WhatsApp has achieved worldwide recognition as the ultimate messaging application, renowned for its unmatched simplicity and highly secure messaging capabilities.
At times, one may wish to read a message without alerting the sender of this action. Such a desire may arise from being unprepared to respond, lacking sufficient time, or having no intention of pursuing further communication with them.
Ensuring the delivery of WhatsApp messages is not a guaranteed process. When a message is dispatched, two ticks show up on the receiver’s device, indicating delivery. However, if a considerable duration has passed, and the two ticks have not changed, it’s plausible that the recipient has already perused the message.
By utilizing six different techniques, it is feasible to decrease the probability of a message being detected as viewed.
Also Read: How to use the same WhatsApp account on two phones
How to read a WhatsApp message without the sender knowing
Disable read receipts
By default, WhatsApp’s ‘Read receipts’ feature indicates when messages have been read by displaying two blue ticks.
By default, this feature is enabled, but if you want to turn it off, just go to the ‘Settings’ menu in WhatsApp. If you’re using an iOS device, you can find this option in the bottom-right corner of your screen, while Android users can access it by clicking on the three dots in the top-right corner.
To turn off the ‘Read receipts’ feature, you should first access the ‘Privacy’ setting and then disable the toggle associated with it.
By disabling read receipts, you will no longer reveal to the sender whether or not their message has been read, since the blue ticks that indicate this will no longer be present.
Kindly note that this feature cannot be utilized for messages sent to multiple recipients. Nonetheless, when you view a message in a group chat, the read receipt indicators will remain in grey, making it less noticeable until all participants have read the message.
Turn off last seen feature
Merely turning off read receipts is not enough to guarantee privacy, as the sender can still see if you are online without actually opening their message. To address this concern, you could also opt to conceal this particular information.
Head back to the ‘Settings’ menu and make your way over to the ‘Privacy’ section. Once there, you can select ‘Last seen and online’ and customize your settings according to your preferences. For the ultimate peace of mind, it is recommended that you choose ‘Nobody’ for your last seen status and ‘Same as last seen’ for your online status.
Temporarily turn on airplane mode
The convenient feature of airplane mode allows one to discreetly browse incoming messages without revealing their presence to the sender. By avoiding the immediate opening of the WhatsApp app upon receipt of a new message and instead activating airplane mode on their device, individuals can peruse messages undetected.
The option to enable Airplane mode is typically located in the quick settings menu. For Android users, it can be accessed by swiping down, while iPhone users can find it in the top right corner. By enabling Airplane mode and opening WhatsApp, one can easily read messages. To return to regular mode, simply disable Airplane mode and close WhatsApp.
By activating Airplane Mode, you can prevent WhatsApp from sending read receipts until it is turned off, allowing you to read messages without alerting the sender to your activity.
Use notifications
Even when the app is locked, WhatsApp allows users to view message previews in notifications on multiple devices, giving them the ability to read the full message without actually opening the application.
Reading a WhatsApp message is a breeze – just keep an eye out for the notification on your device’s lock screen or notification bar. The message preview can be conveniently accessed from the notification, without the need to unlock your device or open the WhatsApp application.
To avoid triggering read receipts or opening the app, it’s best to avoid tapping the notification after reading a WhatsApp message. Instead, use notification previews to read messages covertly and prevent them from being marked as read.
Within the “Settings” menu lies a “Notifications” section housing an option to activate high-priority notifications. Once enabled, these notifications will appear in a prominent position atop your screen upon arrival. With this feature, reading and dismissing notifications is both effortless and expedient, without necessitating their actual opening.
By syncing your smartwatch or fitness tracker to your device and allowing WhatsApp notifications, you can discreetly read messages on your wearable device for added convenience.
Use WhatsApp home screen widget
With the widget feature readily accessible on your device, you can integrate a WhatsApp widget onto your home screen, granting you the ease of effortlessly viewing your latest messages without having to manually open the application.
Achieving this task can be done with ease by performing a long-press action on any unoccupied area of your device’s home screen. Then, select the option for “Widgets” or “Add Widgets” based on the user interface of your specific device.
To find the WhatsApp widget, peruse the array of widgets that are available. Once you come across it, grasp the WhatsApp widget and move it to the location of your choice on the home screen.
With the widget in place, recent messages can be read conveniently and discreetly, eliminating the need to open WhatsApp.