What are read receipts and should I turn them on?

Read receipts are small notifications that confirm when someone has opened and read your message. They appear as “Read” or “Seen” indicators in messaging apps, helping you know whether your message reached its intended recipient. While useful for communication clarity, read receipts raise privacy concerns and social-pressure questions that make many users wonder whether to enable or disable them.

What are read receipts and how do they actually work?

Read receipts are automated confirmations that tell message senders when recipients have opened and viewed their messages. The technology works through delivery-status protocols built into messaging platforms that send acknowledgment signals back to the sender's device when specific actions occur.

When you send a message, your device first receives a “delivered” confirmation showing that the message reached the recipient's phone. The read receipt goes one step further, activating when the recipient actually opens the conversation thread and views your specific message. This creates a two-way communication system in which both delivery and engagement are tracked.

Different platforms handle read receipts through various technical approaches:

• Server-side tracking: Monitors when messages are displayed on screen
• Client-side confirmations: Sent from the recipient's app back to the sender
• Timing variations: Most platforms show read status within seconds of viewing

Which messaging apps and platforms support read receipts?

Most major messaging platforms support read receipts, though implementation varies significantly between services. Here's how different platforms handle read receipts:

Popular Messaging Apps

• WhatsApp: Blue tick marks indicate read messages; users can disable read receipts in privacy settings (but won't see others' receipts either)
• iMessage: Displays “Read” timestamps when enabled; settings can be toggled independently of other users
• Facebook Messenger: Shows profile pictures next to read messages; cannot be disabled
• Instagram Direct: Displays “Seen” indicators that cannot be turned off
• Samsung Messages: Includes read-receipt options for SMS and RCS messaging (SMS requires carrier support)
• Telegram: Offers more granular privacy controls than most platforms

Professional Platforms

Workplace messaging platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams include read receipts with additional features such as message reactions and threading that provide more context than simple read confirmations.

How do you turn read receipts on or off on your phone?

Disabling read receipts typically involves accessing privacy settings within individual messaging apps or your phone's general messaging settings. The process varies between Android and iPhone devices, with some apps offering more control than others.

iPhone Instructions

• System-wide: Go to Settings > Messages and toggle off “Send Read Receipts”
• Individual conversations: Open the chat, tap the contact name, and toggle “Send Read Receipts” off

Android Instructions

Android users need to adjust settings within each messaging app separately:

• Samsung Messages: Open app > three-dots menu > Settings > More settings > Text messages > toggle off “Send read receipts”
• WhatsApp: Settings > Account > Privacy > turn off “Read receipts”

Important note: Disabling read receipts often works both ways—when you turn off the feature, you usually won't see read receipts from others either. Some apps, like Facebook Messenger and Instagram, don't allow users to disable read receipts at all.

What are the pros and cons of using read receipts?

Read receipts improve communication clarity by confirming message delivery and engagement, but they also create social pressure and privacy concerns that can complicate relationships and professional interactions.

Benefits of Read Receipts

• Better communication flow: Know when someone has seen your message
• Appropriate timing: Gauge when to follow up on messages
• Professional confirmation: Helpful in work settings where acknowledgment is important
• Prevents repetition: Avoid sending duplicate messages when unsure of delivery

Drawbacks of Read Receipts

• Social pressure: Creates expectations for immediate responses
• Relationship strain: Senders may feel ignored when messages show “read” without replies
• Workplace stress: Can create anxiety about response timing in professional settings
• Privacy concerns: Reveals availability and attention patterns to others
• Activity tracking: People can monitor when you're active and how quickly you respond

Should you keep read receipts turned on or off for better privacy?

Turning off read receipts generally provides better privacy by preventing others from tracking your message-reading habits and response patterns. However, the best choice depends on your communication style, relationship types, and professional requirements.

Consider Disabling Read Receipts If You:

• Value privacy and control over your communication patterns
• Prefer responding to messages on your own timeline
• Feel stressed by expectations of immediate responses
• Receive many messages throughout the day and need flexibility

Keep Read Receipts Enabled If You:

• Prioritize communication transparency
• Work in roles requiring quick response confirmation
• Maintain relationships where message acknowledgment is important
• Frequently coordinate time-sensitive plans
• Need to confirm that important information was received

Hybrid Approach

Many users find success with a flexible strategy: disable read receipts by default but enable them for specific important conversations or contacts. This gives you control over who can see your reading patterns while maintaining transparency where it matters most.

Your messaging privacy preferences should align with your lifestyle and communication needs. There's no universal right answer, and you can always adjust these settings as your circumstances change. We recommend experimenting with different configurations to find what works best for your daily communication patterns and relationships.