Learn step by step how to send a read receipt when you’ve viewed a message on your iPhone.
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The read receipt feature has been available since 2016. © DenPhoto – stock.adobe.com
iPhone owners have probably noticed: since the release of iOS 10, the Messages application, pre-installed on Apple devices, has integrated a read receipt system. This feature lets you inform your contact that you have read their message. And not the other way around, unless your contact has also activated the option in the Settings application.
The other limitation of this option, named Read confirmation, is that it only applies to iMessages, which are sent over Wi-Fi or cellular to another Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch), and not to SMS and MMS messages. However, it may be useful to set up the option by following the steps detailed below.
iPhone: How to enable read receipts for all your contacts
To set up sending a read receipt on iPhone, follow these steps:
- Go to the Settings app,
- Select Messages (or Apps then Messages on iOS 18),
- Check the option Read receipts (or Send read receiptsdepending on your operating system version).
Now, in the Messages app, a mention Lu is displayed on your contact’s screen when you have viewed their message. The reading time is also specified. Again, this option is only enabled if your contact is using an Apple device.
To get a read receipt for your messages, your contact must also have this option enabled. © Montage BDM
iPhone: How to Enable Read Receipts for a Specific Contact
By performing the previous manipulation, read receipts will be enabled for all individual conversations. But it is also possible to configure this option for a specific person, “even if you have disabled read receipts globally”Apple says. Here’s what to do:
- Go to the Messages app,
- Select a conversation,
- Click on the name or profile picture of your contact located at the top of the interface,
- Check the option Read receipts (or Send read receiptsdepending on your operating system version).
Conversely, it is possible to disable the read receipt for a specific contact only. To do this, simply uncheck the option Read receipts.
An alternative path to send acknowledgements to a specific contact. © BDM Montage
