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How to set up read receipts for your iPhone's text messages
How often have you received a text from someone but failed to respond right away, leaving the other person wondering if you ever got their message? One way to avoid the suspense is to use read receipts. By turning on this feature for all texts or just individual ones, the sender is alerted when you read their message, even if you don't respond.
On the flip side, you can suggest to friends, family members, and other contacts who own iPhones that they enable read receipts for your messages. You'll then receive a notice whenever they read one of your texts.
Also: Apple is finally adding RCS texting to the iPhone - here's why this is a big deal for me
Built into Apple's Messages app, read receipts support iMessage texts, but not SMS texts. This means the feature will work with other iPhones (as well as iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches) but not with Android phones. Group messages don't support read receipts, either. Still, read receipts can be a handy option if you exchange a lot of messages with other iPhone users.
Here's how to set this up.
How to set up read receipts for your iPhone's text messages
What you'll need: The only thing you'll need for this is an iPhone running iOS 10 or later. You can also set up read receipts on an iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.
1. Enable read receipts for everyone
To turn on read receipts for anyone who texts you, go to Settings on your iPhone, select Messages, and then turn on the switch for "Send Read Receipts."
2. View the read receipt
When you view a text sent by someone else, a small Read note appears in the other person's text, indicating the time you read the message.
Also: Your iPhone is getting this life-saving messaging feature with iOS 18 (and it's not AI)
3. Turn off read receipts for specific contacts
You can also enable read receipts across the board but disable them just for certain people. With read receipts already activated, open the Messages app and select a conversation with the person for whom you want to turn them off. Tap the person's profile icon at the top and then turn off the switch for "Send Read Receipts."
4. Go through the Contacts app
Another way to disable read receipts for a specific person is through the Contacts app. Launch the app and open the person's contact page. Tap the message icon, select the person's profile icon, and turn off the switch for "Send Read Receipts."
5. Turn off all read receipts with exceptions
Maybe you want to disable read receipts for everyone except a few select people.
Head to Settings, select Messages, and turn off "Send Read Receipts" if it's on. Messages will now show up as Delivered, but won't indicate the time they were read.
Also: How to schedule messages on your iPhone in iOS 18 (and which models support it)
6. Turn on read receipts for a specific person
Now you can enable read receipts just for a specific person. Open the Messages or Contacts app and pick a contact to enable read receipts. At the next screen, turn on "Send Read Receipts." When you view a text just from that specific contact, they'll be notified that you read their message.