What read receipts are and why you might want to turn them off
Read receipts are notifications that tell the person who sent you a message that you have opened and read it. When read receipts are on, a checkmark, timestamp, or "seen" indicator appears next to their message — letting them know you have looked at what they wrote, whether or not you have responded yet.
You might want to turn them off for several reasons. Some people find them create pressure to respond when ready. Others prefer privacy — they do not want senders to know the exact moment they read a message. In group chats, read receipts can also make it obvious who is ignoring a conversation.
The steps to disable read receipts differ depending on which app or device you use. Most messaging platforms — including text messages, email, and chat apps — let you control this setting yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts show the sender when you have opened their message, but you can turn this notification off in most apps and devices.
- On iPhone, you disable read receipts separately for text messages and for each messaging app like iMessage, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger.
- On Android, the process varies by phone manufacturer and messaging app, but the setting is usually in the app's notification or privacy menu.
- Turning off read receipts on your device does not prevent you from seeing when others have read your messages — those are separate settings.
- Some apps like Gmail and Slack have read receipt features that work differently and require their own steps to disable.
How to turn off read receipts on iPhone
On iPhone, read receipts work differently for text messages (SMS) and for iMessage. To turn off read receipts for regular text messages, open Settings, tap Messages, and toggle off "Send Read Receipts." This controls whether the other person sees that you have read their SMS.
For iMessage — Apple's messaging service that works between iPhones, iPads, and Macs — the setting is in the same place. Open Settings, go to Messages, and turn off "Send Read Receipts." This applies to all iMessage conversations on that device.
If you use third-party apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Telegram, each one has its own read receipt setting. Open the app, go to Settings or Preferences, look for Privacy or Notifications, and find the option to disable read receipts. The exact location varies by app, but it is usually labeled "Show read receipts" or "Send read receipts."
How to turn off read receipts on Android
Android phones do not have a single system-wide setting for read receipts the way iPhone does. Instead, you control them app by app. Open the messaging or chat app you want to adjust, tap the menu icon (usually three dots), and look for Settings or Preferences.
In the Settings menu, search for Privacy, Notifications, or Messages. Look for an option that says "Read receipts," "Send read receipts," or "Show when message is read." Toggle it off. The exact wording and location depend on your phone manufacturer (Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, etc.) and the version of Android you have.
For SMS text messages on Android, open your default messaging app (usually Google Messages, Samsung Messages, or your carrier's app), tap the menu, go to Settings, and look for a read receipt option. Not all Android text messaging apps offer this feature, so you may not find it in every app.
Turning off read receipts in email
Email read receipts work differently than messaging apps. When you send an email, you can request a read receipt — a notification that tells you when the recipient opens it. This is not turned on by default in most email services.
In Gmail, you cannot request read receipts at all. In Outlook, you can request one when you send an email by clicking the three dots, selecting "Request a read receipt," and then sending. The recipient will see a prompt asking whether to send the receipt back. If you receive a read receipt request and do not want to send one, you can decline it in the prompt.
In Apple Mail, read receipts work similarly. When you send an email, you can request a read receipt before hitting send. Recipients can choose whether to send one back. There is no setting to disable receiving these requests — you straightforward decline them when they arrive.
Read receipts in group chats and work apps
Group chats on iMessage, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger all show read receipts by default. When you turn off read receipts in these apps (using the steps above), it applies to both one-on-one and group conversations. Everyone in the chat will see that read receipts are off for you.
Work apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams have their own read receipt systems. In Slack, you cannot disable read receipts entirely, but you can control whether your status shows as active. In Teams, read receipts are on by default, but you can turn them off in Settings under Privacy. The exact steps depend on whether you are using the desktop app, web version, or mobile app.
What happens when you turn off read receipts
When you disable read receipts, people who message you will no longer see that you have read their message. To them, the message will show as "sent" or "delivered" but not "read" or "seen." This applies only to messages sent after you change the setting — it does not hide the fact that you read old messages.
Turning off your read receipts does not affect your ability to see when others have read your messages. Those are separate settings. If someone else has read receipts turned on, you will still see when they read what you send. If they have turned them off, you will not see a read indicator, but that does not mean they have not read your message.
Some people worry that turning off read receipts will make them seem rude or unresponsive. In reality, most people understand that read receipts are a privacy choice, not a statement about how much they care about the conversation.
Why read receipts sometimes do not work as expected
Read receipts require both people to be using the same messaging service. If you send an SMS to someone and they read it on an Android phone, you might not see a read receipt even if they have them turned on — it depends on their carrier and phone. iMessage read receipts only work between Apple devices.
If someone has turned off read receipts on their end, you will not see when they read your messages, even if you have read receipts turned on for yourself. Some apps also require an internet connection to send read receipts, so a person on WiFi or cellular data might not send one when ready.
Desktop and mobile versions of the same app sometimes have different read receipt settings. For example, you might have read receipts off on your phone but on on your computer. Check both if you want consistent behavior across devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I turn off read receipts, will people know I am ignoring them?
No. When read receipts are off, your messages will show as "delivered" but not "read." People will not know whether you have seen their message or straightforward have not responded yet. Turning off read receipts is a common privacy choice and does not signal anything negative.
Can I turn off read receipts for one person but not everyone else?
Most messaging apps do not offer per-contact read receipt settings. When you turn off read receipts, it applies to all conversations in that app. Some apps like Telegram let you disable read receipts only in secret chats, but standard chats show them to everyone or no one.
Do read receipts work the same way on desktop and mobile?
Not always. Some apps have different settings on desktop and mobile versions. Check the settings on each device you use if you want consistent behavior. For example, you might have read receipts on in the desktop version of Slack but off on your phone.
What if someone keeps requesting read receipts in email?
You can decline the read receipt request each time it appears, but there is no way to block all future requests. If someone repeatedly sends read receipt requests, you can also mark their emails as spam or create a filter to handle them automatically, depending on your email service.
Will turning off read receipts affect my work or professional relationships?
In most workplaces, turning off read receipts is not a problem. However, if your job requires quick responses or constant availability, check with your manager or team about expectations. Some workplaces use read receipts to track responsiveness, so it is worth knowing the culture before you disable them.