When you open someone’s message on WhatsApp chat, it turns into a blue tick. But, if you don’t want to let them sender that you have opened the message, there is an option to turn off read receipts, and the message will not turn into blue ticks even after you open it.
However, it is important to note that this feature is only for private chats, not for group chats. Want to stop those blue ticks? Whether you’re using Android, iPhone, or WhatsApp Web, disabling read receipts takes just a few taps and gives you more control over your privacy.
Below is a simple, step-by-step guide on how to turn off read receipts for Android, iPhone, and WhatsApp Web/Desktop, plus notes on what turning them off doesn’t change.
What are Read Receipts on WhatsApp?
Read receipts are the blue check marks that show when a message has been read. One grey tick = sent, two grey ticks = delivered, two blue ticks = read. Read receipts help you know whether someone opened your message.
Quick summary
Open Settings → Privacy → Read receipts and toggle it off. Doing so means you won’t send or receive read receipts (blue ticks) — but read receipts still appear in group chats and for voice message play receipts, according to WhatsApp privacy.
How to Turn off Read Receipts on Android, iOS and Web WhatsApp
Follow these steps to turn off read receipts on Android, iOS and Web WhatsApp.
1. For Android
- Open WhatsApp on your phone.
- Tap the three vertical dots (More options) in the top-right corner.
- Tap Settings.
- Go to Privacy.
- Scroll down and toggle Read receipts off.
- Exit settings — change is immediate.
2. For iPhone (iOS)
- Open WhatsApp.
- Tap Settings (bottom right).
- Tap Privacy under Account
- Find Read Receipts and toggle it off.
- Restart WhatsApp, and it starts working.
3. For WhatsApp Web / Desktop
- Open WhatsApp Web or the WhatsApp Desktop app and sign in.
- Click the three-dot menu (or the profile menu) and choose Settings.
- Go to Privacy.
- Toggle Read receipts off.
- The setting syncs with your account and applies across devices.
What Happens When I Turn Off Read Receipts?
- If you turn off read receipts, you won’t see others’ read receipts, either. It’s mutual.
- Group chats: read receipts for group chats are always sent, the toggle does not disable blue ticks in groups.
- Voice messages: “play receipts” for voice notes (who played them) are not disabled by the read-receipt toggle — they still show.
- When you turn read receipts back on, you will start seeing read receipts from that moment forward (you won’t retroactively see who read past messages).
You may also like the related article: How to Tell if Someone Blocked You on WhatsApp?
Final Thoughts
This is how you can turn off the read receipts on WhatsApp. It is an effective way to regain your privacy and peace of mind. It allows you to read messages freely without the pressure of those blue ticks revealing your activity.
When you turn this feature off, people won’t see the blue ticks when you read their messages, and you also won’t see theirs. It’s a simple change that helps you read messages without feeling rushed to reply. Even though blue ticks still appear in group chats, this setting gives you more control over your privacy. With just a few taps, you can chat on WhatsApp more freely and without any pressure.
People Also Ask
How to turn off read receipts on WhatsApp group chat?
You cannot turn off read receipts for WhatsApp group chats. Group members can still see who read the message.
Will turning off read receipts hide my “last seen”?
No. Read receipts and “Last Seen” are separate settings — you can control them independently in Privacy.
Do read receipts work for messages sent before I turned the setting off?
If the sender already saw the message, you might see blue ticks; turning it off prevents future read receipts from being sent.
Can I turn off read receipts only for specific contacts?
No — WhatsApp’s native setting is global (on/off). You can use other privacy options (e.g., block or “My contacts except…”) for related visibility settings but not per-contact read receipts.
