What read receipts do and where to find the setting
Read receipts are a notification that tells you when someone has opened an email you sent them. When you turn on read receipts in Outlook, anyone who sends you an email with read receipts enabled will get a message back from you automatically — whether you've actually read it or not — the moment Outlook opens that email on your device.
The setting lives in different places depending on which version of Outlook you use. On Windows, it's in File > Options > Mail > Tracking. On Mac, it's in Outlook > Preferences > Mail > Read Receipts. On the web version (Outlook.com or Outlook on the web), it's in Settings > Mail > Message handling. The steps below cover each one.
One important thing to know: turning on read receipts in your own settings does not automatically send read receipts for emails you send. Those are two separate controls. This article covers receiving read receipts — letting others know you've opened their mail. If you want to request read receipts when you send emails, that's a per-email choice you make as you compose the message.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts notify the sender that you have opened their email, but they do not tell them whether you actually read the content.
- On Windows Outlook, the read receipts setting is in File > Options > Mail > Tracking.
- On Mac Outlook, the setting is in Outlook > Preferences > Mail > Read Receipts.
- On Outlook.com or Outlook on the web, the setting is in Settings > Mail > Message handling.
- Turning on read receipts in your settings means you will send a receipt whenever someone's email opens on your device, but it does not affect emails you send.
Turning on read receipts in Outlook on Windows
Open Outlook and go to File in the top left corner. Click File, then click Options at the bottom of the menu. In the Outlook Options window, click Mail on the left side. Scroll down until you see a section called Tracking. Under Tracking, you will see a checkbox next to "Always send a read receipt". Click that checkbox to turn it on. The checkbox will now have a checkmark in it.
Once you've checked the box, click OK at the bottom right of the Outlook Options window. The setting is now active. From this point forward, when someone sends you an email with read receipts requested, Outlook will automatically send them a receipt the moment the email opens on your computer — even if you only open it by accident and close it when ready.
If you ever want to turn this off, follow the same steps and uncheck the box. You can also make exceptions: some versions of Outlook let you choose whether to send a receipt for each individual email, which overrides this setting for that one message.
Turning on read receipts in Outlook on Mac
Open Outlook on your Mac. In the menu bar at the very top of your screen, click Outlook. A dropdown menu will appear. Click Preferences near the bottom of that menu. The Preferences window will open. On the left side, find and click Mail. A list of mail-related settings will appear on the right side of the window.
Look for an option called Read Receipts. Click on it. You will see a checkbox next to "Always send a read receipt". Click the checkbox to turn it on. Once the checkbox is marked, close the Preferences window by clicking the red circle button in the top left corner of the window. The setting is now active and will work the same way as on Windows — Outlook will send a receipt whenever an email with read receipts requested opens on your Mac.
Turning on read receipts in Outlook on the web
Go to Outlook.com or your organization's Outlook on the web portal and sign in. In the top right corner of the page, click the gear icon (Settings). A menu will drop down. Click "View all Outlook settings" at the bottom of that menu. The Settings page will open in a new tab or window.
On the left side of the Settings page, click Mail. A list of mail settings will appear. Look for Message handling and click on it. Scroll down in the Message handling section until you see "Always send a read receipt". Check the box next to it. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save. Your setting is now active. Because this is the web version, the change takes effect when ready across all your devices that use Outlook on the web.
What happens after you turn on read receipts
Once read receipts are on, you will send a receipt automatically whenever an email opens on your device — but only if the sender requested a read receipt when they sent the email. Not every email comes with a read receipt request. If someone sends you a regular email without requesting a receipt, turning on read receipts in your settings will not send them anything.
When you do send a receipt, it appears in the sender's inbox as a separate message. It will say something like "Read: [Your Name] read your message on [date and time]". The sender can then see that you opened the email, but they cannot see whether you actually read it, understood it, or took any action on it. A read receipt only confirms that the email was opened.
If you want to prevent sending a read receipt for a specific email even though your setting is turned on, most versions of Outlook let you choose "Don't Send a Read Receipt" when you open that particular email. Look for this option in the message itself or in the Message menu.
The difference between read receipts and delivery receipts
Delivery receipts and read receipts are not the same thing. A delivery receipt tells you that your email reached the recipient's mail server — it arrived in their inbox. A read receipt tells you that the recipient opened the email. Delivery happens first, reading happens later, and they are controlled by separate settings.
Delivery receipts are less common in modern email because most mail servers do not support them reliably. Read receipts work more consistently because they are generated by the email client (Outlook itself) rather than by the mail server. If you want to know whether an email was delivered, you may not be able to rely on a delivery receipt — instead, you might ask the person to confirm they received it, or you might send a follow-up email.
Why someone might not want to send read receipts
Some people turn off read receipts because they do not want others to know exactly when they open emails. If your manager or a client can see the exact time you read their message, they might expect a response right away — even if you opened it by accident or need time to think. Turning off read receipts gives you privacy about when you actually engage with your inbox.
Others turn off read receipts because they find the notifications annoying or because they worry about the security implications of confirming their activity to senders. There is no rule that says you must send read receipts. The setting is entirely your choice, and you can change it at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning on read receipts mean people can see when I read every email?
No. Read receipts only send a notification if the sender specifically requested one when they sent the email. If someone sends you a regular email without requesting a read receipt, your setting will not send them anything, and they will have no way to know when you opened it.
Can I send a read receipt for one email but not others?
Yes. Even if your setting is turned on to always send read receipts, most versions of Outlook let you choose not to send a receipt for a specific email. When you open an email, look for an option to "Don't Send a Read Receipt" or similar wording, usually in the Message menu or in the email itself.
What if I open an email but don't actually read it?
A read receipt will still be sent. The receipt only confirms that the email was opened — it does not measure whether you actually read the content, understood it, or took any action. Opening an email by accident will trigger a receipt just the same as reading it carefully.
Do read receipts work if I use Outlook on multiple devices?
Yes, but the behavior depends on your setup. If you use Outlook on the web, the setting applies across all devices. If you use the desktop version on Windows or Mac, each device has its own setting, so you may need to turn on read receipts separately on each computer.
Can someone tell if I'm ignoring their emails if I don't send a read receipt?
No. If your read receipts setting is turned off, senders will not receive any notification that you opened their email. They will have no way to know whether you read it, ignored it, or never saw it at all. The only way they can know is if you tell them or respond.