How to turn off read receipts on whatsapp (guide 2026)
To turn off read receipts (blue ticks) on WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp.
- Go to Settings.
- iPhone: Tap Settings at the bottom right.
- Android: Tap ⋮ → Settings.
- Tap Privacy.
- Turn Read Receipts off.
After this, people generally won’t see blue ticks when you read their messages and you won’t see theirs either. Group chats are an exception: read receipts are still sent there.
Why do we do this?
We turn off read receipts when we want more privacy and control over WhatsApp.
For example:
- Others won’t know exactly when you’ve read their messages.You can reply when you’re ready without feeling pressured.
- It gives you a little more privacy.
- You can read a message without immediately showing the blue ticks.
In simple words: You turn it off when you don’t want others to know whether you have read their messages.
Characteristic
Read Receipts : Turn blue ticks on or off for individual chats.
Last Seen & Online : Control who can see when you were last active.
Online Status : Hide your online status from other users.
Profile Photo Privacy : Choose who can view your profile picture.
Status Privacy : Control who can see your WhatsApp Status.
Silence Unknown Callers : Prevent calls from unknown numbers from ringing.
Chat Lock : Protect private chats with an additional lock.
Disappearing Messages : Automatically delete messages after a chosen period.
Privacy Checkup : Review important privacy settings in one place.
Blocked Contacts : Stop specific people from messaging or calling you.
