Why does a message in WhatsApp say delivered but not read - briefly?
When you send a message on WhatsApp and it shows as "delivered," it means the recipient's device has received the message. However, if it does not show as "read," it indicates that the recipient has not yet opened or viewed the message.
Why does a message in WhatsApp say delivered but not read - in detail?
When you send a message on WhatsApp, it goes through several stages before it reaches the recipient. The first stage is when the message is successfully sent from your device to WhatsApp's servers. At this point, the message status will show as "Sent" next to the message bubble.
The second stage occurs when the message has been delivered to the recipient's device. This means that the message has been received by their phone and is waiting for them to open it. When the message reaches this stage, WhatsApp changes the status to "Delivered." It's important to note that at this point, the recipient does not necessarily need to have WhatsApp open or be actively using their phone. As long as the device is connected to the internet and WhatsApp has been set up correctly on it, the message will be delivered.
The final stage in the journey of a WhatsApp message is when it has been read by the recipient. This status can only be confirmed if the recipient has enabled "Read Receipts" in their privacy settings. When this feature is turned on, WhatsApp notifies you that your message has been read, and the status changes to "Read." However, if the recipient has disabled "Read Receipts," you will not receive a notification or see any change in status from "Delivered" even if they have opened and read your message.
There are several reasons why a message might remain at the "Delivered" stage without transitioning to "Read":
-
Privacy Settings: As mentioned, if the recipient has turned off "Read Receipts," you will not know when they have read your message. This is a privacy feature that allows users to control who can see their online status and reading receipts.
-
Unread Messages: The recipient might have received your message but hasn't opened it yet. WhatsApp only marks a message as "Read" when the user actually opens the conversation containing your message.
-
Internet Connectivity: While rare, there could be temporary issues with the recipient's internet connection or WhatsApp server that prevent the status from updating to "Read."
-
Muted Chats: If the recipient has muted the chat or notifications for your conversation, they might not see your message immediately, and thus, it won't be marked as read right away.
In summary, a WhatsApp message says "Delivered" but not "Read" because the recipient's device has received the message, but you do not have confirmation that the recipient has opened and seen the content of your message. This could be due to privacy settings, unread messages, internet connectivity issues, or muted chats.