Looking for ways to turn off read receipts on Instagram? We've got you covered!
In the world of social media, the pressure to always be connected and available can be overwhelming. Instagram, with its read receipts feature, can add to this pressure by revealing whether or not you have seen a message.
While some people find read receipts useful, others find them invasive or anxiety-inducing. Fortunately, there is a way to turn off read receipts on Instagram so that you can read your messages in private without feeling obligated to respond immediately.
How to turn off read receipts on Instagram
Unlike WhatsApp, Instagram doesn't provide its users with the option of turning off read receipts. However, you can restrict the person on Instagram and they won't be able to see when you’re online or if you’ve read their messages. You can also use this method to appear offline on Instagram to a particular person.
So here are the steps you need to take to turn off read receipts on Instagram:
- Tap the message icon in the top right of the feed.
- Tap the chat with the person you want to restrict.
- Tap the person's name at the top of your chat.
- On iPhone, tap Restrict at the bottom.
- On Android, tap Options (3-dot icon) in the top right, then tap Restrict.
- Finally, tap Restrict account to confirm.
And that's how you restrict a person and turn off read receipts on Instagram. Although the person wouldn't know that you have restricted them, there are some ways to find out whether someone restricted you on Instagram.
Also, keep in mind that your chat with the restricted person will move from your main Direct inbox to Message Requests, and future messages from people that you’ve restricted will automatically move to Message Requests.
Will Instagram introduce a feature that allows you to turn off read receipts?
It's difficult to say with certainty whether Instagram will introduce an option to turn off read receipts in the future. However, there have been calls from some users for Instagram to add this feature.
In the past, Instagram has made changes to its messaging features based on user feedback, such as adding the ability to unsend messages and the "Vanish Mode" feature. So, it's possible that Instagram may consider adding an option to turn off read receipts.
In the meantime, if you don't want others to know when you've read a message, you can use the workaround mentioned earlier to turn off read receipts on Instagram.