Have you ever sent a WhatsApp message and found yourself staring at those mysterious check marks, wondering what they actually mean? We are together in this! Whether it is one check, double check or even the colour change from gray to blue, the entire system can be confusing.

The good news is that these WhatsApp check marks are not as complicated as they seem. They are just WhatsApp’s way of showing the status of your message: sent, delivered or read.

Let us break it down so you know exactly what’s happening next time you hit send.

What is the Meaning of Each Type of WhatsApp Check Mark?

Each mark serves a purpose in allowing you to know what’s happening with your message. These little icons present you with an insight into whether your message has been sent, delivered or read.

Single vs. Double Check Mark

When you see just one gray check mark after sending a message, it means the message has left your iOS or Android phone but has not reached the recipient. One check on WhatsApp could appear if their phone is off, they are in a no-service area or if there’s some kind of network delay.

When that single check turns into two gray check marks, your message has fully reached the recipient’s device. But what does the WhatsApp double check mark mean, per se? It means your message has been delivered but has not necessarily been opened or read.

Gray vs. Blue Check Mark

How do you know if a recipient has read your message on WhatsApp? Once those gray checks turn blue, that is your cue that the recipient has opened and read the message. So, two checks — gray or blue — tell you different things about your message’s travel.

Five Reasons Your WhatsApp Message is Shown as Unread

Sometimes, your WhatsApp message may show as unread even though you are very sure the recipient has seen it. While the obvious reason could be that they simply have not checked it yet, other factors might be at play.

Here are a few reasons your message could still be marked as unread:

• The person has read receipts turned off: The check marks will turn blue even if they’ve read the message.

• The phone is in airplane mode, and the person is not using Wifi: The message may not be delivered until they reconnect to the network.

• The person has archived the conversation: The message may be out of sight, out of mind.

• The person is using a modded version of WhatsApp: Certain third-party apps can disable read receipts entirely.

• The person has not updated WhatsApp: An older app version might have issues with showing read statuses properly.

How to Turn Off WhatsApp Read Receipts on Android and iOS

Turning off read receipts on WhatsApp is a simple thing and can give you a bit more privacy when messaging. Follow these procedures to disable them on Android:

• Step 1: Open WhatsApp and tap the three dots (menu) in the upper right corner of the screen. The location of the dots might differ if you are using WhatsApp on your desktop, but you should be able to find them on your home screen.
• Step 2: From the dropdown, select Settings. Again, the location will change if you use it on a desktop. Look for the settings icon on your home screen.
• Step 3: Tap Privacy.
• Step 4: Scroll down and find the Read receipts option.
• Step 5: Toggle the Read receipts switch off to disable them — green stands for on, gray stands for off.

If you are using an iPhone, open WhatsApp, go to Settings in the bottom right corner, click Privacy and then turn off read receipts.

Can You Read WhatsApp Messages Without Showing Read Receipts?

Many WhatsApp users love to read messages without alerting the sender that their message has been read. It is a common desire for those who value privacy or simply want to avoid any potential pressure to respond immediately. Thankfully, there are a few ways to achieve this.

One option is to turn off read receipts in your WhatsApp settings, as stated above. This prevents your read status from being seen by others. However, keep in mind that if you disable read receipts, you will not be able to see if others have read your messages, either.

Another method is to use airplane mode. Before opening the message, turn on airplane mode to disconnect from the internet. Then, read the message, and once you are done, close WhatsApp completely before turning off airplane mode. This way, the app will not be able to send the read receipt until you reconnect.