Smartphones are fantastic for keeping us connected and contactable at all times, simply this isn't always a blessing. Turning off our phones is rarely a feasible solution, just in case something of import comes up, only can we really be expected to be at everyone'southward abiding brook and telephone call?

WhatsApp messages are just 1 of many modern intrusions in this digital historic period that practice not have into account what we're doing or how we're feeling when they make it on our phones. Sometimes we desire a take chances to think about what nosotros want to say earlier we reply, yet non appear rude by not immediately replying. But we know they know we've read information technology.

And that's the problem here: WhatsApp makes it far too easy to tell when someone has read your message. It'south handy when yous are the sender of the message, merely less welcome when it's the other way effectually. You lot tin't hibernate under the duvet and pretend information technology didn't happen.

So, how does someone know when y'all've read their message on WhatsApp? The most obvious fashion is through the tick symbols that are displayed at the finish of every WhatsApp message: one grey tick is sent; two greyness ticks is delivered; ii blue ticks is read.

To make matters worse, you can select any bulletin and tap the iii dots icon, followed by Info, to see the exact time the message was delivered and when it was read.

And and then in that location's Last seen: fifty-fifty if you become around the tick system and the timing bug, can you really explicate being online 10 minutes ago and non having seen the message sent to you an 60 minutes agone?

Hither'southward how to get around some of those problems.

How to plough off WhatsApp read receipts

You tin get around WhatsApp'due south tick organisation the official mode or the sneaky way.

The official way is best if you don't want anyone ever knowing when you've read their messages, but you'll need to accept that yous also won't be able to tell when they've read your messages.

The sneaky mode is all-time if yous're wanting to achieve this on an ad hoc ground - perhaps it'south merely the one person y'all're avoiding, rather than the whole world.

The official mode to disable WhatsApp read receipts

Launch WhatsApp, tap the three dots icon at the top right, then choose Settings.

Select Account > Privacy. Scroll downwards to and toggle off the option for Read receipts.

WhatsApp read receipts

Note that this does not employ to group messages, though it is less obvious when y'all accept read a bulletin in these conversations because the 2 ticks won't plow blue until everyone has seen the message. Yous can still cheque who has read messages you have sent within group conversations past selecting the message, tapping the three dots icon and choosing Info.

The sneaky mode to get around WhatsApp read receipts

There are various means to read WhatsApp messages without the app realising you have read them. Almost of these are fabricated possible past you never opening the app in the showtime place.

Here are some places y'all tin read WhatsApp messages without opening them:

  • In notification previews - at the pinnacle of your screen, in your notification menu, and even on your lock screen
  • In the WhatsApp home screen widget
  • On a continued smartwatch or fitness tracker that supports WhatsApp notifications
  • While using your telephone in Aeroplane manner - simply just for as long as it stays offline

You can turn on high-priority notifications in Settings > Notifications. This will brand the appear at the top of your screen when they arrive, and you can read them and so swipe them away without ever opening them.

Lock screen notifications are also possible when you get to Settings > Notifications and await for this option under Letters.

Blocking someone is a last resort, particularly if you want to remain friends. Y'all can achieve this by opening the conversation thread, tapping the three dots at the top and choosing More > Block. Don't forget to unblock them later if you do go down this path.

For as long every bit they remain blocked they won't know whether you've read their message, but there will be other clues to the fact they are blocked: your profile picture and condition will disappear, none of their letters volition announced to be delivered, and they won't be able to phone call you.

The following 'tips' will non let you to read WhatsApp messages without being seen:

  • Mark messages as unread
  • Deleting WhatsApp messages later y'all have read them (this isn't Inspector Gadget)

How to turn off Last Seen

It's no adept turning off read receipts if your message sender can see that you've been on WhatsApp and haven't bothered to read their bulletin. In fact, information technology'southward worse.

As with read receipts, this works both ways: y'all can't see when they were terminal online if you don't let them meet when yous were.

WhatsApp Last Seen

Launch WhatsApp, tap the three dots at the elevation right of the screen and choose Settings.

Select Account > Privacy, then select Last seen.

You tin can then choose who should meet when you were last online: everyone, no-ane or only your contacts.

Read adjacent: How to apply WhatsApp on a computer & Near common WhatsApp scams