WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to see when a message has been delivered and read by the recipient.
What are WhatsApp read receipts?
WhatsApp read receipts, also known as blue ticks, are check marks that appear next to messages you send to let you know the recipient has read your message. A single grey tick means the message has been successfully sent. A double grey tick means it has been delivered to the recipient’s device. And a blue double tick indicates the message has been read.
How do WhatsApp read receipts work?
For WhatsApp read receipts to work, both you and the recipient need to have read receipts enabled. This feature is turned on by default, but can be disabled in WhatsApp’s settings if users want to read messages privately.
Here is a breakdown of how WhatsApp read receipts work:
- When you send a message, it will initially show one grey tick, indicating the message has left your device.
- Once the message reaches the recipient’s device, you will see two grey ticks, meaning it has been successfully delivered.
- The recipient opens and reads your message. At this point, the grey ticks turn blue, confirming the message has been read.
- The blue ticks will appear regardless of whether the recipient replies to your message or not. It simply means they have opened the chat screen and seen the message.
So in summary, a single grey tick means sent, double grey ticks mean delivered, and blue double ticks mean the message has been read.
When do the blue ticks appear?
The WhatsApp read receipts or blue ticks appear as soon as the recipient opens the chat screen, whether they open the message or not. The recipient does not have to actively click on the message to trigger the blue ticks.
Some key points on when the blue ticks show up:
- If the recipient sees the message notification and opens WhatsApp, the blue ticks will show even if they don’t open your chat.
- If they swipe to open your chat but don’t actually read your message, the blue ticks will still appear.
- As soon as the chat screen opens, WhatsApp registers it as read.
- The blue ticks appear instantly when the chat is opened and there is no delay.
So in a nutshell, as long as the recipient opens the WhatsApp app and views your chat, the blue ticks will show up right away regardless of whether they read your specific message or not.
Can you hide blue ticks or read receipts?
If you prefer to keep your messages private, there are a couple of ways to hide WhatsApp read receipts:
- Turn off read receipts – Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy and disable read receipts. This will stop the blue ticks from being sent to other users.
- Enable Airplane mode – Reading messages in airplane mode prevents the blue ticks from appearing. But you have to continue using airplane mode to keep them hidden.
- Unlink WhatsApp Web/Desktop – Unlinking the web/desktop app stops messages from registering as read on that device.
- Disable chat previews – On Android, disable chat previews in your phone settings to stop WhatsApp reading messages from the notification bar.
However, bear in mind the recipient can still see if you’re online and your last seen status, indicating you’ve likely read their message even if blue ticks don’t show up.
Why do WhatsApp read receipts sometimes delay?
In most cases, WhatsApp read receipts appear instantly when a recipient opens the chat screen. However, sometimes there can be a delay before the blue double ticks appear.
Here are some potential reasons for delayed read receipts on WhatsApp:
- Poor internet connection – Slow or unstable networks can delay the delivery of read receipts.
- Phone low on battery – To conserve battery, read receipts may be delayed on phones with low battery.
- Recipient has read receipts off – If the recipient has disabled read receipts, you won’t see blue ticks at all.
- App troubleshooting issues – App crashes or updates may temporarily impact read receipts.
- Blocked contact – Messages from blocked contacts will always show just one grey tick.
In most cases, any delays are temporary and blue ticks should appear within a few hours maximum as long as the recipient has read your message.
Can you see if someone is typing on WhatsApp?
Yes, WhatsApp shows live status indicators when someone is typing. Here’s how it works:
- When the recipient starts typing a reply to your message, you will see “typing…” below their name.
- If they pause typing, it will switch to “recording…” if they are recording an audio message.
- You will see the typing or recording notification for about 30 seconds after they’ve stopped.
- If they continue typing again within 30 seconds, the live status will reappear.
This typing indicator allows you to see in real-time if the other person is responding to your messages. However, it does not confirm 100% whether they have read your message.
Can you delete messages after being read?
Yes, WhatsApp provides the option to delete messages after they have been read, as long as it is within a certain time limit:
- Messages can be deleted up to 1 hour after being sent by tapping and holding the message, then selecting “Delete”.
- After 1 hour, messages can only be deleted on your end and not for other recipients.
- For group messages, you can delete for everyone if done within 68 minutes of sending.
- Deleted messages are replaced by “This message was deleted” but are removed entirely if no one had seen it.
So even if a recipient has read your message or the blue ticks appeared, you still have a limited window of time to delete the message as if it never existed.
Can you see if your message has been deleted?
If a recipient deletes a message you sent:
- On your end, the message will still show in the chat as per normal.
- Your message will not show any changes and it will seem from your view that nothing has happened.
- There will be no indications that the message has been deleted by the recipient.
However, if you delete your own message:
- On your end, the message will be replaced by a “This message was deleted” placeholder.
- On the recipient’s end, your message will disappear entirely as if it never existed.
So when someone else deletes your message, you have no way to know it has been deleted on their side after they’ve read it.
Conclusion
WhatsApp read receipts or blue ticks provide visual confirmation when your messages have been read. They appear instantly when a chat is opened on the recipient’s end, regardless of whether they read your specific message. While read receipts can be disabled for more privacy, this core messaging feature helps provide delivery assurance and ongoing conversation context within WhatsApp.