Your iPhone May Be Sending Message Read Receipts Even If You Turned Them Off

A recurring iOS bug that makes Apple's Messages app send read receipts despite the setting being disabled appears to be on the upswing again, based on reports from users running iOS 15.

iOS 15 Messages Feature
In iOS, with read receipts enabled (Settings -> Messages -> Send Read Receipts), the "Delivered" text that a person sees under an iMessage they have sent you turns to "Read" when you've viewed it in the conversation thread, so they know you've seen the message even if you've not responded. The setting syncs across all Apple devices signed into the same Apple ID.

Over the last few years there have been sporadic reports that Messages doesn't always observe the user setting, but according to Macworld's Glenn Fleishman, the bug appears to be rearing its head again, only this time for a larger number of users running the latest version of iOS 15.

Some people have found that restarting their device resolves the problem, at least temporarily, but no permanent fix has been discovered, suggesting Apple needs to change something about the way the function works in a future update to its mobile operating system. We'll update this article if we learn more.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Apple Announces iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max With New Design, Larger Battery, and More

Tuesday September 9, 2025 10:59 am PDT by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Both devices feature a new aluminum unibody design, with the Ceramic Shield now protecting both the front and back sides. Apple says the front side is now Ceramic Shield 2, which offers 3x better scratch resistance, while the rear Ceramic Shield is advertised as 4x more resistant to cracks compared to the back glass on previous...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Models Are eSIM-Only in These Countries

Tuesday September 9, 2025 12:23 pm PDT by
Apple continues to phase out the physical SIM card tray on iPhones, with the latest models relying solely on eSIM technology in more countries. The new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max support eSIMs only in these countries and regions, according to Apple: Bahrain Canada Guam Japan Kuwait Mexico Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Un...
airpods translate

AirPods Live Translation Blocked for EU Users With EU Apple Accounts

Thursday September 11, 2025 4:01 am PDT by
Apple's new Live Translation feature for AirPods will be off-limits to millions of European users when it arrives next week, with strict EU regulations likely holding back its rollout. Apple says on its feature availability webpage that "Apple Intelligence: Live Translation with AirPods" won't be available if both the user is physically in the EU and their Apple Account region is in the EU....
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro: Release Date and Pre-Orders

Wednesday September 10, 2025 12:30 am PDT by
Apple held its annual iPhone event on Tuesday, September 9, to unveil the iPhone 17, ultra-thin iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. All of the new iPhone models will be available to pre-order starting Friday, September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time / 8 a.m. Eastern Time in the U.S. and dozens of other countries, according to Apple. The release date for the devices is one week...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

Skipping the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday September 10, 2025 8:33 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. If you are skipping the iPhone 17 Pro and want to know about what to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro models, we have recapped a few of the key rumors below. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a...
better iphone 17 lineup

Apple Lists iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro Battery Capacities

Tuesday September 9, 2025 1:25 pm PDT by
Apple has confirmed the battery capacities for the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models that were announced earlier today. Apple is required to publish energy labels on its iPhone product pages in the EU, and they reveal the official mAh battery capacities for the devices. Here are the battery capacities for each model, according to Apple: iPhone 17:...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Didn't Pre-Order a New iPhone Yet? Here's How Long the Wait is Now

Friday September 12, 2025 6:11 am PDT by
iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air pre-orders began at 5 a.m. Pacific Time in the U.S. and many other countries today. If you have yet to place a pre-order, you might face a longer wait now, depending on your desired configuration. As of shortly after 6 a.m. Pacific Time today, nearly all iPhone 17 Pro Max configurations on Apple's online store in the U.S. are facing ...

Top Rated Comments

senttoschool Avatar
48 months ago

People who have read receipts turned off make me suspicious and uncomfortable. What are you hiding?
Nothing. I just don't/can't always reply right away. I turn it off so you don't get butt hurt.
Score: 105 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nicole1980 Avatar
48 months ago

If you have friends who get "butt hurt" (what an awful phrase) when you don't reply immediately upon having seen a message, get better friends!
Its not just friends who text you, but relatives, work associates, maybe even someone you dated once and is asking when the second date will be and you havent decided how to answer that yet.
Theres all sorts of reasons why I'd rather have someone think that i havent read the text yet.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gathomblipoob Avatar
48 months ago

People who have read receipts turned off make me suspicious and uncomfortable. What are you hiding?
My freedom to choose.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LeeW Avatar
48 months ago

People who have read receipts turned off make me suspicious and uncomfortable. What are you hiding?
I am hiding the fact that I have read it because I know you will be sitting there 10 seconds after you know I have read it moaning that I have not replied already.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
48 months ago

People who have read receipts turned off make me suspicious and uncomfortable. What are you hiding?
Nothing to hide, just don't want them to see it for the sole reason I can't instantly reply to them, or not in the mood, or not interested (In case of being part of a group).

Nothing. I just don't/can't always reply right away. I turn it off so you don't get butt hurt.
^^^^This

Some really expect you to instantly reply, problem is, you can't or are not in the mood to reply instantly.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wallinbl Avatar
48 months ago

People who have read receipts turned off make me suspicious and uncomfortable. What are you hiding?
A better question is why do you want to see when I've read your message? The suspicious behavior is needing to know this. It makes you a stalker.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)