How to read a message in WhatsApp and leave it unread from an iPhone?

How to read a message in WhatsApp and leave it unread from an iPhone - briefly?

To read a message in WhatsApp on your iPhone without marking it as read, simply open the chat, then immediately swipe right to left across the conversation in your list of chats. This action will allow you to view the message content while keeping the message unread for both yourself and the sender.

How to read a message in WhatsApp and leave it unread from an iPhone - in detail?

To read a message in WhatsApp on your iPhone while leaving it unread, follow these detailed steps:

  1. Open WhatsApp: Unlock your iPhone and launch the WhatsApp application. If you haven't already, ensure that your device is connected to the internet.
  2. Navigate to Chats: On the main screen of WhatsApp, you will see a list of recent chats. Tap on the chat or contact from whom you have received a new message. This action will open the conversation.
  3. Read the Message: Once inside the chat, locate the unread message. You can scroll through the conversation if necessary. Simply tap on the unread message to view its contents without marking it as read.
  4. Avoid Marking as Read: WhatsApp automatically marks messages as read once you open a chat and view the content. To prevent this, you must use one of two methods:

    • Enable Airplane Mode: Before opening the chat, enable Airplane Mode on your iPhone by swiping up from the bottom of your screen to access Control Center, then tapping the airplane icon. This disables all wireless connections. Now, open WhatsApp and read the message. After reading, close WhatsApp completely (double-tap the home button and swipe up on the app). Then, disable Airplane Mode by tapping the airplane icon again in Control Center.
    • Use Notification Preview: If you have enabled message previews in your notification settings, you can read the message directly from the lock screen or notification center without opening WhatsApp. To do this, go to Settings > Notifications > Messages, and ensure that "Show Previews" is set to "Always". Now, when a new message arrives, swipe down from the top of your screen to view the notification center, or press the home button or side button to see the lock screen. You can read the message preview without marking it as read in WhatsApp.
  5. Verify Unread Status: To confirm that the message remains unread, go back to the main Chats screen in WhatsApp. The chat with the unread message should still have a blue dot or number indicating the presence of an unread message.

By following these steps, you can read WhatsApp messages on your iPhone without marking them as read, allowing you to maintain control over your conversation status.