One tick, or one check mark, next to a message on platforms like iMessage, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and others, indicates that your message has been successfully sent from your device to the recipient’s server. However, it does not necessarily mean the recipient’s phone is off or that they have seen your message. There are several possibilities for what a single tick could mean:
Phone is Offline
If the recipient’s phone is turned off, in airplane mode, or has no internet connection, your message will show one tick because it reached their server but cannot yet be delivered to their device. Once their device comes back online, the one tick will change to two ticks indicating the message was delivered.
Phone is Online but They Haven’t Read It
If their phone is on and connected to the internet, the single tick means your message reached their phone but they have not yet opened or read it. You will see two ticks when they open the messaging app and your message is displayed.
Read Receipts are Turned Off
Many messaging apps allow users to turn read receipts off. In this case, your message will forever show one tick because you won’t get the second tick confirmation even after the recipient reads it. The single tick indicates it reached their device, but you have no way of knowing if or when they saw your message.
You’ve Been Blocked
If you were previously able to message with the recipient but now only see one tick, it could be because they have blocked you. Blocking prevents your messages from being delivered to their device, but the single tick shows your messages are sent to their server before being blocked.
When Do Two Ticks Appear?
As mentioned above, two ticks indicate the message has been successfully delivered and the recipient’s device. Here is more detail on when you will see those two coveted ticks:
iMessage Two Ticks
On iMessage for iOS devices, the two ticks will display once your message is delivered to the recipient’s device. The ticks will display in blue if they have an iPhone and green for Android users. Note that iMessage does not notify when a message is read.
WhatsApp Two Ticks
WhatsApp also uses two gray ticks to confirm delivery. A second set of blue ticks will appear when the recipient opens the message and reads it. The time stamp under the message will also update to the read time.
Facebook Messenger Two Ticks
The two ticks on Facebook Messenger confirm delivery, while the word “Seen” will be displayed under a message when viewed by the recipient.
Other Status Indicators
In addition to one tick, two ticks, and read receipts, messaging apps have other status indicators that give users more insight:
One Tick Turning to Clock
On WhatsApp, a single tick will turn into a clock if the message has not been delivered after a certain amount of time. This usually means the recipient’s phone is offline.
Exclamation Point in a Triangle
On iMessage, a red exclamation point in a triangle indicates there was an error sending the message and it did not reach the intended recipient.
One Tick Turning Red
If a single tick icon turns red in WhatsApp, it signifies the message was not delivered and will never be delivered, likely due to an invalid recipient number.
“Pending” Status
In Facebook Messenger, a message will show the status “Pending” if delivery is delayed for any reason. Once delivered, it will display “Delivered.”
Why Message Statuses Matter
Some users pay close attention to message statuses like ticks while for others they are meaningless. Here are some reasons these delivery and read confirmation features can be useful:
Know If Your Message Got Through
The ticks provide confirmation your message actually sent rather than disappearing into the void due to a technical issue. You can tell if a message needs to be resent.
Confirm a Recipient Received Your Urgent News
If you send an important, timely message like big news or an urgent request, you can relax once you see those two ticks or read receipt that your message was seen.
See If You’re Being Ignored
No response from a recipient after the two ticks? The ticks remove doubt about whether they received your message or not. Lack of response likely means you’re being ignored.
Avoid Bombarding a Recipient
If you can see a message was delivered or read, you know not to annoy the recipient by sending it again. Read receipts prevent duplicate messages.
Factors That Affect Message Statuses
Many factors can impact if and when you see certain message statuses like single ticks turning to double ticks:
Device Settings
As mentioned, users can disable read receipts in messaging app settings. Delivery receipts can also be disabled in some apps. These settings prevent ticks from displaying accurately.
Network Connectivity
Poor internet connectivity either on the sending or receiving end can delay delivery receipts and read confirmations from appearing. Loss of signal prevents updates.
Closed Messaging App
In some messaging apps, read receipts don’t display until the recipient opens the messaging app, even if they read the message via a notification.
Server Errors
Glitches with app servers can also lead to delayed or disappeared delivery and read receipts. Usually resolves itself eventually.
Restoring from Backup
If message history is restored from an older backup, the ticks may reset and show inaccurate statuses until current again.
Unsupported Messaging Platforms
Not all messaging apps feature read receipts and advanced delivery confirmation. SMS text messaging generally has very limited status indicators.
How to Use Message Statuses
Here are some tips on making use of the useful information provided by message status indicators like single ticks, double ticks, and read receipts:
Don’t Bombard Recipients
Avoid sending multiple repeated messages just because you haven’t seen the ticks yet. Be patient.
Remember They’re Not Foolproof
Keep in mind users can disable read receipts and factors like poor network connections can prevent accurate delivery confirmations. The information provided by ticks is helpful but not absolute.
Disable Read Receipts If Necessary
If seeing someone has read but not responded to your message causes anxiety, turn off read receipts in your messaging settings for more ambiguous messaging.
Use Statuses to Prioritize Responses
When juggling multiple messaging conversations, you can use ticks and read receipts to gauge which recipients likely need responses sooner based on if they have read your latest messages.
Troubleshooting Ticks
If you’re having issues with delivery and read confirmations accurately displaying in messaging apps, here are some troubleshooting steps:
Check Network Connectivity
Make sure you have a strong internet connection on your device. Try toggling airplane mode off and on to reset the connection.
Close and Reopen the App
Force quit and relaunch the messaging app if it’s acting buggy and ticks are not updating.
Update the App
An outdated version of the app may have bugs affecting message status indicators. Install the latest update.
Restart Your Phone
If connection and app issues persist, power your device off completely and restart it to clear out any glitches.
Check If You’re Blocked
Try sending a message from another device or account. If you are blocked, the message still won’t deliver and ticks won’t update.
Contact Support
For ongoing issues with no fixes, reach out to the app developer’s customer support for additional troubleshooting help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about message status indicators and ticks:
Why does my message only show one tick?
A single tick means your message reached the server. It has not yet been delivered to the recipient due to their device being offline, read receipts disabled, or you potentially being blocked.
Why don’t my ticks turn blue in iMessage?
The ticks staying gray mean your iMessage is going to another iOS user. Blue ticks indicate delivery to Android users while green is for RCS chat features.
Can someone tell if I’ve read their message?
If you have read receipts or double ticks enabled, other users will be able to see when you have read their messages in supported messaging apps.
Why did my WhatsApp tick turn red?
A red tick in WhatsApp means the message failed to send and will never be delivered, likely due to an invalid recipient number or the user deleting their account.
How do I turn off read receipts?
You can disable read receipts in your messaging app settings. In iOS, go to Settings > Messages > Send Read Receipts. On Android, go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy.
Conclusion
While messaging platforms handle delivery and read confirmations differently, those one or two little ticks provide valuable insight into the status of your messages. They indicate if your message successfully reached the intended recipient or if there may be an issue needing troubleshooting. Ticks help clarify if lack of response is due to an undelivered message or the recipient just not answering. With read receipts off, the ticks offer some confirmation without the pressure of “seen” notifications. Overall, one tick or two can remove the uncertainly around messaging and provide useful visibility into your conversations.