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 do the different ticks mean?
WhatsApp uses tick marks to indicate the delivery status of a message. Here’s what the different ticks mean:
- One gray tick – The message has been successfully sent from your device.
- Two gray ticks – The message has been delivered to the recipient’s device.
- Two blue ticks – The recipient has read your message.
So in order to count as “read”, a message needs to display two blue ticks next to it. This indicates that the recipient has opened the chat window and seen the message.
Does a message with two blue ticks definitely mean the person read it?
Not necessarily. Here are some cases where you may see two blue ticks but the recipient hasn’t actually read the message:
- The recipient opened the chat window but didn’t actually view the message.
- Preview notifications are enabled, so the message preview was viewed from the notifications bar.
- The recipient is using another device which is connected to their WhatsApp account.
So while two blue ticks indicate the message has been displayed on the recipient’s device, it doesn’t confirm they’ve read the full message content.
Does Read Receipts need to be enabled?
Read receipts (the two blue ticks) must be enabled between both parties in order to see read statuses. If you have disabled read receipts in your WhatsApp settings, you won’t see read ticks for your contacts and vice versa.
However, the two gray ticks indicating message delivery do not require read receipts to be on. They will show up as long as the recipient’s phone is connected to the internet.
Can you turn off the blue ticks?
There are a few ways to turn off the read receipts in WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy and disable ‘Read Receipts’
- You can turn them off for specific chats – Open the chat > Click contact name > Disable ‘Read Receipts’
- Use the ‘Disable blue ticks’ option in GB WhatsApp and similar mods.
Disabling read receipts means others won’t be able to see if you’ve read their messages. However, you also won’t be able to see read statuses for your contacts.
Can you see if someone has read your message without the blue ticks?
If you have disabled read receipts, there are still some ways to detect if a message has been read:
- The ‘online’ status indicates if a contact was recently active on WhatsApp.
- If the recipient replies to your message, they’ve obviously read it.
- The double gray tick will change to blue on your end when the recipient reads it, even if they have disabled blue ticks.
- Some third party apps claim to notify you when a contact reads your message even if they have disabled read receipts.
However, without read receipts enabled, there is no foolproof way to confirm if a message has been read by a recipient. The above indications provide clues but are not guaranteed.
Can someone read your messages without the blue ticks appearing?
In some cases, it is possible for a recipient to read your WhatsApp messages without triggering the blue ticks:
- Previewing notifications allows reading a message without opening the chat.
- Third-party apps like Unseen for WhatsApp can mask the blue ticks and read timestamp when reading messages.
- WhatsApp Web allows reading messages on a linked device. If read receipts are disabled, it won’t show as read on your phone.
- Your messages could be inadvertently read if another person has access to the recipient’s device.
So while the blue ticks usually indicate a message was read, they do not provide an absolute guarantee. Advanced users can find ways to view messages without triggering the read receipt.
Can you see if a contact is online and typing?
Apart from read receipts, WhatsApp also shows some other useful statuses:
- Online – The contact has WhatsApp open in the foreground on their device.
- Last seen – Shows the last time the contact used WhatsApp.
- Typing… – The contact is actively typing a message to you.
However, just like read receipts, these statuses also depend on the recipient having the corresponding privacy settings enabled. A recipient can disable displaying their last seen or typing status.
Conclusion
In summary, here’s what the different ticks on WhatsApp mean:
- One gray tick – Message sent
- Two gray ticks – Message delivered
- Two blue ticks – Message has been displayed/read on the recipient’s device.
While two blue ticks usually imply the message has been read by the recipient, it does not guarantee they have actually read the message content because of factors like previewing notifications. Advanced users can also disable read receipts or use third party apps to view messages without triggering the blue ticks.
So while read receipts and online statuses provide useful indicators, they are not always foolproof when trying to determine if a message was seen or not in WhatsApp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone read my WhatsApp message without me knowing?
Yes, it is possible for someone to read your WhatsApp messages without you knowing in some cases:
- They can preview your message from the notification panel without opening the chat.
- They can use third party apps to read your message silently.
- They can view and read your messages on WhatsApp Web without triggering blue ticks.
- They can quickly open and view your chat without you catching the “online” status.
However, this would require deliberately avoiding read receipts. In most normal cases, two blue ticks will indicate the message has been read.
Do deleted messages show as read?
If a recipient deletes a message you sent without reading it, it will remain with a single gray tick, indicating it was sent but not read.
