How to disable read receipts in Messages
Read receipts let other people see the exact moment you read their text message. If you turn them off, people won't know whether you've seen their message or not — it just won't show them anything. You control this setting yourself, and it applies to all your conversations at once.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap Messages. Look for the toggle next to Send Read Receipts and turn it off. That's it — the setting takes effect immediately.
If you don't see a Messages section in Settings, your iPhone may be running an older version of iOS. You can still find the setting by going to Settings > Privacy > Messages, though the exact location varies by iOS version.
Key Takeaways
- Turning off read receipts prevents people from seeing when you've read their messages, but they can still see if you've delivered the message.
- The setting is in Settings > Messages > Send Read Receipts, and it applies to all your text conversations at once.
- Turning off read receipts does not prevent people from seeing your typing indicator if you have that turned on.
- You can turn read receipts back on anytime using the same toggle, and the change takes effect immediately.
What read receipts actually show other people
When read receipts are on, people see two checkmarks next to their message instead of one. The first checkmark means the message was delivered to your phone. The second checkmark means you opened the Messages app and read it. There's no timestamp — they just see the checkmarks change from one to two.
Turning off read receipts removes that second checkmark. The person will still see one checkmark (delivered), but they won't know if you've actually read the message. This can be useful if you want to read messages without feeling pressured to respond right away, or if you prefer not to broadcast your activity.
The difference between read receipts and typing indicators
Read receipts and typing indicators are two separate settings. Read receipts show when you've read a message. Typing indicators show when you're actively typing a response. You can turn one off and leave the other on, or turn both off.
If you turn off read receipts but leave typing indicators on, people will see the three dots that mean you're typing, but they won't see the checkmarks that mean you've read their message. To turn off typing indicators, go to Settings > Messages and toggle off Show Typing Indicator.
Why you might want read receipts off
Some people turn off read receipts because they don't want others to know they're ignoring messages. Others turn them off to reduce the pressure of feeling like they need to respond immediately. There's no right or wrong choice — it's about what feels comfortable for you.
Keep in mind that turning off read receipts doesn't hide anything from your phone carrier or Apple. It only affects what other people see in the Messages app. And if someone has read receipts turned on, you'll still see their checkmarks even if you turn yours off.
How to turn read receipts back on
If you change your mind, you can turn read receipts back on the same way you turned them off. Open Settings, tap Messages, and toggle Send Read Receipts back on. The change takes effect immediately, and people will start seeing your read receipts again in new conversations.
Turning read receipts back on does not send retroactive read receipts for old messages. People will only see the checkmarks for messages you read after you turn the setting back on.
Read receipts in group messages
Read receipts work the same way in group messages as they do in one-on-one conversations. If you have read receipts turned on, everyone in the group will see when you've read the message. If you turn them off, no one in any group will see your read receipts.
You can't turn read receipts on for some conversations and off for others — the setting is all or nothing across your entire Messages app. If you need more control, you could turn off read receipts globally and ask people to just text you if they need a response.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off read receipts for just one person?
No. The read receipts setting applies to everyone you message. If you turn it off, no one will see your read receipts. If you turn it on, everyone will. There's no way to hide read receipts from one person while showing them to another.
Will people know I turned off read receipts?
No. People will just stop seeing the second checkmark, but they won't get a notification that you turned the setting off. They might notice over time that you never show read receipts, but there's no alert or message that tells them you disabled it.
Do read receipts work with iMessage and regular text messages?
Read receipts work with iMessage (messages sent over data or Wi-Fi to other Apple devices) but not with regular SMS text messages. If you send a regular text to someone with an Android phone, they won't see read receipts even if you have them turned on.
If I turn off read receipts, can I still see other people's read receipts?
Yes. Your read receipts setting only controls what you send, not what you receive. You'll still see the checkmarks when other people read your messages, as long as they have read receipts turned on.
Does turning off read receipts affect FaceTime or other Apple apps?
No. The read receipts setting only applies to the Messages app. FaceTime, Mail, and other Apple apps have their own separate settings if they show read receipts at all.