Where to find read receipts on Samsung devices
Read receipts let other people see when you have opened and read their messages. On Samsung phones and tablets, you can turn this feature off in your messaging app settings. The exact location depends on which messaging app you use — Samsung Messages (the default app on most Samsung devices), Google Messages, or a third-party app like WhatsApp or Telegram.
Most Samsung users have read receipts turned on by default without realizing it. When someone sends you a message through Samsung Messages or another app, they may see a checkmark or "read" notification when you open their message. Turning off read receipts prevents this notification from being sent to the other person.
The process differs slightly between apps because each one stores its settings in a different location. Samsung Messages keeps read receipt controls in its chat settings, while Google Messages puts them under Advanced settings. Third-party apps like WhatsApp and Telegram have their own separate controls that do not affect your other messaging apps.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts are usually on by default in Samsung Messages, but you can disable them in the app's settings menu within minutes.
- Different messaging apps store read receipt settings in different places — check your specific app's settings, not just your phone's general settings.
- Turning off read receipts in one app does not affect other messaging apps on your phone.
- Some messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram have their own read receipt controls separate from Samsung Messages.
- You can confirm read receipts are off by asking someone to send you a message and checking whether they see a read notification.
Turning off read receipts in Samsung Messages
Open Samsung Messages on your phone. Tap the three-line menu icon (called a hamburger menu) in the top left or top right corner, depending on your phone model. Select Settings from the menu that appears.
Look for an option called Chat settings, Message settings, or simply Settings. Scroll down until you find Read receipts or Send read receipts. Tap the toggle switch next to it to turn it off. The switch will change color — usually from blue to gray — when the feature is disabled.
Once you turn off read receipts in Samsung Messages, people who text you through that app will no longer see when you have read their messages. However, this only affects Samsung Messages. If you use other apps to receive text messages, you will need to adjust settings in each one separately.
Disabling read receipts in Google Messages
If you use Google Messages instead of Samsung Messages, the process is slightly different. Open Google Messages and tap your profile icon or the three-dot menu in the top right corner. Select Settings.
Tap Advanced or scroll to find message settings. Look for Read receipts and tap the toggle to turn it off. Google Messages will stop sending read receipts to other users immediately after you disable this setting.
Google Messages is becoming the default messaging app on newer Samsung devices, so you may find yourself using it instead of Samsung Messages. The read receipt setting works the same way in both apps — once disabled, no one will see when you have read their messages through that particular app.
Managing read receipts in WhatsApp and Telegram
WhatsApp and Telegram are separate apps with their own read receipt controls. In WhatsApp, open the app and tap the three-dot menu in the top right. Go to Settings, then Privacy. You will see an option for Read receipts — toggle it off to hide when you have read messages.
In Telegram, open the app and tap the three-line menu. Select Settings, then Privacy and Security. Find Read receipts and toggle it off. Note that disabling read receipts in Telegram means you also will not see read receipts from other people, so you will not know when they have read your messages either.
Both WhatsApp and Telegram apply read receipt settings across all your conversations at once. You cannot turn off read receipts for just one contact while keeping them on for others in the same app.
What happens when you turn off read receipts
When read receipts are off, people who message you will see only one checkmark (message sent) instead of two checkmarks (message read), or they will see no read status at all depending on the app. This applies to all incoming messages going forward.
Turning off read receipts does not hide your online status or typing indicators in most apps — those are separate settings. If you want to hide those as well, look for Online status, Last seen, or Typing indicators in the same settings menu where you found read receipts. Each of these features can be controlled independently.
Checking if read receipts are actually off
To confirm that read receipts are disabled, ask someone to send you a message and have them watch for the read status. If they do not see a "read" notification or second checkmark after you open the message, read receipts are successfully turned off.
Keep in mind that some messaging apps may re-enable read receipts after a software update. If you notice read receipts appearing again after several months, return to your app settings and disable them once more. This is especially common when Samsung releases major Android updates or when individual apps push new versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off read receipts for just one person?
Most messaging apps do not allow you to disable read receipts for individual contacts. The setting applies to all conversations at once. If you want to hide your read status from one person, you would need to turn off read receipts for everyone using that app.
Will people know I turned off read receipts?
No. When read receipts are off, people simply will not see a read notification. They may notice you are not sending read receipts, but the app will not tell them that you have disabled the feature.
Do I need to turn off read receipts in my phone's general settings?
No. Read receipts are controlled within each individual messaging app, not in your phone's main settings. You must disable them separately in Samsung Messages, Google Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram, or whichever apps you use to receive messages.
What is the difference between read receipts and typing indicators?
Read receipts show when you have opened and read a message. Typing indicators show when you are actively typing a response. These are separate features with separate on/off switches in most apps.
Why do I still see read receipts from other people if I turn mine off?
Turning off your read receipts only stops you from sending them to others. It does not prevent you from receiving read receipts from people who have them turned on. If you want to stop seeing when others have read your messages, look for a separate setting related to receiving read receipts.