How do I disable typing status in iMessage?

JesseWatson wrote:

Putting people down for sharing their opinion doesn't encourage the kind of feedback that software companies need to improve their software. As a software developer, I'd ask you to consider the needs of companies like Apple writing software. It's far more useful to welcome all feedback, even if it sounds negative or like complaining. There is gold in these complaints, and some of us want to hear it. I'd like to ask you to open your mind to the possibility.

I'm going to quote AmishCakes's repose from three years ago as it's still relevant to your concern:

This forum is a user to user technical support forum. The OP was told that it is not possible to turn off this feature, which then sent him into his little snit about losing his freedom. THAT was wrong on his part and against the terms of the forum. That's not what this forum is for. If he wants to complain to Apple about it this is not the place; he should use this link: http://www.apple.com/feedback

Apple is not reading here for feedback. If you wish them to have yours, use the link.

If this is some sort of privacy concern, turn off iMessage. I'm curious though, do you take steps to prevent the people around you from seeing you type on the phone? If not, why not? Why is that not a privacy concern but it is if someone with whom your actively communicating knows?

Best of luck.

Not possible, you can turn off read receipts, which won't allow the other line to know you read their message, you can also try turning off iMessage, but, if you are really desperate for the other line to know you aren't typing to them

You can't. Disable iMessage if you don't want them to know you are typing.

He did ask a simple question. This forum wasn't made for you to come on here and put people down to make yourself feel better. Unfortunately, as of now, you can't disable this feature. Many people would like to, for many reasons. I agree that it should be an option. There's no need to throw a tantrum on here, people. Have some respect and your personal opinions will be welcomed.

This is no different than the read receips that e-mail clients provide (ie: Outlook). Note however that these always come with a choice. As a sender I can choose to request a read receipt or not, and as a receiver I can choose whether I want to acknowledge that I have read it or not.

Also note that iMessage DOES let you choose whether read receipts are enabled, but doesn't allow you to disable typing indication. The fact that you have to choose between not using iMessage at all or having the transparency imposed upon you makes very little sense.

Personal banter aside, the reality is that different social circumstances DO warrant different communication mechanisms (would you like it if your email client sent out a typing receipt when you started writing somebody an email?). There are several situations, both personal and professional (communicating with clients, across organizational hierarchies, and yes - unfortunately in our day and age, SMS flirting) where typing indication is NOT desireable for the situation.

Point is there's no good reason to NOT provide the option. Apple has made it a choice for read receipts (they probably thought they would get hosed by privacy concerns if they didn't). So why exactly should we have one but not the other?

celatino wrote:

Due to Apple ULA i cannot talk about any kind of mods. Wow, the person asked a simple question....why so much flame for it....the option to do that would be Well worth it for situations like these.... iPhone user: why aren't you answering me? iPhone user2: .... (Texting then deletes) iPhone user: I saw you typing... -_-

Cough" the World Wide Web is your friend!

Simple question? No, they claimed that Apple was taking away his freedoms. But, lo and behold, he has the FREEDOM to use regular text messages. So, it wasn't a question; it was an illogical complaint.

Don't want another iPhone user to see you are typing? Then just don't use iMessage. Simple. How is Apple removing his freedoms?

This is extremely lame and takes away freedom from your communication.

Apple needs to take more time understanding the psychology behind the uses of iMessage. There are all sorts of social situations within which giving away the fact that you've began typing is NOT desireable (business, picking up, flirting, etc.).

iMessage will continue to stay disabled on my phone and many of my friends' phones until this feature turns into a CHOICE, not an imposition.

Marcelius wrote:

This is extremely lame and takes away freedom from your communication.

Apple needs to take more time understanding the psychology behind the uses of iMessage. There are all sorts of social situations within which giving away the fact that you've began typing is NOT desireable (business, picking up, flirting, etc.).

iMessage will continue to stay disabled on my phone and many of my friends' phones until this feature turns into a CHOICE, not an imposition.

Your reply is extremly lame. You just proved you have a choice and turned it off. At least they aren't forcing you to use imessage. If you don't like the way it works then don't use it. quit complaining. You seem to be the only one out of millions that thinks this.

I have seen many idiotic posts here in the forums over the last week or two but the amount of whining and sniffling over the dumbest 'feature requests' is quite comical.

You have an option - use iMessage as it's designed or don't use iMessage at all...and there is a third option - don't use Apple products if they don't meet EVERY SINGLE need you have.

If I were you, I would design my own smartphone operating system. Then, it could be exactly what you want.

Wow - people feel so entitled.

This forum is a user to user technical support forum. The OP was told that it is not possible to turn off this feature, which then sent him into his little snit about losing his freedom. THAT was wrong on his part and against the terms of the forum. That's not what this forum is for. If he wants to complain to Apple about it this is not the place; he should use this link: http://www.apple.com/feedback

Putting people down for sharing their opinion doesn't encourage the kind of feedback that software companies need to improve their software. As a software developer, I'd ask you to consider the needs of companies like Apple writing software. It's far more useful to welcome all feedback, even if it sounds negative or like complaining. There is gold in these complaints, and some of us want to hear it. I'd like to ask you to open your mind to the possibility.

And by the way, I agree with the poster that for privacy reasons, disabling the preview of typing should be an option.

+1 to be able to turn off typing indications.

The fact is many people want iMessage AND no typing indication. Yeah I can turn iMessage off, but it should be an option like read receipts.

Well, lets just bump it up again. 😝

AmishCake wrote:

This forum is a user to user technical support forum. The OP was told that it is not possible to turn off this feature, which then sent him into his little snit about losing his freedom. THAT was wrong on his part and against the terms of the forum. That's not what this forum is for. If he wants to complain to Apple about it this is not the place; he should use this link: http://www.apple.com/feedback

Am i missing something, because i'm seeing that the OP actually only made the one original post. Then people started fighting. Yea, you can't do it. That's it. Thanks for the link.

Lmao you sound like a total feminnist