Send Read Receipts tells the other person when you have opened and read their message
When you turn on Send Read Receipts, your phone sends a notification back to whoever texted or messaged you. That notification says "this person has read your message" and usually includes a timestamp showing when you opened it. It works in text messages, iMessage, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and most other messaging apps — though each app calls it something slightly different and handles it in its own way.
The person sending you a message sees a small indicator next to what they wrote. On iMessage, it might say "Delivered" first, then change to "Read" with a time. On WhatsApp, you see one checkmark (sent), two checkmarks (delivered), and two blue checkmarks (read). Other apps use different symbols, but the idea is the same: they know you have seen their message.
This is different from just delivering a message. Delivery means your phone received it. Read means you actually opened the app and looked at it. The sender can see both pieces of information if you have read receipts turned on.
Key Takeaways
- Send Read Receipts is a setting that tells people when you have opened and read their messages, not just when you received them.
- Each messaging app shows read status differently — iMessage uses "Read" with a time, WhatsApp uses blue checkmarks, and others use their own symbols.
- Turning off Send Read Receipts means people cannot see when you read their message, though most apps still show them that it was delivered.
- Some apps let you turn read receipts on for everyone or only for certain contacts, giving you control over who can see when you read their messages.
How to find and change this setting on your phone
On an iPhone with iMessage, go to Settings, then Messages, and look for "Send Read Receipts." Toggle it on or off. If you turn it off, people using iMessage will no longer see "Read" next to their messages to you — they will only see "Delivered."
On Android with Google Messages, open the app, tap your profile picture or the three-line menu, go to Settings, then Advanced, and toggle "Send read receipts." The steps vary slightly depending on which Android phone you have and which messaging app you use, but the setting is usually in the app's main settings menu under privacy or notifications.
For WhatsApp on either phone, open the app, go to Settings, then Privacy, and you will see "Read Receipts." Turn it on or off there. WhatsApp also lets you turn read receipts on for everyone but off for group chats, or vice versa — you control each one separately.
Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct Messages, and other apps have similar toggles buried in their settings. The exact path differs, but the principle is the same: find the app's settings, look for privacy or messaging options, and toggle read receipts on or off.
Why someone might turn read receipts off
Some people turn off read receipts because they do not want others to know they have seen a message but chosen not to reply yet. If you read a text from your boss at 9 p.m. but do not answer until morning, they can see you read it when ready — which might create an awkward conversation about why you did not respond right away. Turning read receipts off removes that visibility.
Others turn it off for privacy reasons. They prefer that people do not have a record of exactly when they are checking their phone or reading messages. It is a small piece of information, but some people do not want to share it.
In group chats, read receipts can feel noisy. If ten people are in a conversation, seeing that eight of them have read the message can clutter the screen. Some apps let you turn group read receipts off while keeping them on for one-on-one conversations.
What happens when you turn read receipts off
When you disable Send Read Receipts, people will no longer see a "Read" indicator next to their messages to you. On iMessage, the message will stay marked "Delivered" instead of changing to "Read." On WhatsApp, the checkmarks will stay gray or single-blue instead of turning double-blue. The sender has no way to know whether you have actually opened the message.
However, turning off read receipts does not make you invisible. People can still see that you are typing (if that feature is on), that you are online, or that you were active recently — depending on what other settings you have enabled. Read receipts are just one piece of the puzzle.
Some apps do not let you turn off read receipts entirely, or they only let you do it for certain contacts. Check your specific app's settings to see what options are available to you.
The difference between read receipts and delivery receipts
A delivery receipt means the message reached your phone and your carrier or the app confirmed it arrived. A read receipt means you actually opened the message and looked at it. They are two separate things, and most messaging apps show both.
You can usually turn off read receipts without affecting delivery receipts. The sender will still know the message got to you — they just will not know when you opened it. Some older phones or messaging systems do not support read receipts at all, but delivery receipts are more universal.
Read receipts in group chats
In a group text or group chat, read receipts can get confusing fast. If you have ten people in a conversation, you might see that five have read the latest message and five have not. Some apps let you turn group read receipts off separately from one-on-one read receipts, so you can keep them on for private messages but disable them in group conversations.
Group read receipts can also create social pressure. If someone sends a message to the group and sees that everyone has read it but nobody has replied, they might feel ignored. Turning them off in group chats can reduce that feeling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off read receipts mean people cannot see that I am online?
No. Read receipts and online status are separate settings. You can turn off read receipts but still show people that you are active right now, or vice versa. Check your app's privacy settings to control each one separately.
If I turn off read receipts, can I still see when other people read my messages?
Yes. Your setting only controls what you send out, not what you receive. If someone else has read receipts turned on, you will still see when they read your messages to them.
What if someone has read receipts off but I need to know if they saw my message?
You cannot know for certain. You could ask them directly, or you could send a follow-up message asking if they got your first one. Some apps let you request a read receipt for a single message even if the person has them turned off globally, but not all do.
Does turning off read receipts work across all messaging apps?
No. Each app has its own setting. You might have read receipts off in iMessage but on in WhatsApp. You need to change the setting separately in each app you use.
Can my employer see my read receipts?
Only if you are using their messaging system and they have admin access to it. On your personal phone with your personal messaging apps, your employer cannot see your read receipts unless you show them your phone.