WhatsApp’s blue check marks are a useful feature that indicates when a message has been successfully delivered and read by the recipient. However, sometimes you may notice that your message has been read, but no blue check mark appears. There are a few possible reasons for this.
Message Read Receipts Are Turned Off
The most common reason for no blue check marks is that the recipient has disabled read receipts in their WhatsApp settings. This prevents the blue check marks from appearing for them even if they have read your message.
To turn off read receipts on WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings
- Tap Account > Privacy
- Turn off Read Receipts
With read receipts disabled, you will not see blue check marks for messages you send to that person. However, you can still see if your own messages have been successfully delivered to their device (one gray check mark).
The Recipient Read Your Message Outside of the WhatsApp App
Another possibility is that the recipient read your message from a notification outside the WhatsApp app. For example, on iOS devices, users can swipe left on a WhatsApp notification to quick-reply or mark it as read.
If they mark it as read from outside WhatsApp, you will see that your message has been delivered and read, but no blue check mark will show up within the WhatsApp chat.
Their Read Receipt Settings Changed After You Messaged Them
It’s also possible your recipient had read receipts enabled when you sent your message originally, but then disabled it before opening WhatsApp again. In this case, your message will register as read, but the blue check won’t appear.
A WhatsApp Bug or Glitch
In some cases, a bug or glitch in WhatsApp results in read receipts not working correctly. Usually restarting the app or your phone will resolve any software issues that may be preventing the blue checks from being displayed.
They Read Your Message Preview From Notifications
Depending on phone settings and notification previews, your recipient may have read your full WhatsApp message directly from the notification pop-up without opening the app. This will also mark the message as read without triggering the blue check mark.
Their Phone’s Internet Connection Dropped
If the recipient’s internet dropped out or they went offline after reading but before WhatsApp could send a read receipt, the blue check will not appear. The read status may show up later once they reconnect to the internet.
Your Own Internet Connection Dropped
It’s also possible your own internet connection dropped before you received the read receipt from their device. Try manually checking for new messages in WhatsApp to reload message statuses.
You Were Blocked by the Recipient
If your contact has blocked you on WhatsApp, your messages will always show one gray check (sent) but never a second gray check (delivered) or blue checks (read). You won’t be able to see their online status or any status updates they post either.
The Recipient’s Phone Is Off
If the recipient’s phone is switched off or not connected to the internet, WhatsApp will not be able to display read receipts until their device comes back online. You will see your message has been successfully sent, but not delivered or read.
Their WhatsApp Account Got Suspended
If your recipient’s WhatsApp account has been banned or temporarily suspended, your messages may show as sent but not delivered or read. Their account is essentially offline until the suspension is reversed.
You Are Temporarily Banned From WhatsApp
Similarly, if your own account has been banned from WhatsApp, you will be unable to see updated delivery and read statuses for your messages during the suspension period.
Conclusion
To summarize, there are many different reasons why a WhatsApp message can show as read but without a blue check mark. The most common causes include disabled read receipts, reading a message outside the app, or changes to notification settings. Glitches, internet connectivity issues, blocking/banning, and turned off devices can also prevent the blue check marks from displaying reliably.
If you are concerned about the lack of blue checks, try reaching out to your recipient directly to confirm they have received your important messages. You can also double check your own WhatsApp notification settings to make sure read receipts are enabled on your end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I see one check mark and not two check marks?
One gray check mark means your message has been successfully sent from your phone. Two gray checks indicate the message has been delivered to the recipient’s device. If you see only one check, it means your message has not yet been delivered and is still in transit.
Can you tell if someone read your message on WhatsApp without blue ticks?
If blue ticks are disabled, you cannot definitively tell if someone has read your message. However, if you see the two gray check marks, that means it has been successfully delivered to their phone. They likely would have seen a notification, so have probably read it unless their phone was offline.
Why do my messages show delivered but not read?
If you see two gray check marks but no blue checks, that means your message was delivered to the recipient’s phone but has not yet been opened in the WhatsApp chat screen. They may have seen the notification but not opened the chat yet, or read your message from the notification but not within the app.
Can I read WhatsApp messages without the sender knowing?
The only way to read WhatsApp messages without the sender knowing is to turn off read receipts in your WhatsApp settings. This will prevent the blue check marks from showing up when you read their messages. However, they will still see if you were last online or are currently online.
How do I turn off read receipts on WhatsApp?
To disable read receipts in WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp Settings
- Tap Account > Privacy
- Turn off Read Receipts
This will prevent blue check marks from being displayed when you read messages. You can still see one gray tick for messages you send if they are delivered successfully.
Can I hide ‘last seen’ on WhatsApp without disabling read receipts?
Yes, you can hide your last seen status on WhatsApp while keeping read receipts enabled. To do this:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy
- Turn off ‘Last Seen’
- Keep ‘Read Receipts’ enabled
This will allow you to still see blue check marks on messages you read while hiding your last seen time from contacts.
What to do if WhatsApp is not showing check marks?
If you are not seeing any check marks on your WhatsApp messages, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Restart your phone and check WhatsApp again
- Force close and reopen the WhatsApp app
- Check your internet connection is working properly
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version available
- Clear cache and data for the WhatsApp app
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp
- Contact WhatsApp support if the issue persists
Check marks not showing usually indicates a technical issue with your device, app or network. Following these steps should help resolve most problems with missing message ticks.
What the different WhatsApp check marks mean
WhatsApp uses check marks to indicate the status of messages you send:
| One gray check mark | Message sent from your phone |
| Two gray check marks | Message delivered to recipient’s device |
| Two blue check marks | Recipient has read your message |
If you see two checks turn blue, that is confirmation the recipient has opened your WhatsApp chat and seen your message. No blue checks could mean they have not read it yet, or have disabled read receipts.
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s read receipts and check marks offer useful delivery confirmation, but do not guarantee a message has been seen. There are many plausible reasons why read receipts may not work as expected. If you need to confirm important messages were received, follow up directly with the recipient outside of WhatsApp.