Where to find read receipt settings
Read receipts are notifications that tell the person messaging you when you have opened and read their message. Most messaging apps let you turn this off in your settings, though the exact location varies by platform and app.
On iPhone, read receipts are controlled separately for iMessage and for third-party apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. On Android, each app manages its own setting. On desktop, the setting is usually in preferences or account settings within the app itself. The common thread is that you are looking for a toggle or checkbox labeled "read receipts," "delivery receipts," "message read status," or something similar.
Turning off read receipts does not prevent the other person from knowing you received their message — it only hides the confirmation that you opened and read it. If you want to hide both, you will need to check if the app offers a separate "delivery receipts" or "message status" setting.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts are turned off in the settings or preferences of each messaging app, not in your phone's main settings.
- iPhone users control iMessage read receipts in Settings > Messages, while third-party apps like WhatsApp have their own toggles inside the app.
- Android users find read receipt settings inside each messaging app's settings menu, usually under Privacy or Notifications.
- Turning off read receipts hides the "read" status but does not hide that the message was delivered.
How to turn off read receipts on iPhone
For iMessage, open Settings on your iPhone, scroll down and tap Messages, then toggle off "Send Read Receipts." This applies to all iMessage conversations. If you want to turn off read receipts for a specific contact, you can do that through the conversation itself — open the chat, tap the contact name at the top, and toggle off "Send Read Receipts" for just that person.
For WhatsApp, open the app, tap Settings (the gear icon at the bottom right), go to Privacy, and toggle off "Read Receipts." For Facebook Messenger, open the app, tap your profile picture, scroll to Privacy, and toggle off "Read Receipts." For other apps like Telegram or Signal, the setting is usually in Settings > Privacy or a similar submenu. Check the app's own help section if you cannot find it.
How to turn off read receipts on Android
Android does not have a system-wide read receipt setting, so you must turn it off in each app individually. Open the messaging app, tap the three-line menu (hamburger icon) or your profile picture, and look for Settings or Preferences. From there, search for Privacy, Messages, or Notifications — the exact path depends on the app.
In Google Messages (the default SMS app on many Android phones), tap the three dots at the top right, go to Settings, tap Advanced, and toggle off "Show read receipts." In WhatsApp, tap the three dots at the top right, go to Settings > Privacy, and toggle off "Read Receipts." In Facebook Messenger, tap your profile picture, scroll to Privacy, and toggle off "Read Receipts." If you use a different messaging app, the setting will be in a similar location but the exact wording may differ.
How to turn off read receipts on Mac and Windows
On Mac, open Messages, click Messages in the menu bar, then Preferences. Click the Accounts tab, select your account on the left, and uncheck "Send read receipts." For iCloud-synced messages, this setting applies across all your Apple devices.
On Windows, read receipts depend on which app you are using. If you use the Messages app (which syncs with iMessage through an iPhone or Mac), the setting is not available on Windows itself — you must change it on an Apple device. For third-party apps like WhatsApp or Telegram on Windows, open the app, go to Settings, find Privacy or Messages, and toggle off read receipts. Some apps do not offer a Windows version, so check whether the app you use supports desktop.
What happens when you turn off read receipts
When you turn off read receipts, the other person will no longer see the "read" indicator (usually a checkmark, double checkmark, or timestamp) that appears after they send you a message. They will still see that the message was delivered to your phone, but they will not know when you actually opened it.
This does not affect your ability to see read receipts from other people — if someone has read receipts turned on, you will still see when they read your messages. It also does not hide your online status or typing indicators if those are turned on separately. If you want to hide those as well, you will need to turn those off in the same settings menu.
Why you might want to turn off read receipts
Some people turn off read receipts because they do not want others to know they have seen a message but chosen not to respond yet. Others turn them off to reduce the pressure of being expected to reply immediately. In group chats, turning off read receipts can reduce the feeling that you are being watched or judged for your response time.
There is no technical downside to turning off read receipts — messages still arrive normally, and conversations work exactly the same way. The only difference is what information the other person can see about your message-reading habits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off read receipts for just one person?
On iPhone, yes — open the conversation with that person, tap their name at the top, and toggle off "Send Read Receipts" for just that chat. On Android and most other platforms, you can only turn read receipts on or off for all conversations at once. Some apps like Telegram let you disable read receipts per conversation, but most do not.
If I turn off read receipts, can people still tell I read their message?
They cannot see the "read" indicator, but they might guess you read it based on context — for example, if you reply to their message or if you post something on social media shortly after they messaged you. Turning off read receipts only hides the explicit notification, not your behavior.
Do read receipts work across different messaging apps?
No. iMessage read receipts only work between iMessage users. WhatsApp read receipts only work between WhatsApp users. If you message someone through SMS on iPhone, they will not see iMessage read receipts. Each app has its own system.
Will turning off read receipts affect group chats?
Yes. If you turn off read receipts, no one in any group chat will see when you read messages. The setting applies to all conversations, not just one-on-one chats. Some apps let you turn off read receipts per conversation, but most apply the setting to everything.
What is the difference between read receipts and delivery receipts?
A delivery receipt means the message reached your phone. A read receipt means you opened and read it. Some apps let you turn off one without turning off the other. If you want to hide both, look for a "message status" or "delivery status" setting in addition to the read receipt toggle.