How to turn off read receipts for all contacts

It turns out it was just at the contact-level. If you click into the text conversation, scroll down and the read receipt keeps turning on for ONE contact that I'm aware of...it's a friend who knows I don't have this feature on so keeps telling me when it flips even after I've turned off for her. Not sure how many other contacts are affected. This is a trust issue with Apple. It needs to be addressed. I have to trust when I turn something off at the system-level, it's going to do as it's promised. What's the timeline to get this resolved?

In reading all the responses it looks like this started in February of 2023 and people slowly began to realize what was going on because as many stated, there is no way to tell this is happening until someone tells you that it is. Now, it is July 2023 and nothing has changed or been fixed. Like everyone else I have done all the steps and I am not about to spend hours on the phone with Apple when clearly it will not help the situation. It has to be done at the top and be installed as an update. Unfortunately, it probably started with an update too. APPLE - PLEASE FIX THIS IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!

Still an issue in Dec. 2023. I can’t figure out how to fix it. Did you find a solution?

I have done this for my contacts and the read receipts are still sending. I’ve turned them off and on again at the individual and whole level. I have force restarted and done this all again. Read receipts are still sending. Please fix this bug or just get rid of the feature of read receipts at all! I did not consent to them being sent.

I am having the same problem and it is causing an unnecessary problem for my circle. I have and want my read receipts off for a reason and I do not consent to it being “turned on”, especially without my knowledge. I have updated my phone to fix any bugs, restarted my phone, deleted and re-added contacts. I will not be upgrading to another iPhone after this. I like my privacy and what I decide to do at my own time and pace and this feels like an invasion of it. My phone ratted me out and it’s about to be in the trash with the rest of the rats.

This was helpful. However, this seems like a design flaw: if it wasn’t for my wife I would have had no idea I was sending read receipts. I have hundreds of contacts: do I really need to go through them individually to make sure they’re turned off too, even though I have globally selected this feature to be off?

It’s March 4, 2024… has anyone figured out what is causing this? It’s not all iPhone users but I know it’s still happening to me as well.

My wife had the same problem. What you have to do is, go into your messages, click each contact and turn off read receipts for each individual contact.

Like everyone else here I have followed all the steps checked all my contacts and read receipts isn't on for any of them I've also toggled it back on and off again in settings and restarted my phone and its still happening. Can we get a solution to this issue? It's very frustrating and causing issues...

It's infuriating really! I still see that my messages have been read and I feel invaded by it... On top of that... It ****** me off that we all see when we're responding in real time to the text. This should be my decision not a feature of apple and the fact that more people don't complain about this simple privacy issue is wild to me!

Good Afternoon Not_Much,

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!

It sounds like you are having issues with Read Receipts in the Messages app, and we'd like to help.

You've already done some great troubleshooting, and turning off the switch in Settings > Messages > Send Read Receipts should affect all messages.

However, you do have the ability to change that setting for certain individuals. So, we'd like to ask you to check this setting for the individual(s) who state they can see the Read Receipt. To do this:

Open the Messages app

1. Tap on the conversation with this individual
2. Tap their icon at the top of the display. This will open their contact card.
3. Make Send Read Receipts is toggled off (the switch is white) for this individual as well.
4. Tap Done.

If you're seeing that the feature is disabled for these contacts as well, Contact Apple Support so they can look into this with you further.

Take care.

Echoing this - the issue for me is that even after turning off read receipts for each single conversation, they keep turning BACK on! I had a super long call with Apple a few months ago in which they had me delete some folders on my computer which temporarily fixed the problem, but it didn't last long. No matter what I do, this keeps happening.

I have a short term solution for this ridiculous annoying problem. I feel the EXACT SAME as everyone here. Invasion of privacy and it does cause issues with insecure people who think you have to text back immediately. I have read receipts off for a flipping reason. Anyways, short term solution until apple fixes it would be to turn off iMessage. Then everything sends as text and no read receipts. You don’t even know if it’s been delivered. Privacy restored. For now. Not really hahaha. Y’all catch my drift. Lol

This did not work for me, and as I read the comments, I am noticing it is still an issue for many users in late June 2023. Is there a plan to fix this any time soon or do we all need to individually contact apple support?

DanAcoustic wrote:

THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE VIOLATION OF PRIVACY !!! I’ve had this bug for maybe 2 + years. This is a BASIC, settings control. THIS NEEDS TO BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR APPLE. TOP TOP TOP, nothing more important. I’ve changed the settings, rebooted…. FIX this issue APPLE with the next release !!!!!!

This is a user-to-user support forum. Apple doesn't read here for feedback, suggestions or requests for help. Yelling at us, your fellow users is uncalled for.

You can let Apple know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple