How to Turn Off Read Receipts on Apple Messages

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: May 25, 2021

Read receipts let a contact know that you've read their message. If you don't like this feature, you can disable it completely on all renditions of Apple Messages; you can also disable it for specific contacts.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:
Turning Off All Read Receipts (iOS)

1
Open the Settings app.
2
Tap Messages.

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3
Tap the green switch next to "Send Read Receipts". If this switch is grey, your read receipts are already disabled.
4
Exit Settings. You will no longer send read receipts!

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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:
Turning Off All Read Receipts (Mac)

1
Open the Messages program. This is the blue speech bubble icon in your dock.
2
Click Messages. You can find this in the top left corner of your Mac's screen in the toolbar.^{[1]
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3
Click Preferences.
4
Click the "Accounts" tab.
5
Uncheck the box next to "Send read receipts".
6
Exit the Preferences menu. Now you won't send read receipts!

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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:
Disabling Read Receipts for a Specific Contact (iOS)

1
Open the Messages app. If you have read receipts enabled but wish to disable them for a specific contact, you can do so from within a conversation with that contact.
2
Tap a conversation. If you're already in a conversation, tap < in the top left corner of your screen to return to your "Messages" menu.
3
Tap your conversation's "Details" icon. This is the encircled "i" in the top right corner of your screen.
4
Tap the green switch next to "Send Read Receipts". It should turn grey.
- If this switch is already grey, your read receipts are already turned off.
5
Tap Done. Your contact will no longer receive read receipts!

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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:
Disabling Read Receipts for a Specific Contact (Mac)

1
Open the Messages program. This is the blue speech bubble icon in your dock.
2
Click a conversation. You can browse your currently-saved conversations from the left side of your screen.
3
Click Details. This will be in the top right corner of your conversation page.^{[2]
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4
Uncheck the box next to "Send Read Receipts".
5
Click Details again. Your contact will no longer receive read receipts!

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