WhatsApp Read Receipts: Identify Status and Turn Off the Feature

If you’ve ever been in a situation where you received a message on WhatsApp but didn’t have the time or inclination to respond immediately, you may have wondered how the other person knows that you’ve read their message.

The answer lies in WhatsApp’s read receipts feature – those two little blue ticks that indicate that your message has been read.

Read receipts can be a double-edged sword. They provide instant confirmation that your message has been received and read. On the other hand, they can also lead to feelings of being “seen-zoned” if you choose not to respond.

Fortunately, WhatsApp gives you the option to control this feature. By default, read receipts are turned on, but you can quickly turn them off if you prefer.

WhatsApp introduced this feature back in 2014, and its adoption has been mixed. While some users prefer to keep read receipts on, others prefer to keep them off to maintain a sense of neutrality.

In this article, we will take a closer look at WhatsApp read receipts – how they work, how to toggle the setting on or off and answer some frequently asked questions about this feature. So, let’s dive in and explore the world of WhatsApp read receipts.

What are read receipts on WhatsApp?

Read receipts on WhatsApp indicate whether a recipient has read your message. When a message has been read, you will see two blue ticks next to it.

Here’s a breakdown of the message status on WhatsApp:

• One tick: The message has been sent successfully.
• Two gray ticks: The message has been delivered to the recipient’s device.
• Two blue ticks: The recipient has read your message.

When you create your WhatsApp account, read receipts are enabled by default, but you can toggle this feature through the privacy settings. Read receipts apply to 1:1 messages, group messages, and voice notes.

For 1:1 messages, both parties need to have read receipts enabled in order to see the blue ticks. If you have read receipts enabled but the other person doesn’t, you won’t be able to see if they’ve read your message, and vice versa.

Toggling read receipts on or off in group messages doesn’t impact them. If all members of the group have read your message, you will see two blue ticks.

Read receipts also apply to voice notes. When your recipient has thoroughly listened to your audio message, you will see a blue microphone icon indicating that they have done so.

If you don’t see the blue ticks and instead see a single gray tick for a long time, it could mean that the recipient has disabled the read receipts option, blocked you, not opened the message, or is experiencing connection issues.

‍Tip: If you want to know the exact time when your recipient has read your message on WhatsApp, you can easily do so by selecting the message and clicking on the Info option. This will show you the delivery and read timestamps of your message. It's important to note that this feature will only work if your recipient has enabled read receipts. If they have not enabled it, you will see a blank line under the "Read" section.

Toggle Read Receipts on WhatsApp

If you wish to adjust the read receipts settings on WhatsApp, you can quickly turn them off or on based on your device. Below are the steps to do so:

How to Turn Off Read Receipts on WhatsApp

Android:

1. Open WhatsApp and tap on the More Options menu (three dots) located in the top right corner.
2. Select Settings and choose Privacy.
3. Locate “Read Receipts” and toggle it off.

iOS:

1. Open your iOS device’s Settings app.
2. Please scroll down and find WhatsApp, then tap on it.
3. Select Privacy and toggle off Read Receipts.

Desktop:

Whether you are using WhatsApp on Windows or Mac or WhatsApp desktop, follow the same steps mentioned above to turn off read receipts.

How to Turn On Read Receipts on WhatsApp

To enable Read Receipts, you can follow the same steps provided above, depending on the device you are using.

Note: It is important to note that toggling read receipts will not affect group messages and audio messages. The feature will still be active for these types of messages.

Do read receipts affect WhatsApp statuses?

No, toggling read receipts on WhatsApp does not affect your WhatsApp status. Whether you have read receipts enabled or disabled, you will still be able to see who has viewed your status. However, keep in mind that you can customize your status settings separately, allowing you to control who can view your statuses and who cannot. You have the option to limit the visibility of your status to specific individuals or groups.

Can you know whether a message is read even if read receipts are off?

No, if a recipient has turned off read receipts on WhatsApp, you will not receive any confirmation or indication that they have read your message. WhatsApp respects users’ Privacy by allowing them complete control over their read-receipt settings. So, even if a message has been read, you will not have any way to know for sure if the recipient has read it if they have turned off read receipts.

WhatsApp Read Receipts FAQs

Here are some common frequently asked questions about WhatsApp read receipts.

What happens when you turn off read receipts on WhatsApp?

Turning off read receipts on WhatsApp disallows a person who sends you a message to know whether you have opened and read it. They will not see two blue double ticks; both you and the recipient will only see two gray ticks.

Can someone see your WhatsApp if they turned off read receipts?

Yes, they will be able to see your messages regardless of whether they toggle the read receipts option on WhatsApp. The difference is that they will not be able to see whether you’ve read their message.

How to know if a WhatsApp message is read without a blue tick?

There’s no official way to know if your message is read without enabling the option. A workaround is to preview messages from your phone’s notification bar without opening WhatsApp. Some third-party applications, like AirDroid, provide this functionality.

Why should you turn off read receipts?

You should turn off read receipts if you want to read a message and respond to it later without letting the other person know you’ve read it.

What is the difference between reading and seeing on WhatsApp?

The WhatsApp message info screen provides insights into whether recipients have read or just seen your messages. “Read” means the person has read the message, while “seen” indicates they’ve seen a photo, video, or played an audio file.

Can you turn off read receipts for one person?

No, WhatsApp doesn’t allow you to turn off read receipts for only one person selectively. If you do, nobody will be able to see that you’ve read their message, and vice versa.

What happens if you have read receipts off and the other person doesn’t?

The recipient cannot see whether you’ve read their message. Read receipts work only when both parties have it turned on, but it’s enabled by default on groups and shared audio files.

Why do people turn on read receipts?

People may turn on read receipts to let the other person know they have received a message and read it.

What is the purpose of a read receipt?

WhatsApp Read Receipts let senders know that the recipient has read their message.

Can you ignore read receipts?

Yes, you can ignore a read receipt if you choose to. However, some people may not appreciate a message that has been read but not replied to. In these cases, turning it off is better to maintain neutrality.