5 Effective Ways to Turn off Read Receipts on Instagram

Instagram is undoubtedly among the most widely used social networking platform. The platform is said to have more than one billion active users and hence is considered the best social media application for connecting and communicating with each other. People worldwide use this Instagram to stay in touch with their loved ones.

When someone sends you a message on Instagram, they expect you to reply as early as possible. This social networking platform supports read receipts, which means the sender gets to know when you read their message. However, sometimes it becomes essential to read a message sent by your friend without letting them know that you have read it. The good thing is it is possible. You can read Instagram messages without them knowing. You can do this by turning off read receipts on Instagram.

Part 1: Can You Turn off Read Receipts on Instagram?

You may have arrived here searching for a way to turn off Instagram read receipts. If so, continue reading to find the answer to your question. The truth is that you cannot disable read receipts on Instagram. Whenever you receive a direct message or a message request, and you wish to read that message, the sender will get to know that you did so.

There isn't any official feature that allows you to hide Instagram read receipts; however, it does not mean that you cannot read a message without letting the other person know. Are you wondering how this happens? Continue reading to find out.

Part 2: How to Turn off Read Receipts on Instagram?

As mentioned earlier, there is no direct method of turning off read receipts for Instagram. However, the following techniques are effective at reading Instagram messages without letting the sender know that you have read their message.

1Turn on Airplane Mode and Log out

The first method of reading messages on Instagram without read receipts is activating airplane mode on your phone. Technically speaking, turning off airplane mode works similarly to going offline. Adopt the following procedure to implement this method.

Open the Instagram app and tap on "Messenger," available on the upper right corner of the "Home" page.

When your message inbox appears, swipe down your phone's top part to see the Notification panel.
From the Notifications panel, turn on "Airplane Mode." Once the airplane mode is turned on, your phone will automatically disconnect from the internet you are using. To be safe, you can also turn off the mobile data or Wi-Fi, so your phone does not automatically get connected to a nearby internet source.

With airplane mode activated, you can reach back to your inbox and tap on the message you want to read.

In this way, you will read the message without letting the sender know that you have read it.

Note : Again, it is worth mentioning that this method is temporary, like the first one. As soon as your device gets connected to the internet, the read receipt will appear, and the sender will get to know that you have read the message.

2Disable Instagram Message Notifications

Another way of turning off Instagram read receipts is turning off message notifications. As mentioned earlier, tapping the Instagram message notifications triggers read receipts. The first thing you should do before opening the Instagram app is to open the messages on Instagram. That's where turning off messages can help you. Let's see how this can be done.

Open the Instagram app, and tap on the "Profile" icon.
Once you open your profile, select the hamburger menu by pressing it once. A menu will pop up from below the screen. Tap on "Settings."

In the settings page, tap on the "Notifications" option.

Once you reach the "Notifications" page, locate the "Messages and calls" option and tap on it.

Under the "messages and calls" option, locate the "messages" and "message requests" options. Once you reach here, press the circles beside the "off" option.

When you have done all this, message request notifications will not appear on your phone. Hence, there won't be any chance of opening a message accidentally because of the appearance of notifications.

3Restrict the Sender

Reach out to the Instagram profile of the message sender. You will find three dots in the top right corner of their profile.

Tap on that and select the "Restrict" option.

Once restricted, go back to your inbox. The received message will now appear in the "message requests" folder. This happens because restricted users have to take your permission before sending you a DM.

You can now read this message without the read receipt appearing.
Once read the message, and now you want to reply, visit the sender's profile, and tap on the "Unrestrict" button.

4Disable Active Status

Another method of turning off read receipts is disabling active status. Turning off the "Show Activity Status" button will also disable the "show when you are active together" button. In this way, both users won't know when the other is active on Instagram, and the read receipts will also turn off. Here is the procedure to disable your "Active" status on Instagram.

Open the Instagram app and tap on the "profile" icon.
Press the 3-horizontal-line (hamburger) menu appearing on the top right corner of your profile. Tap on "Settings."

Find out the "Privacy" option and tap it.

Under the "Privacy" option, select the "Activity status" button by tapping it once

Turn off the "Show Activity Status" feature by tapping the toggle button. If the toggle button appears grey instead of blue, it indicates that you successfully used this feature.

Once done, this feature will also turn off the "show when you are active together" option. In this way, you can now reply to your messages on Instagram without letting the other party know you are online.

5Read from Notification Panel

One of the easiest and most effective ways of turning off the read receipts is by going offline and using the notification panel. Wondering how this can be done? Let's explain.

