in a conversation.
  • Turning off read receipts prevents others from seeing that you have read their messages, but does not stop you from seeing when they read yours unless you disable that separately.
  • Some apps like iMessage let you turn off read receipts for all conversations at once, while others like WhatsApp require you to disable them in a privacy or account settings section.
  • Email clients like Gmail and Outlook do not have read receipts enabled by default, but if your workplace uses them, you may need to disable them in your email settings.

How to turn off read receipts on iPhone and iPad

On an iPhone or iPad using iMessage, open the Settings app and scroll down to find Messages. Tap Messages, then scroll down and look for the toggle labeled "Send Read Receipts." Turn this toggle off. Once you do, people will no longer see when you have read their iMessages.

If you use other messaging apps on your iPhone — such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Instagram — each one has its own read receipt setting. Open the app, go to Settings (usually a gear icon or three horizontal lines), look for Privacy or Message Settings, and find the read receipt option. The exact name and location varies by app, but the principle is the same: find the setting and toggle it off.

Note that turning off read receipts in iMessage does not affect text messages sent over cellular networks (SMS). Those messages do not have read receipts in the first place, so there is nothing to turn off.

How to turn off read receipts on Android

Android phones do not have a built-in read receipt setting for standard text messages, because SMS messages do not support read receipts. However, if you use Google Messages (the default messaging app on most Android phones), you can turn off read receipts for RCS messages — an upgraded messaging standard that works over data or Wi-Fi.

To do this in Google Messages, open the app and tap your profile icon in the top left corner. Select "Notifications" or "Settings," then look for "Advanced" or "Chat Features." Find the option for read receipts and turn it off. For other messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Telegram, open each app's settings menu, find Privacy or Message Settings, and disable read receipts there.

How to turn off read receipts in WhatsApp

WhatsApp has a separate read receipt setting that works across all devices. Open WhatsApp and tap the three-dot menu icon (on Android) or go to Settings (on iPhone). Select "Privacy" or "Account," then find "Read Receipts" and toggle it off. Once disabled, the blue double-checkmark that normally appears when someone reads your message will not show.

Keep in mind that turning off read receipts in WhatsApp is a one-way change — you will still see read receipts from other people, but they will not see them from you. If you want to hide the fact that you have read a message without turning off read receipts entirely, you can also disable notifications for a specific chat, which prevents the app from marking messages as read automatically.

How to turn off read receipts in email

Most email services like Gmail and Outlook do not send read receipts by default. However, some workplaces use email systems that request read receipts, and you may see a prompt asking whether you want to send one when you open certain emails.

In Gmail, you cannot disable read receipt requests globally, but you can choose not to send them on a case-by-case basis. When you open an email that requests a read receipt, Gmail will ask "Send read receipt?" at the top of the message — simply click "No." In Outlook, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Privacy Options, then uncheck "Request a read receipt for all messages I send."

How to turn off read receipts in Facebook Messenger and Instagram

Facebook Messenger shows read receipts as a timestamp and small profile picture when someone reads your message. To turn this off, open Messenger and tap your profile icon in the bottom right. Go to "Privacy," then find "Read Receipts" and toggle it off. The setting applies to all your Messenger conversations.

Instagram Direct Messages work similarly. Open Instagram, go to your profile, tap the menu icon, select "Settings and Privacy," then "Messages and Story Replies." Find "Read Receipts" and turn it off. Like Messenger, this change applies to all your direct message conversations at once.

What happens when you turn off read receipts

When you disable read receipts, the person messaging you will see that their message was delivered, but they will not see any indicator that you have opened it. In iMessage, the message will show a single gray checkmark (delivered) instead of "Read" with a timestamp. In WhatsApp, the double checkmark will remain gray instead of turning blue. In other apps, the "Seen" label or timestamp simply will not appear.

Turning off read receipts does not make your messages invisible or undelivered — it only hides the information about whether you have read them. People can still see that you are active in the app if you have an "Active Now" or "Last Seen" status enabled, so disabling read receipts alone does not make you completely invisible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off read receipts for just one person?

Most messaging apps do not offer per-contact read receipt settings. When you turn off read receipts, it applies to everyone. However, some apps like WhatsApp let you mute notifications for specific chats, which prevents the app from automatically marking messages as read when you open them.

If I turn off read receipts, can I still see when others read my messages?

Yes. Turning off read receipts only controls what you send out — it does not change what you receive. You will still see read receipts from other people unless you also disable the ability to view them in your settings, which is a separate option in some apps.

Will people know I turned off read receipts?

No. People will simply notice that they no longer see the "Read" indicator on your messages. They may suspect you have disabled read receipts, but the app will not notify them or tell them that you have changed this setting.

Do read receipts work the same way on desktop and mobile?

Generally yes, but it depends on the app. iMessage read receipts sync across all Apple devices, so turning them off on your iPhone also turns them off on your Mac. For other apps like WhatsApp and Messenger, the setting usually applies across all devices where you are logged in, though some apps may have separate settings for web versions.