Smartphones are fantastic for keeping us connected and contactable at all times, but this isn't e'er a approval. Turning off our phones is rarely a viable solution, just in instance something important comes upwardly, but can nosotros really exist expected to be at everyone'southward abiding brook and call?

WhatsApp messages are just one of many modern intrusions in this digital age that do not accept into account what nosotros're doing or how we're feeling when they arrive on our phones. Sometimes we want a chance to recall about what we want to say before we respond, all the same non announced rude past not immediately replying. But we know they know nosotros've read it.

And that'south the trouble here: WhatsApp makes it far too easy to tell when someone has read your message. It'southward handy when you are the sender of the message, but less welcome when it'southward the other way around. You can't hide under the duvet and pretend it didn't happen.

So, how does someone know when y'all've read their bulletin on WhatsApp? The nigh obvious way is through the tick symbols that are displayed at the end of every WhatsApp message: i grey tick is sent; two grey ticks is delivered; ii blueish ticks is read.

To make matters worse, you can select whatsoever bulletin and tap the three dots icon, followed by Info, to see the exact fourth dimension the message was delivered and when information technology was read.

And and then there'south Last seen: even if you get around the tick system and the timing problems, can you really explain being online 10 minutes agone and not having seen the bulletin sent to you an 60 minutes ago?

Here'southward how to go around some of those bug.

How to plough off WhatsApp read receipts

Yous tin get around WhatsApp's tick system the official fashion or the sneaky manner.

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

The sneaky manner is all-time if you lot're wanting to achieve this on an advertizing hoc footing - perhaps it'due south but the one person yous're avoiding, rather than the whole world.

The official fashion to disable WhatsApp read receipts

Launch WhatsApp, tap the iii dots icon at the top right, then cull Settings.

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

WhatsApp read receipts

Note that this does not apply to group messages, though it is less obvious when you lot have read a message in these conversations considering the two ticks won't turn blueish until anybody has seen the bulletin. You can all the same cheque who has read messages you have sent within group conversations by selecting the message, tapping the three dots icon and choosing Info.

The sneaky mode to go around WhatsApp read receipts

There are diverse means to read WhatsApp messages without the app realising you lot accept read them. Most of these are fabricated possible by yous never opening the app in the outset place.

Here are some places you tin read WhatsApp messages without opening them:

  • In notification previews - at the meridian 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 fashion - but merely for as long every bit it stays offline

You can turn on loftier-priority notifications in Settings > Notifications. This will brand the appear at the top of your screen when they make it, and you lot tin 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 selection under Letters.

Blocking someone is a final resort, especially if you want to remain friends. You tin attain this by opening the conversation thread, tapping the three dots at the height and choosing More > Block. Don't forget to unblock them later if you do get down this path.

For every bit long as they remain blocked they won't know whether you've read their bulletin, simply in that location volition exist other clues to the fact they are blocked: your profile pic and status will disappear, none of their letters will appear to exist delivered, and they won't be able to call you.

The post-obit 'tips' will not allow yous to read WhatsApp messages without being seen:

  • Marking messages equally unread
  • Deleting WhatsApp messages subsequently you lot accept read them (this isn't Inspector Gadget)

How to turn off Last Seen

It'due south no adept turning off read receipts if your message sender tin can encounter that yous've been on WhatsApp and haven't bothered to read their message. In fact, information technology'due south worse.

Equally with read receipts, this works both means: you can't see when they were last online if you don't let them meet when you were.

WhatsApp Last Seen

Launch WhatsApp, tap the 3 dots at the superlative right of the screen and choose Settings.

Select Account > Privacy, then select Concluding seen.

You tin can and so choose who should run across when you were concluding online: everyone, no-i or only your contacts.

Read next: How to use WhatsApp on a estimator & Most common WhatsApp scams