What read receipts do and where to find them
Read receipts let the person texting you know when you have opened and read their message. When you turn them on, a small checkmark or notification appears in the conversation to show the sender that their message reached you and that you saw it. Different messaging apps handle read receipts differently — some show them automatically, others let you turn them on or off in settings, and a few do not offer them at all.
The steps to enable read receipts depend on which messaging app you use. The most common Android messaging apps are Google Messages (the default on many newer phones), Samsung Messages (if you have a Samsung phone), WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram. Each one has its own settings menu where you control whether read receipts are on or off.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts show the sender when you have opened their message, usually with a checkmark or timestamp.
- Google Messages, Samsung Messages, WhatsApp, and most other Android apps let you turn read receipts on or off in their individual settings.
- Turning on read receipts means others can see when you read their messages, so consider your privacy preferences before enabling them.
- Some apps show read receipts by default and require you to turn them off if you do not want them, while others keep them off unless you turn them on.
How to turn on read receipts in Google Messages
Google Messages is the default texting app on many Android phones. To turn on read receipts, open the app and tap the three-line menu icon (called a hamburger menu) in the top left corner. Then tap Settings.
In the Settings menu, look for an option called Advanced or scroll down until you see Read receipts. Tap the toggle switch next to it to turn it on. The switch will turn blue or show a checkmark to indicate it is now active. Once you enable this, anyone who texts you through Google Messages will see when you have read their message.
How to turn on read receipts in Samsung Messages
If you own a Samsung phone, you likely have Samsung Messages as your default texting app. Open the app and tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner, then select Settings.
Scroll down in the Settings menu until you find Chat features or Delivery reports. Tap on Read receipts and toggle it on. You may also see an option for Delivery reports in the same menu — this is different from read receipts. Delivery reports tell you when a message was sent, while read receipts tell you when it was read. You can turn on one, both, or neither depending on your preference.
How to turn on read receipts in WhatsApp
WhatsApp shows read receipts by default, so most users already have them turned on without realizing it. Two blue checkmarks in a conversation mean the recipient has read your message. If you want to turn them off, open WhatsApp and tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner (on some phones it is in the bottom right).
Select Settings, then tap Privacy. Look for the option labeled Read receipts and toggle it off if you do not want others to see when you read their messages. If you want to keep read receipts on, you do not need to do anything — they are already active. Keep in mind that turning off read receipts means you also will not see when others read your messages.
How to turn on read receipts in Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger displays read receipts automatically — when someone reads your message, you will see a small profile picture appear below it. If you want to turn this feature off so others cannot see when you read their messages, open Messenger and tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
Scroll down and tap Privacy. Look for an option called Read receipts or Chat receipts and toggle it off. If you want read receipts to stay on, you do not need to change anything. The setting works both ways — turning it off means you will not see when others read your messages either.
How to turn on read receipts in Telegram
Telegram lets you control read receipts with more precision than most other apps. Open Telegram and tap the three-line menu icon in the top left corner, then select Settings.
Tap Privacy and Security, then scroll down to find Read receipts. You will see options to show read receipts to everyone, to contacts only, or to no one. Choose the option that matches your preference. If you select "no one," others will not see when you read their messages. Telegram also lets you disable read receipts for specific conversations by opening a chat, tapping the person's name at the top, and toggling off Send read receipts for just that conversation.
What happens after you turn read receipts on
Once you enable read receipts, the sender will see an indicator — usually a checkmark, timestamp, or "read" label — next to their message shortly after you open it. The exact appearance depends on which app you use. In most cases, the indicator appears within a few seconds of you reading the message.
Keep in mind that turning on read receipts means everyone who texts you can see when you read their messages. This includes group chats, so if you are in a group conversation with read receipts on, all members of that group will see when you read messages. If you value your privacy or do not want people to know you have seen their message, you may want to keep read receipts off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn on read receipts for only certain people?
Most Android messaging apps do not let you enable read receipts for specific contacts — it is usually an all-or-nothing setting. Telegram is the exception; it lets you disable read receipts for individual conversations. If you want to hide your read status from one person, you would need to turn off read receipts entirely, which hides it from everyone.
Does turning on read receipts use more battery or data?
No. Read receipts are a small piece of information sent back to the sender and do not noticeably affect battery life or data usage. The impact is negligible whether you have them on or off.
What if I turn on read receipts and then change my mind?
You can turn read receipts off at any time by going back to the same settings menu and toggling them off. The process takes less than a minute. Keep in mind that once you turn them off, the sender will not see your read status for future messages, but they may still see your read status for messages you opened before you disabled the feature.
Do read receipts work across different messaging apps?
No. Read receipts only work within the same app. If you text someone through Google Messages, they will only see your read receipt if they also use Google Messages. If they use a different app or a regular SMS text, read receipts will not show up. Each app has its own system.