Where to find read receipts on your iPhone
Read receipts are turned on in the Messages app settings, not in a general iPhone settings menu. Open the Settings app, scroll down to find Messages, tap it, and look for the "Send Read Receipts" toggle. If the toggle is green and switched to the right, read receipts are on. If it's gray and switched to the left, they're off.
When read receipts are on, people who text you will see "Read" with a timestamp below their message once you've opened it. At the same time, you'll see "Read" under messages you send to others who also have read receipts turned on. This works only in the standard Messages app, not in third-party texting apps like WhatsApp or Telegram.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts are controlled through Settings > Messages > Send Read Receipts, not through the Messages app itself.
- Turning on read receipts lets others see when you've opened their text messages, and you'll see when they've opened yours.
- Read receipts only work between iPhone users in the Messages app — they don't function in group texts with Android users or in third-party messaging apps.
- You can turn read receipts on or off at any time, and the change takes effect immediately for new messages.
Step-by-step instructions
Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down the list until you see Messages — it usually appears after Mail and before Music. Tap Messages to open its settings page.
On the Messages settings page, look for "Send Read Receipts" near the top. It appears as a toggle switch. If the switch is gray and positioned to the left, read receipts are currently off. Tap the switch once to turn it on — it will turn green and move to the right. If the switch is already green, read receipts are already on and you don't need to do anything.
Close Settings by swiping up from the bottom of the screen or tapping the home button. The change takes effect immediately. Any new messages you receive will now show "Read" to the sender once you open them.
What happens when read receipts are on
When you have read receipts enabled, the person texting you will see the word "Read" appear below their message along with the time you opened it. This happens automatically — you don't have to do anything. They can see this information only if they also have read receipts turned on in their own Messages settings.
At the same time, when you send a text to someone who has read receipts on, you'll see "Read" appear under your message once they open it. If they haven't opened your message yet, you'll see "Delivered" instead. This gives you confirmation that your message reached them and that they've actually read it, not just received it.
Read receipts don't work everywhere
Read receipts only function in one-on-one text conversations in the Messages app between two iPhone users. In group text conversations, read receipts work differently — you'll see a list of who has read the message, but not individual timestamps. If even one person in the group uses an Android phone, read receipts won't work for that conversation at all.
Third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Facebook Messenger have their own read receipt settings that are separate from your iPhone's Messages settings. Turning on read receipts in iPhone Settings won't affect those apps. You'll need to adjust read receipt settings within each app individually if you want to control them.
Turning read receipts off
If you change your mind and want to turn read receipts off, return to Settings > Messages and tap the "Send Read Receipts" toggle to switch it back to gray. Once you do this, people won't see "Read" under their messages to you anymore — they'll only see "Delivered." You also won't see "Read" under messages you send to others.
Turning read receipts off doesn't delete past read receipts that people already saw. It only affects messages sent after you make the change. You can turn read receipts on and off as many times as you want without any penalty or side effects.
Why you might want read receipts on or off
Some people turn on read receipts because they want others to know they've seen a message, which can reduce confusion about whether communication got through. Others prefer read receipts off because they don't want to feel obligated to respond immediately, or because they want privacy about when they're actively using their phone.
There's no right or wrong choice — it depends on your personal preference and how you use text messaging. If you're coordinating with family or work colleagues, read receipts can be useful. If you prefer more privacy or don't want the pressure of immediate response expectations, turning them off is perfectly fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn read receipts on for some people but not others?
No. The read receipts setting applies to all your text conversations at once. You either have them on for everyone or off for everyone. There's no way to enable read receipts for specific contacts while keeping them off for others.
What's the difference between "Delivered" and "Read"?
"Delivered" means your message reached the recipient's phone. "Read" means they've actually opened the Messages app and viewed your message. If someone has read receipts off, you'll only ever see "Delivered," even if they've read your message.
Do read receipts work in iMessage and regular SMS texts?
Read receipts work in iMessage, which is Apple's messaging service for iPhone-to-iPhone communication. They don't work in regular SMS text messages sent to Android phones or older devices. Your iPhone automatically uses iMessage when possible and falls back to SMS when needed.
If I turn off read receipts, can I still see when others have read my messages?
Yes. Your read receipt setting only controls whether others see when you've read their messages. It doesn't affect whether you can see when they've read yours. You'll still see "Read" under messages you send to people who have read receipts turned on.