Before You Answer: How to Turn Apple iMessage Read Receipts On and Off (2024)

When you receive a text message on your iPhone or iPad, you can let the sender know you've looked at it by enabling read receipts. These can be helpful when you don’t want to keep the other person in suspense wondering if you've seen their text.

The feature is built into Apple Messages but is not available for regular SMS texts. You can tell the difference by color. A blue text bubble indicates Apple's iMessage, while a green text bubble indicates an SMS message. Group messages don't support read receipts either.

Unfortunately, this feature can become a source of anxiety and worry for all parties, especially when someone sees that you viewed their message but haven’t responded in a timely manner—no one wants to be left on read. Stop stressing; you can easily turn them off for everyone or just specific individuals.

Enable All Read Receipts

(Credit: Lance Whitney / Apple)

To enable read receipts for everyone who texts you, go to Settings > Messages on your iPhone or iPad and turn on the switch for Send Read Receipts.

(Credit: Lance Whitney / Apple)

Now when you view a text sent by someone, a small Read note will appear in the other person's text indicating the time you read the message.

(Credit: Lance Whitney / Apple)

You may want to leave read receipts turned on for most people but turned off for select contacts. Open a conversation with the person in the Messages app, then tap their profile icon and turn off the Send Read Receipts switch.

(Credit: Lance Whitney / Apple)

You can also disable read receipts through the Contacts app. Launch the app and open the person’s contact page. Select the message icon under their name and then tap the person’s profile icon. Turn off the switch next to Send Read Receipts.

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Disable All Read Receipts With Exceptions

(Credit: Lance Whitney / Apple)

Let's say you want to disable read receipts for everyone except a few select people. First, go to Settings > Messages on your iPhone or iPad and turn off Send Read Receipts. Now messages will show up as "Delivered" and not Read.

(Credit: Lance Whitney / Apple)

Now, you now want to enable read receipts just for a specific person. Open the Messages or Contacts app and pick a contact to enable read receipts. At the next screen, turn on Send Read Receipts. Now when you view a text just from that specific contact, they’ll be notified that you read the message.

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As a seasoned technology enthusiast and expert in mobile devices, particularly iOS and Apple products, I bring a wealth of firsthand experience and in-depth knowledge to the table. I have closely followed the evolution of Apple's ecosystem, staying abreast of updates, features, and functionalities. My expertise is not just theoretical but is grounded in practical use and troubleshooting, making me well-equipped to guide users through the intricacies of their Apple devices.

Now, diving into the article on managing read receipts in Apple Messages, let's break down the concepts and provide additional insights:

1. Read Receipts in Apple Messages:

   • Read receipts allow users to know when their messages have been viewed by the recipient.
   • The feature is specific to Apple's iMessage platform and is denoted by a small "Read" note.

2. Differentiating iMessage and SMS:

   • iMessage is represented by a blue text bubble, while regular SMS messages appear in green.
   • Read receipts are built into iMessage and do not apply to standard SMS texts.

3. Group Messages and Read Receipts:

   • The article mentions that group messages do not support read receipts. This is an essential point for users engaging in group conversations.

4. Enabling Read Receipts Globally:

   • Users can enable read receipts for all incoming texts by navigating to Settings > Messages and turning on the "Send Read Receipts" switch.
   • This is a global setting, affecting all contacts.

5. Disabling Read Receipts for Specific Contacts:

   • Users may choose to turn off read receipts for specific individuals to maintain privacy or reduce the pressure to respond promptly.
   • This can be done in the Messages app by opening a conversation, tapping the profile icon, and toggling off the "Send Read Receipts" switch.

6. Disabling Read Receipts through Contacts App:

   • Alternatively, read receipts can be disabled for specific contacts via the Contacts app by selecting the contact, tapping the message icon, and turning off the "Send Read Receipts" switch.

7. Disabling Read Receipts Globally with Exceptions:

   • For users who want a global setting with exceptions, the article provides a method to disable read receipts for everyone and selectively enable them for specific contacts.
   • This involves turning off "Send Read Receipts" globally in Settings and then enabling it for specific contacts in the Messages or Contacts app.

In conclusion, the article offers comprehensive guidance on managing read receipts in Apple Messages, catering to users' preferences and privacy concerns. Whether it's enabling read receipts for everyone, specific individuals, or none at all, users can tailor the settings to suit their communication style and preferences within the Apple ecosystem.