How to Turn Off Read Receipts and Typing Indicators on WhatsApp, iMessage and Android Messages in Australia

Read receipts and typing indicators are small features with a big effect on privacy. A blue tick, a "Read" label or three bouncing dots can tell the other person exactly when you opened a message and when you started typing a reply. Sometimes that is useful. Often it just creates pressure to reply straight away, or starts an argument about a message you read while busy.

The good news is that you can switch most of these signals off, and you can do it in a few minutes on WhatsApp, iPhone Messages and Android Messages. The trade-off is worth knowing upfront: in most apps, turning off read receipts also stops you seeing them for other people. If that trade feels fair, the steps below will walk you through each app.

Step 1: Turn off read receipts in WhatsApp

Open WhatsApp and tap Settings. On iPhone, Settings sits at the bottom right. On Android, tap the three dots at the top right and choose Settings. From there, go to Privacy.

Under Privacy, look for Read Receipts and switch it off. Once it is off, other people will no longer see blue ticks when you read their messages in one-to-one chats, and you will no longer see blue ticks for messages they read either. Grey ticks still show that a message was delivered, so you are not hiding delivery, only the read status.

Keep in mind two exceptions. Read receipts still apply in group chats, even with this setting off, so a group will still show that you read a message. Voice messages in one-to-one chats can also behave differently, since playback can still be visible to the sender. If group read status matters to you, the only reliable option is to read group messages from notifications or to mute the group and check it on your own schedule.

Step 2: Hide typing indicators in WhatsApp

WhatsApp does not offer a separate switch for typing indicators. In practice, the typing indicator appears when you are actively typing in an open chat, and there is no built-in setting to hide it while keeping everything else unchanged.

You can still reduce the pressure it creates. Draft longer replies in another app, such as Notes, and paste them into WhatsApp when you are ready to send. You can also turn off notifications for a chat, or mute it, so you are not drawn into a live back-and-forth.

Step 3: Turn off read receipts in iPhone Messages

On iPhone, open Settings, then go to Messages. Look for Send Read Receipts and switch it off. That single switch covers iMessage conversations, so people will no longer see "Read" under messages you open.

If you only want to change the setting for one person, open that conversation in Messages, tap the contact name at the top, and look for the Send Read Receipts option for that conversation. On most recent versions of iOS you can set it per conversation, which is handy if you want read receipts on for family but off for work contacts.

Typing indicators in iMessage work in a similar way to WhatsApp: there is no separate off switch. When you are typing in an iMessage conversation, the other person may see the dots. The practical workaround is the same. Write the message elsewhere first, or wait until you are ready to send before opening the conversation and typing.

Step 4: Turn off read receipts in Android Messages

Android messaging has changed a lot in recent years, so the exact menu names can vary by phone maker and app version. In Google Messages, the app most Android phones in Australia now use, open the app, tap your profile picture or the three dots at the top, and go to Messages settings.

Look for RCS chats, then find the option called Send read receipts and switch it off. If you cannot see that option, your phone or carrier may not have RCS enabled for that conversation, in which case read receipts may not apply anyway. Messages sent as plain SMS do not carry read receipts or typing indicators in the same way, so older style texting already keeps that information private.

On Samsung phones, open Samsung Messages if that is your default app, go to Settings within the app, and look for the chat settings section. Again, the read receipt option usually sits under RCS or advanced messaging settings. If the option is missing, check that Chat features are turned on, then look again, since some settings only appear once RCS is active.

Step 5: Check the extras that give you away

Read receipts are only part of the picture. A few other settings can quietly tell people you are active, even after you switch receipts off.

First, check your online status and last seen settings in WhatsApp under Settings, then Privacy, then Last Seen and Online. Setting last seen to Nobody, or to My Contacts only, reduces how much timing information you share. Second, check your profile photo and status visibility in the same Privacy menu if you want tighter control.

On iPhone, check Settings, then Focus, and consider a Focus mode for evenings or work hours. Focus will not hide read receipts, but it can stop notifications from pulling you into chats at awkward times. On Android, Do Not Disturb under Settings, then Sound and vibration or Notifications, does the same job. The aim is simple: you reply when you choose to, not when a notification demands it.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I turn off read receipts, can I still see when others read my messages?

In most cases, no. WhatsApp, iMessage and Google Messages treat read receipts as a two-way setting. Switching them off hides your read status and also hides theirs from you.

Do read receipt settings work in group chats?

On WhatsApp, no. Group chats still show read status even when read receipts are off in one-to-one chats. iMessage and Google Messages can vary, so check the conversation settings for the specific group if this matters to you.

Can I hide typing indicators completely?

There is no built-in switch for typing indicators in WhatsApp, iMessage or Google Messages in most recent versions. The reliable workaround is to draft your reply outside the chat app and paste it in when you are ready to send.