How to Identify and Turn Off WhatsApp Read Receipts

Turn off WhatApp read receipts on your iPhone or Android device

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Updated on February 6, 2022

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What to Know

iPhone: Settings > Account > Privacy > toggle Read Receipts to Off position.
Android: More Options > Settings > Account > Privacy > toggle Read Receipts to Off position.

This article explains how to turn off read receipts in WhatsApp so that someone who contacts you won't know when or if you've read their messages. Instructions apply to WhatsApp for iPhone and Android.

Turn Off Read Receipts in WhatsApp for iPhone

You can turn off read receipts on iPhone in a few steps, which turns the feature off for all one-on-one chats.

Open WhatsApp.
Select Settings from the bottom menu.
Select Account.
Select Privacy.
Toggle off Read Receipts.

Turn Off Read Receipts in WhatsApp for Android

Turning off this feature on Android is similar to iOS and just as easy.

Open WhatsApp and select More Options (three vertical dots).
Select Settings > Account > Privacy.
Turn off Read Receipts.

The WhatsApp Message Info Screen

For more detailed information, the WhatsApp Message Info screen displays when your message was delivered, read, or played by the recipient.

To see the Message Info screen on WhatsApp for iPhone, open a chat with a contact or group and swipe from right to left.

To see the Message Info screen on WhatsApp for Android, open a chat with a contact or group, tap and hold your sent message, press the three-dotted menu, and then Info.

About WhatsApp Read Receipts

WhatsApp Read Receipts look like checkmarks. When you send a message, a grey checkmark appears next to the time stamp. Two checkmarks appear upon delivery to the recipient. When the recipient reads it, two blue checkmarks appear. In a group chat, both checkmarks turn blue after every participant of the group chat opens the message.

If you don't see two blue checkmarks next to a message you sent, the recipient hasn't opened it, one of you turn off read receipts, the recipient blocked you, or one of you has connection issues.

Read receipts are a two-way street. If you turn off read receipts, you won't be able to tell when others have read yours.

There's no way to turn off the read receipts for group chats or play receipts for voice messages on Android or iOS.

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