The Signal application is a secure messaging network offering numerous privacy options to its users. One such feature is the ability to disable ‘read receipts’ for messages, which can be useful when you’d prefer not to let others know when you’ve seen their messages. If you’re unsure about how to do this, this article will guide you through the process step by step.

Things to Know Before Disabling ‘Read Receipts’ in Signal

Before you go ahead and adjust the ‘read receipts’ setting in Signal, there are a few important considerations:

  1. No More ‘Seen’ Messages: When you disable ‘read receipts’, you will also lose the ability to see if your messages have been viewed by others. That means you won’t be informed when the other person has read your message.
  2. Message Status Remains ‘Delivered’: Once you’ve deactivated this feature, your messages will appear as ‘delivered’, but not ‘read’, which could be an important factor for you.
  3. Sent and Delivered Statuses Remain Unchanged: Signal’s message statuses go through a few stages – ‘sending’, ‘sent’, and ‘delivered’. Disabling ‘read receipts’ only alters the final stage, ‘read’. The statuses ‘sent’ and ‘delivered’ remain unaffected.
  4. Update Your App: To change the ‘read receipts’ setting, you need to have the latest version of the Signal app installed on your device. Check for updates in the Apple Store or Google Play Store depending on your device.

Updating Signal to the Latest Version

Let’s walk through how to check if you have the latest version of the Signal app:

  1. Open the App Store (for iPhone users) or Google Play Store (for Android users).
  2. Tap on ‘Updates’ or ‘My apps & games’.
  3. Look for Signal in the list of apps.
  4. If an update is available, tap ‘Update’ to start the process.

How to Disable ‘Read Receipts’ in Signal

You can easily adjust your read receipt settings within the Signal application.

For iOS Users

Here are the steps to disable ‘read receipts’ if you’re using an iOS device:

  1. Open the Signal app from your apps menu.
  2. Tap on ‘Settings’, located on your main screen.
  3. In the settings menu, you’ll see an option labelled ‘Privacy’. Tap on it.
  4. Here, look for ‘Read Receipts’. Slide the toggle switch to disable this option.
  5. You’ve now successfully disabled ‘read receipts’. You can exit the settings and test your changes.

For Android Users

Here’s the procedure for Android users to disable ‘read receipts’:

  1. Open the Signal app on your Android device.
  2. Tap on ‘Settings’ found in your app menu.
  3. Next, tap on the ‘Privacy’ option.
  4. Here, look for the ‘Read Receipts’ checkbox.
  5. Tap on the checkbox to deactivate this option.
  6. You’re done! Exit the settings and check that the changes have been applied.

Verifying Changes in Signal’s ‘Read Receipt’ Configuration

You can check if the changes have been applied correctly by opening a chat and sending a new message. If the message status does not change to ‘read’ after the recipient has seen it, then the setting has been correctly applied. If the status still shows ‘read’, you might need to go through the procedure again.

Re-enabling ‘Read Receipts’ in Signal

If you ever want to turn ‘read receipts’ back on in Signal, here’s how:

  1. Open the Signal app.
  2. Go to the app’s settings.
  3. Tap on ‘Privacy’.
  4. Find the ‘Read Receipts’ option and slide the toggle switch to activate it.
  5. Check if the setting has been applied by opening a chat and checking the status of a message after it’s been read.

Troubleshooting: Why Can’t I Disable ‘Read Receipts’?

If you’re having trouble disabling ‘read receipts’ in Signal, it might be because you haven’t restarted your app after making changes. Another possibility is that your app may need to be updated. Check for updates, install them if available, and try again. Remember, changes to your settings may not apply until the app has been restarted, so make sure to close and reopen Signal after making any changes.

In conclusion, Signal provides its users with many privacy options, including the ability to disable ‘read receipts’. Just keep these tips in mind and follow the steps carefully to make the changes you desire.