Easy Guide – Disable iPhone Read Receipts

Read receipts in iMessage act like tiny notifications that tell senders when you’ve opened their messages. When turned on, the word “Read” appears under their text, along with the exact time you viewed it. While helpful for transparency, this feature can sometimes feel like someone is peeking over your shoulder!

Why Protect Your Privacy by Disabling Read Receipts?

Here’s why many iPhone users choose to turn off read receipts:

• Privacy Control: Senders won’t know when you read their messages.
• Reduce Pressure: Avoid feeling rushed to reply instantly.
• Selective Sharing: Keep receipts active for family or friends while hiding them from others.

How to Disable iPhone Read Receipts for Everyone

Follow these simple steps to disable read receipts for all contacts:

1. Open Settings > Scroll to Messages > Tap it.
2. Find Send Read Receipts under the Messages menu.
3. Toggle the switch OFF (grey means it’s disabled).

Now, no one will see if you’ve read their messages—unless you reply!

Disable Read Receipts for Specific Contacts Only

Want to hide receipts from certain people? Here’s how:

1. Open the Messages app > Go to the contact’s chat.
2. Tap their name or photo at the top.
3. Toggle Send Read Receipts OFF > Tap Done.

Check Also – How to Use Google’s Screen Search on iPhone

This way, you stay private with some while staying open with others!

Trick: Use Focus Mode to Hide Read Receipts Temporarily

Don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings? Activate Focus Mode! This silences notifications and disables iPhone read receipts without permanently changing settings.

1. Swipe down from the top-right to open Control Center.
2. Tap Focus (moon icon) > Choose a mode like Do Not Disturb.
3. Senders will see, “[Your Name] has notifications silenced”, giving you space to respond later.

Stay in Control of Your Messages

By disabling read receipts, you reclaim your privacy and reply on your terms. Remember, turning them off means you also won’t see when others read your texts. It’s a fair trade for peace of mind!

Follow these steps to enjoy messaging without pressure—your iPhone, your rules.