Read receipts let people know when you've seen their messages
Read receipts are a feature in Apple's Messages app that tells the person texting you when you've opened and read their message. When you turn them on, a small "Read" label with a timestamp appears under each message the other person sends you — but only if they have read receipts turned on too. You control this setting yourself, and you can turn it on or off at any time.
The setting applies to all your text conversations at once. You cannot turn read receipts on for one person and off for another using the built-in Messages settings, though you can disable them for specific conversations if you change your mind later.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts are turned on in Settings > Messages > Send Read Receipts, and the toggle must be switched on for others to see when you read their texts.
- Both people need read receipts enabled to see the "Read" label — if the other person has it off, you won't see when they read your messages.
- You can turn off read receipts for a single conversation by opening the chat, swiping left on the person's name at the top, and tapping Details.
- Read receipts work only in the Messages app with iMessage and SMS texts, not in third-party apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
How to turn read receipts on in Settings
Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to find Messages. Tap it, then look for the toggle next to "Send Read Receipts" and switch it on. The toggle will turn green when it's active.
Once you've done this, anyone who texts you will see "Read" with the time under their message when you open it — but only if they also have read receipts turned on. If someone has read receipts off, you won't see when they read your messages, even though yours are visible to them.
What happens when read receipts are on
When read receipts are enabled and someone sends you a message, they'll see "Delivered" appear under their text right away. Once you open the message and read it, that label changes to "Read" along with the exact time you opened it. This happens instantly — there's no delay.
The read receipt shows only that you opened the message, not that you've responded or taken any action. You could read a message and not reply for hours, and the "Read" label will still show the time you first opened it.
Turning read receipts off for one conversation
If you want to keep read receipts on overall but disable them for a specific person, open that conversation in Messages. Swipe left on the person's name at the very top of the chat, then tap the three dots (or "Details" if you see that option). Look for "Send Read Receipts" and toggle it off for just that conversation.
This setting overrides your general Messages setting for only that person. Everyone else will still see your read receipts, but this one person won't. If you turn the setting back on later, it will return to following your main Messages setting.
Read receipts only work in certain apps
Read receipts in the Messages app apply only to iMessage (Apple's texting service for iPhone to iPhone) and standard SMS text messages. They don't work in WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct Messages, or any other third-party messaging app — those apps have their own read receipt systems that you control separately within each app.
If you text someone with an Android phone using SMS, they won't see your read receipts because Android's default messaging app doesn't support Apple's read receipt format. The message will show as delivered, but not as read.
Why someone might not see your read receipts
The most common reason is that the other person has read receipts turned off in their own Messages settings. Even if you have them on, they won't see the "Read" label unless they've enabled the feature too. You can ask them to turn it on if you want them to see when you read their messages.
Another reason is if they're texting you from an Android phone using SMS. Android devices don't send or receive Apple's read receipt signals, so the feature won't work between iPhone and Android for standard text messages. It works fine for iMessage between two Apple devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell I'm typing if I have read receipts on?
No. Read receipts show only when you've opened and read a message. The typing indicator (the three dots that appear while someone is composing) is a separate feature controlled by a different setting in Messages, and it works independently of read receipts.
What if I don't want anyone to see my read receipts?
Go to Settings > Messages and make sure the "Send Read Receipts" toggle is off. This disables read receipts for all your conversations at once. People will still see "Delivered" under their messages, but they won't see "Read" or the time you opened them.
Do read receipts work in group chats?
Yes. In a group iMessage conversation, each person who has read receipts on will show "Read" with their name and the time they opened the message. You'll see a list showing who has read the message and when, as long as everyone in the group has the feature enabled.
Can I see read receipts on older messages?
No. Read receipts appear only for messages sent after you turn the feature on. If you enable read receipts today, you won't see "Read" labels on messages from before today, even if the other person has read receipts on.