How to disable read receipts on iPhone and Android
Read receipts are the blue checkmarks that appear next to your messages in WhatsApp — one checkmark means sent, two means delivered, and two blue checkmarks mean you've read the message. You can turn off read receipts so others won't see when you've opened their messages, though you'll still see theirs.
On iPhone, open WhatsApp, tap Settings in the bottom right, select Privacy, and toggle off Read Receipts. On Android, open WhatsApp, tap the three dots at the top right, go to Settings, then Privacy, and toggle off Read Receipts. The change takes effect immediately.
When you turn off read receipts, you lose the ability to see them from others too — it's an all-or-nothing setting. You can't turn them off for some contacts and keep them on for others using WhatsApp's built-in settings.
Key Takeaways
- Disabling read receipts removes the blue double checkmarks that show you've read a message, but the single checkmarks (sent and delivered) still appear.
- The setting is found under Privacy in WhatsApp Settings on both iPhone and Android.
- When you turn off read receipts, you won't see them from other people either — the setting applies to all your conversations at once.
- People can still tell you've seen their message if you respond to it, so turning off read receipts doesn't make you invisible.
What happens when you turn off read receipts
Once you disable read receipts, the blue double checkmarks stop appearing next to messages you send. People will see one checkmark (sent) and two gray checkmarks (delivered), but the checkmarks won't turn blue when you read the message. This applies to individual chats, group chats, and status updates.
The person messaging you won't receive a notification that you've turned off read receipts — they'll just notice over time that your messages never show the blue checkmarks. If they ask why, you can explain you disabled the feature in your privacy settings.
Why you might want to turn off read receipts
Some people turn off read receipts because they don't want others to know they're ignoring messages. If you read a message but don't respond right away, the sender can see you've read it and might feel hurt or annoyed. Without read receipts, they won't know whether you've seen their message or not.
Others disable read receipts for work reasons — if your boss or client can't see that you've read their message, they might be less likely to expect an immediate response. This can reduce pressure to reply during off-hours or when you're busy with other tasks.
Privacy is another reason. Some people simply prefer not to broadcast their activity to others, even in small ways. Turning off read receipts is one way to keep your online behavior more private.
The tradeoff: you won't see read receipts from others either
This is the main limitation of WhatsApp's read receipt setting. You can't turn off read receipts for other people while keeping them on for yourself. If you disable the feature, you lose the ability to see when someone has read your messages.
This means you won't know if someone has seen your message and is choosing not to respond, or if they haven't opened WhatsApp yet. For some conversations — especially important ones with family or work contacts — this uncertainty can be frustrating.
Alternatives if you want more control
If you want to hide read receipts from specific people but keep them on for others, WhatsApp doesn't offer that option in its settings. However, you can mute conversations from people you don't want to engage with closely. Muting a chat silences notifications but doesn't hide read receipts.
Some third-party messaging apps like Signal and Telegram offer more granular privacy controls, including the ability to disable read receipts per conversation or per contact. If selective read receipt control is important to you, exploring those apps might be worth considering.
Another practical approach is to simply respond to messages when you're ready, rather than reading them immediately. You can read a message without opening the chat — on iPhone, you can read the preview in notifications; on Android, you can read it in the notification shade. This way, the read receipt won't trigger until you actually open the app.
How to check if read receipts are on or off
To confirm your current read receipt setting, go to Settings in WhatsApp, then Privacy. If the Read Receipts toggle is blue (iPhone) or switched on (Android), read receipts are enabled. If it's gray or off, they're disabled.
You can also test the setting by sending a message to a contact and asking them to check whether they see blue checkmarks. If they do, your read receipts are on. If they see only gray checkmarks when you read the message, your read receipts are off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off read receipts for just one person?
No, WhatsApp's read receipt setting applies to all your conversations at once. You can't disable read receipts for one contact while keeping them on for another. If you want to hide your activity from a specific person, you'd need to use a different messaging app or manage the conversation differently.
Will people know I turned off read receipts?
They won't get a notification, but they may notice over time that your messages never show blue checkmarks. If they ask, you can explain you disabled the feature for privacy reasons. Some people won't notice or care at all.
Can I turn read receipts back on anytime?
Yes, you can toggle read receipts on and off whenever you want. Go back to Settings > Privacy > Read Receipts and switch it back on. The change takes effect immediately, and you'll start seeing blue checkmarks again on both your messages and others'.
Do read receipts work the same way in group chats?
Yes, the same rules apply. If you have read receipts on, group members will see blue checkmarks when you read group messages. If you turn them off, they'll only see gray checkmarks. Everyone in the group sees the same checkmarks for your messages.
What if someone has read receipts off but I have them on?
You'll see blue checkmarks on your messages to them, but they won't see blue checkmarks on your messages to them. Each person's read receipt setting only affects what others see about their own messages, not what they see about others' messages.