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stop sending read receipts

How do I stop my iPhone from sending email read receipts to senders? I do not wish to have people know everytime I view their email. Is there a way to prevent this?

iPhone 4S

Posted on Jan 6, 2013 1:15 PM

Reply
20 replies

Jan 6, 2013 1:47 PM in response to Malignance

No I am not talking about iMessages... I am talking about Mail on my iPhone. Everytime I open an email it sends a read receipt to the sender.


This is my work account which is handled by an exchange server - perhaps the setting is at that level and I am unable to change it. I have my outlook setup to not send read receipts... but when I view and email on my iPhone the receipt goes through.


Any ideas?

Jan 26, 2013 3:39 PM in response to Pam2974

There is a work around this on the iPad (not sure about the phone). In mail click edit as if you were going to delete some of your mail. Touch the email you want to see and it shows you each opened one you check so you can read it. The "make sure" you cancel the edit (delete) or uncheck the email or it will delete it. You can read the email and it will not acknowledge you've even opened it on the Ipad or Outlook.

Jun 18, 2013 12:58 PM in response to simonp1971

I tried this without success. I thought I had previously set both Outlook 2010 and Outlook Web Access to block read receipts. Then was shocked when someone showed me they had in fact received one from me. I noticed that the email in question was opened on my iphone (I have my work Exchange account on my phone).


Email from coworker with Read Receipt requested via Outlook

Opened and marked read in Outlook

No read receipt sent


Email #2 from different coworked with Read Receipt requested via Outlook

Opened on my iphone

Read receipt received by sender immediately


I don't think it's really that my phone is sending the read receipt, I think that when accessing the exchange account from my phone it's bypassing the options configured in Outlook and Web Access. Just my speculation.


Super annoying.

Sep 11, 2013 8:54 AM in response to simonp1971

I logged into my Office 365 Outlook Web Access/Mail and disabled read receipts too, but believe another poster here commented that iOS devices are ignoring and/or by-passing the setting.


I'll have to see what it does for the Mail app on OS X.


But from what I've read in these forums related to the issue, if the mail.app doesn't support read receipts (which I realize is not a common standard), then why does it send a read receipt when you open/view an e-mail? That doesn't make any sense.


I've always disabled read receipts. I don't let email rule my day. Just because I opened an email doesn't mean I read it and should reply to it in a certain time frame. Your sense of urgency doesn't dictate a priority on my end.


In today's world, senders expect immediate responses, just like they do with text messages. That is ludicrous.


Thanks for letting me ramble. Sure wish there could be a setting or hack for OS X (at the terminal level) to disable this very annoying 'feature'.

stop sending read receipts

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