Yes, you can turn off read receipts, but only for direct messages
Instagram lets you hide whether you have read a message, but the setting works only in direct messages (DMs) — the private conversations between you and one person or a small group. When you turn off read receipts, the other person will no longer see the moment you opened their message or the checkmarks that show whether you have read it. They will still see that you are typing, and they will still know when you were last active on Instagram.
Read receipts do not turn off for Stories, comments, or posts. If someone sends you a message and you read it, they can see that you read it unless you have disabled the setting beforehand. The setting applies to all your DMs at once — you cannot turn it off for one person and leave it on for another.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts can only be turned off in direct messages, not in Stories, comments, or public posts.
- When read receipts are off, people cannot see when you opened their message or the checkmarks showing you read it.
- The setting applies to all your DMs at once, so you cannot hide read receipts from some people but not others.
- Turning off read receipts does not hide your typing indicator or your last active time on Instagram.
- You can turn the setting back on at any time, and people will see read receipts again from that moment forward.
How to turn off read receipts on your phone
Open Instagram and tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Tap the three horizontal lines (the menu) in the top right. Scroll down and tap Settings and privacy. Tap Settings. Scroll down to the How others can interact with you section and tap Messages and story replies. Look for the option that says Read receipts and toggle it off.
Once you turn it off, the toggle will show as gray or off. The change takes effect when ready. Anyone who messages you after this point will not see that you have read their message. If you turn the setting back on later, people will see read receipts again starting from that moment — they will not retroactively see old messages you read while the setting was off.
What happens when read receipts are off
When read receipts are disabled, the person messaging you will not see the two checkmarks that normally appear next to their message once you have opened it. They also will not see the exact time you read the message. However, they can still see one checkmark next to their message, which means it was delivered to Instagram's servers — that checkmark appears whether read receipts are on or off.
The other person will still see when you are typing a reply, because the typing indicator is separate from read receipts. They will also still see your last active time if you have that setting turned on. If you want complete privacy about when you are using Instagram, you would need to turn off your activity status separately in the same Messages and story replies menu.
Why someone might turn off read receipts
Some people turn off read receipts because they want time to think before responding without the other person knowing they have already seen the message. Others do it to avoid the social pressure of appearing rude if they read a message and do not reply right away. In group chats, turning off read receipts can reduce the feeling that you are being watched or judged for your response time.
There is no technical reason to turn off read receipts — it does not save battery, speed up your phone, or improve privacy in any meaningful way. The decision is purely social. Some people find it helpful; others leave it on because they prefer transparency about whether their messages have been seen.
The difference between read receipts and activity status
Read receipts show whether you have opened a specific message. Activity status shows when you were last active on Instagram — for example, "active now" or "active 2 hours ago." These are two separate settings, and you can turn them off independently.
If you turn off read receipts but leave activity status on, people will still know you were using Instagram recently, even if they cannot see that you read their specific message. If you turn off activity status but leave read receipts on, people will see that you read their message but will not know when you were last active. To hide both, you need to turn off both settings in the Messages and story replies menu.
What read receipts do not hide
Turning off read receipts does not hide your message from the other person — they can still see what you wrote. It does not prevent them from taking a screenshot of your message or reporting it. It does not hide your profile, your Stories, or your posts from them. It only hides the moment you opened their direct message.
If the other person has read receipts turned on, you will still see when they read your messages. Read receipts are not mutual — your setting does not affect what they see about you, and their setting does not affect what you see about them. You each control your own read receipts independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off read receipts for just one person?
No. The read receipts setting applies to all your direct messages at once. If you turn it off, everyone you message will not see your read receipts. You cannot hide read receipts from one person while showing them to another. If you want to hide from a specific person, you would need to mute or block them instead.
If I turn off read receipts, will old messages show as read?
No. Once you turn off read receipts, the setting applies only to messages you receive after that point. Messages you already read before turning off the setting will still show as read. The person will continue to see that you read those old messages.
Does turning off read receipts hide my typing indicator?
No. The typing indicator is separate from read receipts. Even with read receipts off, the other person will see when you are typing a reply. If you want to hide the typing indicator, you would need to turn off activity status in the same menu, though this may not completely hide all typing indicators in all situations.
Can I see if someone else has read receipts turned off?
Not directly. If someone has read receipts off, you will straightforward not see the checkmarks or the time they read your message. You cannot tell whether they turned off the setting or whether they just have not opened the message yet. The only way to know is if they tell you.
What if I turn read receipts back on?
Once you turn read receipts back on, people will see them again starting when ready. They will not see read receipts for messages you read while the setting was off. From that point forward, they will see when you open their messages and the time you read them.