As soon as you receive an Instagram message notification on your phone, do not tap it. If you do so, the message will open, and the "seen" receipt will appear.

Launch the Instagram app and tap the "Messenger" icon on the "Home" page.

Refresh the Inbox. Once the messages appear again, swipe down from the top of your phone screen and disconnect the internet connection. You can disable the internet connection by tapping the mobile data or the Wi-Fi button, depending on your network connection.
Once the internet connection is off, you can now read the messages from your notification panel by tapping one on one of them.

Although this method is a great way to read messages on Instagram without the read receipts appearing immediately; however, it is a temporary method. As soon as your mobile is connected to the internet, the "seen" message will appear again.

Part 3: How to Know If Someone Read Your Message on Instagram?

Getting a direct message on Instagram is always a pleasure, but you will always want to know whether a message has been read when you send it. If you're also wondering whether or not someone has read your message on Instagram, watch out for these telltale signs.

First, check the status of your message in the conversation. If it says 'Delivered,' then the person has received it.
Secondly, look for a blue tick next to their name - this means they've read it. Finally, if you're still confused, try sending a follow-up message and see if they respond more quickly than usual.
Finally, check the status of group messages. In the "eye" icon, you can see a member's profile name who has read a message you sent to a Group.

Part 4: Can I Read Instagram Messages without Them Knowing?

Interested in knowing if it is possible to read Instagram messages without others knowing about it. Well, everything is possible with AirDroid Parental Control. With more and more kids having access to mobile phones and using social media for various purposes, it becomes essential for parents to track and control their child's internet activities, especially regarding their Instagram DMs.

Parents must monitor which social media apps their kids use and what messages they receive on their phones. This helps in ensuring that your kids are using social media safely. In addition to monitoring their kids' online activities, this app goes above and beyond to ensure no harmful messages appear in their direct messages. It lets you monitor your kids' overall Android device usage as well as all META-owned apps, including Instagram, to ensure they are safe.

How to Setup AirDroid Parental Control

Step 1. Download the AirDroid Parental Control app from the App Store or Google Play Store.

Step 2. Launch it on your smartphone. It will take you to a sign-up page. Create a new account by providing relevant information and login-in.

Step 3. Install the AirDroid Kids app on your kid's phone as well. Once installed, you need to enter the pairing code to connect your device to your kid's device and complete some necessary settings. Once done, you will now be able to see your kid's push notifications and alerts on your phone.

Wrapping Up

Turning off Instagram read receipts allows you to read a message without letting the sender know you have read it. Although there is no direct option for turning off Instagram read receipts; however, you can use various techniques to achieve your goal. The methods discussed above temporarily turn off Instagram read receipts and allow you to read Instagram messages without letting the other person know. Furthermore, suppose your kids are using social networking apps. In that case, you must install the AirDroid Parental Control app on their smartphones so that you can monitor their online activities and ensure that they are using the social media apps safely.

Part 5: Hottest Questions Related to Instagram Read Receipts

1. What Are Instagram Read Receipts?

Elsa

Your Instagram followers expect a prompt response when they message you. Read receipts are supported on the platform, so people know when their messages have been read.

2. Does Read Receipts Work Both Ways?

Elsa

No, The read receipt is only sent by your device when it is turned on. The other person will continue to send you receipts if they have them on, but you won't receive anything from them.

3. How to Turn off Read Receipts in Instagram Story?

Elsa

Apparently, some scrolling tips floating around the web aren't very reliable. An app like AirDroid Parental Control is the best way to turn off read receipts in Instagram story.

4. Why Are Read Receipts on Instagram Important?

Elsa

Read receipts allow you to see who has seen your story. This can be helpful in a number of ways, such as knowing if someone has read your message but has yet to respond. Additionally, read receipts can help you gauge your story's popularity. If many people are reading it, it's likely interesting and worth your time. Ultimately, read receipts are a helpful tool that can give insights into how your story is received.

5. Can You Turn off Read Receipts for One Person on Instagram?

Elsa

Unfortunately, there is no official way to turn off read receipts on Instagram for anyone.

6. How to Unread Messages on Instagram?

Elsa

It is impossible to mark a message as unread if you use an Instagram personal account. To use this feature, your account must be converted to a professional account.

7. What Are Disappearing Messages on Instagram?

Elsa

Disappearing messages on Instagram are messages that delete themselves after being viewed. It requires your permission for the recipient to view it again.

8. How to Turn off Seen on Instagram？

Elsa

Open Instagram settings to configure your Instagram activity. Select Privacy and security > Show activity status and uncheck the box.