How do I prevent the recipient from seeing that I have read a message in WhatsApp on Android?

How do I prevent the recipient from seeing that I have read a message in WhatsApp on Android - briefly?

To prevent the recipient from seeing that you've read their message on WhatsApp for Android, simply turn off "Read Receipts" in the app settings. This feature is found under Privacy > Read Receipts and disabling it will hide your read status from all contacts.

How do I prevent the recipient from seeing that I have read a message in WhatsApp on Android - in detail?

To prevent the recipient from seeing that you have read a message in WhatsApp on Android, follow these detailed steps:

1. Disable Read Receipts:

   • Open WhatsApp on your Android device.
   • Tap on the three vertical dots located at the top-right corner of the screen to access the menu.
   • Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu.
   • Navigate to "Account."
   • Under "Privacy," tap on "Read receipts."
   • Toggle off the switch next to "Read receipts." This will disable the feature for all contacts, meaning no one will be able to see when you have read their messages.

2. Turn Off Last Seen:

   • While still in the Privacy settings, tap on "Last seen" and "Who can see my last seen."
   • Choose "Nobody" from the options provided. This will hide your online status and the time you were last active from everyone.

3. Disable Blue Ticks for Specific Contacts:

   • If you prefer to disable read receipts for specific contacts rather than all, follow these steps:
     • Go back to the main screen of WhatsApp.
     • Long-press on the chat with the contact you want to mute notifications from.
     • Select "Mute notifications" or the equivalent option depending on your device.
     • Choose how long you want to mute the notifications (e.g., 8 hours, 1 week).
   • Note: Muting notifications will hide blue ticks for that specific contact, but it won't prevent them from seeing read receipts if they have enabled the feature on their end.

4. Use Airplane Mode:

   • Another method to avoid showing read receipts is by using Airplane Mode:
     • Turn on Airplane Mode on your Android device before opening WhatsApp.
     • Read the message while offline.
     • Close WhatsApp completely (not just minimize it).
     • Turn off Airplane Mode.
   • This way, WhatsApp won't send a read receipt to the sender because you were technically offline when reading the message.

5. Use Third-Party Apps:

   • There are third-party apps available on the Google Play Store that claim to block read receipts in WhatsApp. However, use these with caution as they might violate WhatsApp's terms of service and could potentially lead to your account being banned.

By following these steps, you can effectively prevent recipients from seeing that you have read their messages on WhatsApp for Android.