Where to find read receipts on your Samsung
Read receipts are turned off in your Messages app settings, not in your phone's main settings. Open the Messages app (the one you use to send text messages), tap the three-line menu icon in the top left corner, then select Settings. Look for Chat features or Advanced depending on your Samsung model — the exact name varies. Inside that section, you'll find a toggle for Send read receipts or Read receipts. Turn it off.
If you use Google Messages instead of Samsung's default Messages app, the process is slightly different. Open Google Messages, tap your profile icon in the top right, select Settings, then Advanced, and toggle off Show read receipts. The location of this setting can shift between Android versions, so if you don't see it when ready, try searching "read receipts" in the settings search bar at the top.
Some Samsung phones also let you control read receipts per conversation. Long-press a specific chat thread, tap Details or the info icon, and look for a read receipt option there. This lets you turn receipts off for one person while keeping them on for others.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts are controlled in your Messages app settings, not your phone's main settings menu.
- Samsung Messages and Google Messages have different menu paths, so check which app you actually use to text.
- Turning off read receipts means the other person won't see when you've read their message.
- You can control read receipts for individual conversations on some Samsung models by opening the chat details.
What happens when you turn read receipts off
When you disable read receipts, people who text you will no longer see a checkmark, timestamp, or "read" indicator after they send you a message. To them, it will look like their message is still unread even if you opened it five minutes ago. This works both ways — if they also have read receipts off, you won't see when they read your messages either.
Turning off read receipts does not prevent people from knowing you're online or typing. If your Messages app shows a "typing" indicator (the three dots that appear when someone is composing), that will still show up. Read receipts and typing indicators are separate features.
Why someone might turn read receipts off
Some people turn off read receipts because they don't want others to know they've seen a message but haven't responded yet. This removes the pressure to reply when ready. Others turn them off for privacy — they prefer not to share information about when they're actively using their phone.
In group chats, read receipts can create awkward situations where one person sees that everyone else has read the message but hasn't replied. Turning them off eliminates that dynamic. Some workplaces also ask employees to disable read receipts so that not responding to a message after hours doesn't look like ignoring work.
If you only want to hide read receipts from certain people
Samsung's default Messages app doesn't have a built-in way to hide read receipts from specific contacts while showing them to others. Your only option is to turn the feature completely on or off for everyone. However, some third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram do let you control read receipts per contact or per group.
If you need fine-grained control, you could use a different messaging app for conversations where you want to hide read receipts and keep the default Messages app for everyone else. This requires the other person to have the same app installed, so it only works if both of you are willing to switch.
Read receipts on Samsung across different message types
Read receipts work differently depending on what type of message you're sending. Standard SMS text messages (the green bubbles on most Samsung phones) do not support read receipts at all — they only show delivery status. Read receipts only work with RCS messages (Rich Communication Services, which show as blue bubbles) or messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Facebook Messenger.
RCS is Samsung's modern texting standard that works over data or WiFi instead of the old cellular network. If you're texting someone and you see blue bubbles instead of green, read receipts can explore to that conversation. If you see green bubbles, the person won't be able to see read receipts no matter what your settings say — the technology just doesn't exist for standard SMS.
Troubleshooting read receipts that won't turn off
If you've turned off read receipts but people still see when you've read their messages, the most common cause is that your Messages app hasn't fully updated or the setting didn't save. Close the Messages app completely (swipe it away from recent apps, don't just press the back button), wait a few seconds, then reopen it and check the setting again.
Another possibility is that you're using a different messaging app than you think. Check which app is set as your default SMS app in your phone's settings. Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps and look for SMS app. If it's not the app where you turned off read receipts, you'll need to change the setting in the correct app instead.
If you're texting someone with an iPhone, they may be seeing read receipts through iMessage rather than through your phone's settings. In that case, the person needs to turn off read receipts on their end, not you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell I've read their message if I turn off read receipts?
No. When read receipts are off, they won't see any indicator that you've opened their message. However, if you respond to them, they'll obviously know you read it. Read receipts only hide the fact that you've seen a message without replying.
Do read receipts work with SMS text messages?
No. Read receipts only work with RCS messages (the blue bubbles) or messaging apps. Standard SMS text messages (green bubbles) don't support read receipts. If you're texting someone and see green bubbles, read receipts won't explore to that conversation regardless of your settings.
If I turn off read receipts, will I stop seeing when others read my messages?
Yes. Read receipts are a two-way feature. When you turn them off, you won't see read receipts from others, and they won't see them from you. If you want to see when someone reads your message, you need to keep read receipts turned on.
Why do I still see "read" indicators even though I turned off read receipts?
You might be using a different messaging app than you think. Check your default SMS app in Settings to make sure you changed the setting in the right place. Also make sure you're looking at RCS messages (blue bubbles), not SMS messages (green bubbles), since SMS doesn't support read receipts.