However, if they read the message and then delete it, the blue double ticks will still display, indicating the message had been read before deletion.
Can I read a message without the sender knowing?
Yes, it is possible to read someone’s message without triggering the blue ticks:
- Preview the message from the notification panel.
- Use WhatsApp mods like GB WhatsApp which allow disabling read receipts.
- Install third party apps like Unseen that mask the blue ticks.
- View and read the messages on WhatsApp Web.
However, this requires deliberately avoiding read receipts, which may be considered unethical by some users.
Can deleted messages be read?
No, deleted messages cannot be read. When a message is deleted by either party, it disappears from the chat and cannot be retrieved or read again within WhatsApp.
However, any message read prior to deletion will still show as read via the blue double ticks. Only unread messages will not show read status if deleted.
Is it possible to read a message on WhatsApp without the sender knowing?
Yes, there are some ways to read WhatsApp messages without the sender’s knowledge:
– Preview message notifications from the notification bar without opening the chat.
– Use WhatsApp on web or desktop – it won’t show as read on sender’s mobile device.
– Use third party apps like Unseen and WA Web Plus to read silently.
– Quickly open and view chat before sender notices online status.
– Disable read receipts in WhatsApp so ticks don’t turn blue.
However, this requires deliberately avoiding triggering read receipts, which some may consider unethical. In most cases, the double blue ticks will indicate a message has been read.
Can I tell if a contact is ignoring me on WhatsApp?
There are some indications that a contact may be ignoring you on WhatsApp:
– You see two gray ticks indicating they received the message, but never get blue ticks.
– They are shown as online/last seen but still don’t read your message.
– They are actively chatting with others but leaving your messages on read.
– They have disabled their online status and last seen timestamp.
– They read your message but do not reply.
– They have blocked you on WhatsApp.
However, there could also be other genuine reasons like they missed notifications from you, are too busy to respond or their internet connection has issues. So while the above signs suggest ignoring, it’s not always definitive.
How can I confirm if my message was read?
Some ways to confirm if your WhatsApp message was definitely read:
– Double blue ticks appear indicating the recipient opened the chat.
– They reply to your message or reference something you sent.
– You get a reaction emoji to the message.
– They quote or forward your message to someone else.
– They mention something from the message during a voice or video call.
– They saved your message as a favourite or made it a star message.
– The recipient tells you in person that they read what you sent.
– You see them actively using WhatsApp but still no blue ticks appear.
If none of these signs appear and only gray ticks are seen, then likely your message has not been read by the recipient yet. The double blue ticks provide the best confirmation.
Is it possible to read WhatsApp messages online without accessing someone’s phone?
Yes, there are a couple ways to read someone’s WhatsApp messages online without directly accessing their phone:
– WhatsApp Web/Desktop – Link your account to use WhatsApp on a computer browser.
– Downloaded Chat Backups – WhatsApp backups stored on Google Drive or iCloud can sometimes be decrypted and viewed.
– Cloud Extraction Tools – Some paid software services claim to extract WhatsApp chats from cloud backups.
– Sim Swapping – Take over the target phone number to receive OTP and register it on your own device.
– WhatsApp Web Scanners – Software that scans WhatsApp Web QR codes when left open unattended.
– Malware/Spyware – Allow unauthorized remote access to a phone to view messages.
However, most of these methods involve complex processes, illegal practices or installing suspicious software. The safest option is using the official WhatsApp Web/Desktop app with permission.
Can WhatsApp notify when my message is read by someone?
Officially WhatsApp does not provide any notifications when your message is read by the recipient. You simply have to check the chat to see if your double gray ticks have turned blue.
However, some third party apps like Unseen, WA Notify and ReadMe claim to provide notifications when your messages are read. But these have limitations and may not work reliably for all contacts. Most users rely on the built-in double blue ticks for read confirmation.
Is it possible to read someone’s WhatsApp messages remotely?
It is possible to read someone’s WhatsApp messages remotely in a few indirect ways:
– If they have WhatsApp Web linked, you can access their chats from another device browser.
– Some paid software claim they can extract backups from Google Drive/iCloud.
– Hackers can remotely install malware on a phone to access chats.
– Using sophisticated sim swapping techniques to hijack their number.
– Physically accessing an unlocked device left unattended.
– Shoulder surfing to glimpse at their screen.
However, most of these involve complex hacking, illegal techniques or physical access without consent. There is no direct official way to remotely access someone else’s WhatsApp messages without their permission.