WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the signature features of WhatsApp is the blue tick, which shows when a recipient has read your message.
However, sometimes you may want to know if someone has read your message even if the blue tick does not appear. There are a few techniques you can use to figure out if your WhatsApp message has been read.
Check the online status
One of the easiest ways is to check if the contact was online after you sent the message. Open the chat window and tap on the contact’s name at the top. This will show their profile info. If you see “Last seen at [time]” and the time is after you sent your message, chances are they’ve read it.
Do keep in mind that someone can open WhatsApp and read messages without it showing the “Last seen at” update. So this method isn’t completely foolproof.
Turn on read receipts
Within WhatsApp, you can turn on read receipts, which will show you when each of your messages is read. To do this:
- Open WhatsApp Settings
- Tap Account > Privacy
- Turn on Read Receipts
The downside is that this will also send read receipts for your messages to your contacts. So it works both ways.
Check if your message was “delivered”
Even if the blue ticks don’t show up, a “delivered” status indicates that your message successfully reached the recipient’s phone. To see this:
- In your chat, tap and hold on your message
- Tap Info
- You’ll see the delivery status under your message
If it’s been delivered but not read, the recipient may have seen a preview from notifications and chosen not to open the message fully.
Watch for typing indicators
If you texted someone a question and saw the “typing” indicator, but got no response, chances are they opened your message, but chose not to reply.
Use Unseen for WhatsApp Web
If the recipient uses WhatsApp Web, a handy tool called Unseen can indicate if they’ve read your message. After enabling Unseen, it will track read statuses even if the blue ticks don’t appear in your chat.
Unseen essentially tracks the data from WhatsApp Web to determine when messages are read. Keep in mind this only works if the recipient opens WhatsApp Web after you send the message.
Try disabling internet when messages are “Received”
Here’s a sneaky trick that can sometimes work:
- Send your message normally
- Wait until you see the “Received” indicator
- Quickly put your phone in Airplane mode or disable mobile data
- This will prevent the “Read” receipt from being sent
- After some time, take your phone off Airplane mode
- If the message stays on “Received”, they may have read it while your internet was disabled
The key is timing – you only have a few seconds from the “Received” status to disable your connection. This prevents the “Read” receipt from being sent back to you.
Check message timestamps
WhatsApp shows precise timestamps for when a message was sent or received. If you’re having a back and forth conversation, look for slight delays between your sent messages and the responses back.
For example, if you send a message at 1:00 PM and they respond at 1:02 PM, that 2 minute gap indicates they took some time to read your message before replying.
Use a notification tracker
There are third party apps that can notify you when your WhatsApp recipients are online and active. Apps like Wabentials and WaControl work by tracking notification data in real time.
They essentially monitor when the WhatsApp app is opened by your contacts. If the app was opened shortly after you sent a message, it’s likely your message was seen.
Just be aware that these third party tools may violate WhatsApp’s terms of service if used improperly.
Conclusion
Trying to figure out if someone read your WhatsApp message can be frustrating when the blue ticks don’t show up. While there’s no surefire way to know for certain, these tips will give you clues based on delivered statuses, online times, read receipts and third party apps.
At the end of the day, it’s usually best not to obsess over read statuses. If someone doesn’t respond, take the hint and move on. And if you need to discuss something important, have a real conversation instead of relying on vague message timestamps.
| Technique | How it works | Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Check “Last seen at” time | See if contact was online after you sent the message | Unreliable – “Last seen” time doesn’t always update |
| Read receipts | See exact time when your message is read | Reliable – shows definitive read time |
| “Delivered” status | Confirms message reached recipient’s phone | Somewhat reliable |
| Typing indicators | Shows recipient typed after seeing your message | Somewhat reliable |
| Unseen app | Tracks WhatsApp Web read receipts | Reliable if recipient uses WhatsApp Web |
| Disable internet connection | Prevents “read” receipt from being sent back to you | Unreliable – very timing dependent |
| Check message timestamps | Look for delays between sent and received messages | Unreliable – not a precise indicator |
| Notification tracker apps | Get alerted when recipient is active/online | Somewhat reliable |
As you can see from the table above, some techniques for tracking WhatsApp message reads are more reliable than others. Using a combination of a few different methods will yield the most accurate results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WhatsApp notify someone if I screenshot their chat?
No, WhatsApp does not send any notification if you take a screenshot of a chat. You can screenshot conversations without the other person knowing.
Can I read WhatsApp messages online without the blue ticks showing up?
If you use WhatsApp Web or the desktop app, you can read messages without the blue ticks being triggered. However, after you send a reply, the blue ticks will appear for your earlier messages.
Is it possible to see who views your WhatsApp status updates?
Unlike message reads, WhatsApp does not show who has viewed your status updates. It’s not possible to see exactly who has seen your statuses.
Can I stop showing blue ticks and online status to specific contacts?
Yes, go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy and turn off ‘Read Receipts’ and ‘Last Seen’ for any contacts you want to hide your online status and blue ticks from.
Conclusion
Figuring out if your WhatsApp messages have been read but not replied to can be frustrating. While the blue tick read receipts are the most definitive way to know, there are certainly workarounds you can try if those aren’t showing up.
Keep in mind that constantly checking read statuses can become unhealthy. Use these tips sparingly and avoid becoming obsessed with whether your contacts have seen your messages. If someone isn’t responding, focus your energy elsewhere rather than trying to decipher vague online indicators.
Healthy relationships are built on open communication, not read receipts. But when used properly, being able to detect WhatsApp message reads can occasionally be helpful knowledge to have.