WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. Its convenience and versatility make it easy to stay connected with friends and family. However, sometimes you may wish to limit certain contacts from seeing when you’ve opened their messages.
Fortunately, WhatsApp provides options to disable read receipts or “open” notifications for your contacts. Here are some methods to block others from knowing when you’ve read their messages on WhatsApp.
Disable Read Receipts for All Chats
The easiest way is to disable read receipts for all your WhatsApp chats:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
- Go to Account > Privacy.
- Tap on Read Receipts and toggle it off.
This will stop sending read notifications for all your contacts. You won’t be able to see other’s read receipts either.
Disable Read Receipts for Individual Chats
You can also disable read receipts for specific chats:
- Open the WhatsApp chat you want to disable read receipts.
- Tap on the contact’s name at the top.
- Tap on View Contact.
- Toggle off Show Read Receipts.
This will stop read notifications just for this chat. You can repeat these steps for other chats as needed.
Enable Airplane Mode
Reading messages while on Airplane mode will prevent read notifications from being sent out. Here’s how:
- Open Control Center on iPhone or Quick Settings on Android.
- Tap on Airplane Mode to enable it.
- Open WhatsApp and view messages as desired.
- Disable Airplane mode when finished.
As long as Airplane mode is enabled while viewing messages, your contacts won’t know you’ve seen them.
Third-party Apps
There are various third-party apps that can hide your online status and disable read receipts:
- Flychat: Available for iOS and Android. Lets you read WhatsApp messages secretly.
- Unseen: Android app to read WhatsApp messages privately.
- Stealthy: Android app with option to disable read receipts and hide online status.
Research the apps carefully and check reviews before downloading, as some may have privacy concerns or bugs.
Uninstall and Reinstall WhatsApp
As a last resort, you can uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp to reset read receipts and online status notifications:
- Save your chat history through Settings > Chats > Chat History.
- Delete WhatsApp from your phone.
- Reinstall WhatsApp and verify your number.
- Restore your chat history after activating on the device.
This will reset all your settings, including read receipts and online status. You can then enable settings as desired.
What Happens When You Block Someone on WhatsApp?
Blocking someone on WhatsApp prevents them from:
- Seeing your profile photo.
- Determining your online status.
- Calling or sending you messages.
- Seeing if you’ve read their messages.
However, blocking does not delete their chat or remove you from their contact list. You can simply unblock them later to restore normal settings.
Does Turning Off Read Receipts Work if Other Person Has it On?
Yes, turning off read receipts will stop other contacts from knowing if you’ve read their messages, even if they have enabled read receipts on their end.
Your read receipt settings apply only to you and override any settings selected by your contacts. So you can prevent them from seeing your read status regardless of their preferences.
Can Blocked Contacts Still See Your Online Status?
No, blocking a contact on WhatsApp prevents them from viewing your online status or knowing when you were last seen on the app.
Your online status and last seen time will always show as unavailable to blocked contacts. This remains true even if you have enabled everyone to see your online status in settings.
Does Turning Off Read Receipts Work in Group Chats?
Unfortunately turning off read receipts does not work in WhatsApp group chats. Your read status can still be seen by all participants when you disable read receipts.
This is because group chat settings are controlled by the group admin. Participants cannot individually override it. So you’ll need admin rights to adjust group read receipts.
Can I Stop WhatsApp Open from Showing Just for Specific Contacts?
Yes, WhatsApp provides an option to stop showing your online status and read receipts to specific contacts only:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy.
- Tap on Read Receipts.
- Select My Contacts Except.
- Choose the contacts to exclude.
This will disable read notifications and online status for just those selected contacts. You can customize it as needed.
Conclusion
Preventing contacts on WhatsApp from knowing when you’ve read their messages is easy to achieve. The best options include disabling read receipts for all or individual chats, using Airplane mode, third-party apps, or carefully blocking contacts.
Keep in mind that blocking contacts only hides your online presence and read status from them specifically. For more control, adjusting read receipt settings is recommended. With these tips, you can discreetly read WhatsApp messages without others being notified.
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Disable read receipts for all chats |
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| Disable for individual chats |
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| Use Airplane mode |
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| Third-party apps |
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| Uninstall/reinstall WhatsApp |
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Key Takeaways
- Disable read receipts in WhatsApp’s privacy settings to stop them universally or for selected chats.
- Enable Airplane mode when viewing messages to prevent sending read notifications.
- Be careful blocking contacts as it limits your interactions with them on WhatsApp.
- Third-party apps can hide your online status but may impact performance or security.
- Frequently back up chats before uninstalling/reinstalling WhatsApp to reset notifications.