Read receipts tell the sender when you have opened their message
A read receipt is a notification that tells someone their message has been opened and seen. When you open a text, email, or chat message on a device that has read receipts turned on, the sender gets a small signal — often a checkmark, timestamp, or status change — showing that you have read what they sent. It is not the same as receiving the message or downloading it. Read receipt means you have actually opened it and looked at it.
Read receipts exist in most messaging apps and email programs, but they work differently depending on which platform you use. Some apps show read receipts by default. Others let you turn them on or off. A few do not offer them at all. Understanding what read receipts do — and what they do not do — helps you decide whether to use them and what to expect when someone else has them turned on.
Key Takeaways
- A read receipt is a notification that shows the sender you have opened their message, not just received it.
- Read receipts work differently across platforms: iMessage shows them as blue checkmarks, Gmail shows them as a timestamp, and some apps let you turn them off entirely.
- Turning off read receipts prevents others from knowing when you have read their messages, but you will also stop seeing when they have read yours.
- Read receipts do not tell the sender whether you understood the message, agreed with it, or plan to respond.
How read receipts appear in different apps and email
iMessage on Apple devices shows read receipts as two blue checkmarks below a message. One checkmark means the message was delivered to the recipient's device. Two checkmarks mean they have opened and read it. If someone has read receipts turned off, you will see only one checkmark no matter how long they have had the message.
Gmail shows read receipts as a small timestamp or "opened" label next to your message, but only if the recipient has enabled read receipts in their settings. Many Gmail users do not turn this on, so you often will not see whether your email was read. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram Direct Messages all use similar double-checkmark systems, with the second checkmark appearing in blue or a different color once the message is opened.
Slack and Microsoft Teams show read receipts as emoji reactions or small icons next to messages. Some workplace chat apps let your organization turn read receipts on or off for everyone at once, rather than letting each person choose. Text messages sent through standard SMS do not have read receipts unless your phone's operating system or carrier supports them, which is rare.
Why people turn read receipts on or off
Some people keep read receipts on because they want others to know they have seen important messages. This is common in work settings where managers or clients expect a quick response, or in families where someone wants to show they are paying attention. Read receipts create a small amount of accountability — the sender knows you have seen their message, so they might expect a reply sooner.
Other people turn read receipts off because they do not want others to know they have read a message without responding. This is especially common when someone is busy, overwhelmed, or needs time to think before replying. Turning off read receipts gives you privacy and removes the pressure to respond when ready. The trade-off is that you will also stop seeing when other people have read your messages.
Some people turn read receipts off because they do not want to seem rude if they read a message and do not reply right away. Others do it straightforward because they find the feature distracting or do not care whether others know they have read something. There is no right choice — it depends on your own communication style and what matters to you.
What read receipts do not tell you
A read receipt only means the message was opened. It does not mean the person understood it, agreed with it, or plans to do anything about it. Someone might open your message, see it is long, and come back to it later. They might read it while distracted and not remember what it said. They might disagree with it completely but not want to argue. The read receipt tells you only that they opened it at a specific time.
Read receipts also do not show whether someone read the entire message. If you send a long email or a series of messages, the read receipt appears as soon as the person opens the first one. They might have read only the first line and then closed it. Some apps show when a message was read but not how long the person spent looking at it.
How to turn read receipts on or off
On iMessage, open Settings, go to Messages, and toggle "Send Read Receipts" on or off. This controls whether others see when you have read their messages. If you turn it off, you will not see their read receipts either.
In Gmail, open an email you have received, click the three-dot menu, and look for "Display read receipt" or similar wording. You can request a read receipt for individual emails rather than turning it on for all messages. The recipient can still decline to send one.
WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram all have read receipt settings in their privacy or notification menus. Look for "Read Receipts" or "Message Read Status" in Settings. On Android, the exact location varies by app version, but it is usually under Privacy or Notifications. On iPhone, it is typically in the main Settings menu for each app.
Slack and Teams usually have read receipts turned on by default, but you can disable them in your user preferences. Some workplace administrators control this setting for the entire organization, so you might not have the option to change it yourself.
Read receipts in group chats and work messaging
In group chats, read receipts can show you who has seen a message and who has not. This is useful if you are trying to coordinate something and need to know whether everyone has gotten the information. However, it can also create awkwardness if someone has read a message but not responded, or if they read it and clearly chose not to engage.
In work settings, read receipts are often expected to be on. Managers and colleagues may interpret a lack of read receipt as a sign that you have not seen an important message, or they may feel ignored if you read something and do not respond quickly. Some teams have unwritten rules about read receipts — for example, reading a message counts as acknowledging it, even if you do not reply when ready. Ask your team or manager what the expectation is if you are unsure.
Common confusion about read receipts
Many people think a read receipt means the message was successfully delivered. It does not. Delivery and read status are separate. A message can be delivered to someone's device without them ever opening it. Some apps show delivery status separately from read status, with different checkmarks or icons for each stage.
Some people also think that if they do not see a read receipt, the message was not delivered. This is not always true. The sender might have read receipts turned off, or they might be using a device or app that does not support them. A missing read receipt does not mean the message failed to arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell if I read their message if I have read receipts turned off?
No. If you turn off read receipts, the sender will not see when you open their messages. However, they might still be able to tell you have read something if you respond to it, or if they see you are active in the app at the time they sent it. But the read receipt notification itself will not appear.
What if I read a message by accident and do not want them to know?
If read receipts are on, it is too late — they have already been notified. If you want to avoid this in the future, turn off read receipts in your settings. Some apps like Instagram Direct Messages let you turn off read receipts just for certain conversations, which is a middle ground.
Do read receipts work across different platforms?
No. If you send a message from iMessage to someone on Android, they will not see the blue checkmarks because Android does not use that system. Each platform has its own read receipt format. A message sent through email will show read receipts only if both people are using email clients that support them.
Can I see read receipts for messages I sent a long time ago?
Most apps show read receipts only for recent messages. Once a conversation is archived or deleted, you usually cannot see the read receipt history. Email is an exception — Gmail and Outlook keep read receipt records longer, though this depends on your settings and how long you keep the message.
Does turning off read receipts affect anything else in the app?
Turning off read receipts does not affect your ability to send or receive messages, or any other features of the app. It only controls whether others see when you have opened their messages and whether you see when they have opened yours.