WhatsApp’s read receipts feature allows you to see when a message you sent has been read by the recipient. When you send a message on WhatsApp, it will have one check mark next to it. This indicates the message has been successfully sent from your device. When the recipient gets your message, a second check mark will appear, indicating they have received it. Once the recipient opens and reads your message, the two check marks will turn blue, confirming the message has been read. This is WhatsApp’s read receipt.
What do the WhatsApp check marks mean?
The different colored check marks next to WhatsApp messages indicate the message status:
- One gray check mark: Message sent
- Two gray check marks: Message delivered to recipient’s device
- Two blue check marks: Message has been read
So in summary:
| Check Mark Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| One gray | Message sent |
| Two gray | Message delivered |
| Two blue | Message read |
The two blue check marks confirm your message has been opened and read by the recipient. This is WhatsApp’s read receipt.
Does the read receipt mean the person definitely read my message?
The blue ticks indicate your message was opened on the recipient’s phone, but it does not necessarily mean they actually read your message. There are a few cases where the read receipt can be misleading:
- The recipient may have previewed the notification and not opened your chat.
- They opened WhatsApp but did not view your specific chat thread.
- Your message was auto-downloaded, so WhatsApp triggered the read receipt automatically.
- Their phone was unlocked and opened WhatsApp in their pocket.
- They’re ignoring you.
So while the read receipt means your message was opened in WhatsApp, you cannot be 100% sure the recipient saw and read your message. It is possible to trigger the read receipt unintentionally. Keep this in mind so you don’t make incorrect assumptions.
Can I turn off WhatsApp read receipts?
Yes, you can disable read receipts in your WhatsApp settings if you don’t want senders to know if you’ve read their messages. To turn off read receipts:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings
- Tap Account > Privacy
- Toggle off Read receipts
When read receipts are disabled, you will no longer send receipts to others and you won’t be able to see when your messages have been read. The check marks will remain gray instead of turning blue when your message is read.
Can I hide blue ticks from specific WhatsApp contacts?
Unfortunately, WhatsApp does not allow turning off read receipts for specific chats. The setting is global – so you either have read receipts on for all chats, or turned off for all chats.
Some workarounds if you don’t want certain contacts seeing your read receipts:
- Turn off read receipts in WhatsApp settings, but manually send a message like “Read” or “Got it” so they know you read it.
- Preview their message from the notification but don’t open your chat with them.
- Read their message but immediately archive the chat so it marks it as unread again.
But there is no direct way to hide blue ticks from particular contacts only. You can only enable or disable read receipts for all chats.
Can someone read my WhatsApp message without the blue ticks?
It is possible for someone to read your WhatsApp messages secretly without triggering the read receipt blue ticks. Here are some ways they could do this:
- Read message notifications from your lock screen without opening the chat.
- Preview message from WhatsApp notification settings.
- Use WhatsApp Web on desktop browser without read receipts.
- Access your phone and read messages when you’re away from device.
- Turn off read receipts in their WhatsApp settings.
So even without the blue ticks, there is still a possibility someone read your message but you won’t know. The read receipts provide an indication but are not guaranteed.
How long do the blue check marks take to turn blue?
The WhatsApp read receipts typically change from gray to blue immediately after the recipient opens your chat. However, there can be a short delay in some cases:
- Poor internet connection on recipient’s device – may take a few minutes to update.
- You opened chat before they read message – ticks turn blue on your end after delay.
- Recipient read your message without internet access – ticks update when they reconnect.
- You checked status before recipient opened chat – causes few minutes delay.
But under normal conditions, the check marks will turn blue right after the recipient reads your message. If it’s taking longer than a few minutes, one of the above factors may be the reason.
Do deleted WhatsApp messages still show as read?
If you delete a WhatsApp message you sent, the recipient will still see the blue ticks if they had already read it before you deleted it. Your message contents will disappear from their chat, but it will still register as read on your end.
However, if you delete an unread message, it will be removed entirely as if it was never sent. The recipient will not get any notification and it will not show as read.
So in summary:
- Delete sent message – Recipient already read it: Still shows as read
- Delete sent message – Recipient hasn’t read it: No notification, not marked read
Deleting messages only prevents new reads, it does not remove existing read receipts.
Can I see if someone screenshot my WhatsApp message?
Unlike Telegram and Instagram, WhatsApp does not notify you if a recipient takes a screenshot of your chat. There is currently no way to detect if someone screenshots your messages on WhatsApp. The app does not send any alerts or read receipts when someone captures your screen.
Your only indication might be if you sent a disappearing message, and you notice the recipient still replies even after the window expires. But otherwise, you cannot directly tell if, or how many times, someone screenshots your WhatsApp chats.
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s read receipts, shown through blue double check marks, provide an indication that your message was opened in the app. However, it does not guarantee the recipient actually read your message. There are cases where the read receipt can show even if the person didn’t read your text. It is also possible for others to secretly read your messages without triggering the blue ticks at all. Read receipts are a useful WhatsApp feature, but have some limitations users should keep in mind.