Request a Delivery Receipt for a Message in Outlook

Know when your message is delivered to the recipient

By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
  • University of Vienna
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Updated on November 16, 2021
Reviewed by
Michael Barton Heine Jr
Michael Heine headshot
Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr
Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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What to Know

  • Single Message: Compose a new message in Outlook. Go to the Options tab and select the Request a Delivery Receipt check box.
  • Optionally, check the Request a Read Receipt check box to know when the recipient opens the email.
  • All Messages: File > Options > Mail > Delivery receipt confirming the message was delivered to the recipient's email server.

This article explains how to request a delivery receipt for a single message in Outlook. It includes information on how to request delivery receipts for all messages and also how to request read receipts in Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, and Outlook for Microsoft 365.

How to Request a Delivery Receipt in Outlook

If you use Outlook in a workgroup environment and use Microsoft Exchange Server as your mail service, you can request delivery receipts for messages you send. A delivery receipt means that your message has been delivered, but it doesn't mean the recipient has seen the message or opened it.

With Outlook, you can set the delivery receipt option for a single message or request receipts for every message you send automatically.

  1. Compose a new message.

    Composing an email in Outlook.

  2. Go to the Options tab and select the Request a Delivery Receipt check box.

    Selecting a delivery receipt in an email.

  3. If you want to know if the recipient reads the email message, select the Request a Read Receipt check box.

  4. Send the message.

Track Delivery Receipts for all Messages

Instead of marking each outgoing email for a delivery receipt, save time by activating the feature for all messages you send in Outlook.

  1. Go to the File tab and select Options.

    The options menu in Outlook.

  2. Select Mail.

    Viewing mail option in Outlook.

  3. In the Tracking section, select the Delivery receipt confirming the message was delivered to the recipient's email server check box.

    Turning on delivery receipt for all emails in Outlook.

  4. To request a read receipt, select the Read receipt confirming the recipient viewed the message check box.

    Recipients have the choice to send a read receipt or not. If they see this request with every message, they are less likely to send a read receipt.

  5. Select OK to close the Outlook Options dialog box.

  6. To view the responses, go to the Sent Items folder and open the original message in a separate window. Go to the Message tab and, in the Show group, select Tracking.

Request Delivery Receipts by Default for all Messages

To request delivery receipts by default for all messages:

  1. Select the File tab.

  2. Select Options.

  3. Select Mail.

  4. Under Tracking, select Delivery receipt confirming the message was delivered to the recipient's email server.

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