How to Disable Read Receipts on Instagram

Many Instagram users prefer privacy while reading messages. Sometimes, you don’t want others to know you saw their DMs.

This Instagram feature allows you to control this easily. You can hide your seen status for one chat or all chats.

Key Takeaways:

• You can turn off read receipts for one chat or all chats to hide the “Seen” status on Instagram.
• Instagram also offers extra privacy methods like Airplane Mode, message previews, restricting accounts, and hiding activity status.
• Disabling read receipts helps you read messages privately and reduces pressure to reply quickly.

Disable Read Receipts for One Instagram Chat

Instagram now allows you to turn off read receipts for a single conversation. This is perfect when you want to stay private with specific people.

Once turned off, neither side can see message views. This option allows you to read messages at your leisure without feeling pressured to reply quickly.

Follow these steps:

• Open the Instagram app and tap the Messenger icon in the top right corner.
• Select the chat where you want to turn off read receipts.
• Tap the username at the top of the chat screen.
• Open Privacy & Safety and turn off the Read Receipts toggle.

After this, your “Seen” status disappears from that chat. However, it also hides the status of others from you. Remember, this setting does not work in vanish mode. In vanish mode, messages still show “Seen” when opened.

Turn Off Read Receipts for All Instagram Chats

If you want complete privacy, you can disable read receipts for every chat. This works for both new and existing conversations. Once done, you can read messages peacefully anytime.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Open Instagram and tap your profile icon at the bottom right corner.
• Tap the menu icon (three lines) on the top right.
• Go to Settings and Privacy and tap Messages and Story Replies.
• Choose Privacy & Safety or Show Read Receipts.
• Turn off the Read Receipts toggle.

When this option is disabled, no one will see when you open their messages. Similarly, you won’t know when they open yours.

This feature is great for people who prefer time to reply. It removes the pressure of answering messages quickly.

Other Smart Ways to Disable Read Receipts

Before Instagram added this official option, users found creative tricks to stay private. You can still use these methods anytime for extra privacy.

1. Use Airplane Mode

Airplane mode helps you read messages without sending a read receipt.

• Turn on Airplane Mode on your Android or iPhone.
• For Android, swipe down and tap the airplane icon.
• For the iPhone, swipe from the top right and tap the airplane icon.
• Open Instagram and read the message.
• Close the app completely before turning off airplane mode.

When done correctly, the message won’t show as seen. But once you reopen Instagram with the internet on, the “Seen” label may appear.

2. Read Message Previews

Another easy trick is checking message previews. You can see parts of messages from your phone’s notification panel.

This helps when you want to read short texts without opening Instagram. But if the message is long, you can only read part of it.

3. Restrict an Account

Restricting someone also hides read receipts in their chats.

• Visit the person’s profile and tap the three dots on the top right.
• Choose Restrict and confirm your action.

Now, you can read their messages privately. They won’t know you saw them. It also limits their interactions with your account for better privacy.

4. Turn Off Activity Status

You can also hide your online presence on Instagram.

• Go to Settings and Privacy > Messages and Story Replies.
• Tap Show Activity Status and turn off the toggle.

This removes the green dot beside your name, so others can’t tell when you are online. You can browse or message peacefully without anyone knowing your activity.

The End Note

Knowing how to disable read receipts on Instagram helps protect your privacy and peace. You can turn off seen status for one chat, all chats, or use airplane mode and restrictions.

You can even hide your online activity completely. These options give you freedom and control while messaging. Now, you can enjoy Instagram without worrying about instant replies.

For the latest tech news, follow Hogatoga on Twitter, Facebook, and Google News For the latest tech-related videos, Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and Newsletter.