How to Turn Off Read Receipts on X (Twitter) DMs

That trade-off is the bit most people don't expect, so it's worth deciding before you flip the switch. Below are the exact steps for iPhone, Android and x.com, plus one handy loophole X builds in for messages from people you don't follow.

Read receipt settings at a glance

Question	What X's Help Center says
Are read receipts on by default?	Yes, Show read receipts is enabled by default
Who sees that I've read a message?	Everyone in the conversation, while the setting is on
If I turn them off, can I still see theirs?	No, you won't see read receipts from other people
Where do read receipts show?	The X apps for iPhone and Android, and x.com
Does mobile web send them?	Yes, read receipts are still sent when you read DMs on mobile web
What about message requests?	Senders can't see you've read a request until you accept it

How to turn off read receipts on X for iPhone

1. In the top menu, tap your profile icon.
2. Select Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Privacy and safety.
4. Under Direct Messages, drag the slider next to Show read receipts to turn it off.

How to turn off read receipts on X for Android

1. In the top menu, tap the navigation menu icon or your profile icon, whichever you see.
2. Select Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Privacy and safety.
4. Under Direct Messages, untick the box next to Show read receipts.

How to turn off read receipts on x.com

1. Click the more icon, then click Privacy and safety.
2. Next to Show read receipts, click the box to turn the feature off.

You can turn it back on the same way at any time.

The mobile web catch

Here's a detail from X's Help Center that's easy to miss. Read receipts only display in the X apps and on x.com, but they're still sent when you read DMs on mobile web. So if your setting is on and you open a message in your phone's browser, the sender can see you've read it, even though you won't see anyone else's receipts there. If you want to read quietly, turn the setting off rather than relying on where you read.

The message request loophole

If you accept messages from people you don't follow, their messages land in your Requests, not your main inbox. X says the sender won't know you've seen a request until you accept it, whatever your read receipt setting. So you can read a request, decide it isn't for you and delete it without the sender ever seeing a read receipt.

Two more things X says about requests are worth knowing:

• Media in a request stays hidden until you accept it, unless you tap View media.
• Deleting a request doesn't stop that account messaging you again. To stop it, block or report the account.

X also filters lower-quality requests by default in the iPhone and Android apps. You won't get notifications for those, but they're still there behind the low-quality filter at the bottom of your Requests.

Who can message you in the first place

Read receipts are only half of DM privacy. The other half is who can reach you at all. X says someone you don't follow can message you if you've opted in to messages from everyone, if they're Verified and you allow messages from Verified users, or if you've messaged them before.

To change it, go to Settings and privacy, then Privacy and safety, and under Direct Messages look for Allow message requests from everyone on iPhone or Receive messages from anyone on Android. If you turn that on, X says anyone can message you and add you to group chats. For a deeper look at the rest of X's DM settings, see my guide on how to DM someone on X, and if you're worried about privacy, read how X's encrypted DMs work.

A setting for creators with subscribers

If you're a creator with paid subscribers on X, there's one more DM switch. X lets you tick Allow messages from my subscribers so subscribers can message you whatever your other settings say. It's off by default. X adds a detail worth knowing: if you reply to a subscriber and later turn the setting off, they can keep messaging you. If you never replied, turning it off stops them.

If your Likes tab looks different, read where your likes went on X.

Deleting a message doesn't hide it from them

While you're tidying up your DMs, know this: X says deleting a message or conversation only removes it from your account. Everyone else in the conversation can still see it. If you've sent something you regret, deleting it won't take it back. My guide on why X DMs disappear covers the other side of that.

My advice

If you use X for business, I'd leave read receipts on for your main inbox. A client or a journalist who can see you've read their message knows it landed, and that builds trust. Turn them off if you're getting more DMs than you can answer and the read-but-no-reply pressure is wearing you down. Either way, keep message requests switched on if you want new opportunities to reach you, because the request loophole means you can read them on your own schedule.

To quieten the timeline too, follow stopping autoplay on X.

Frequently asked questions

If I turn off read receipts on X, can I still see when others read my messages?

No. X says that if you turn off Show read receipts, you won't be able to see read receipts from other people either.

Are read receipts on by default on X?

Yes. X's Help Center says the Show read receipts setting is enabled by default. You can turn it off in Settings and privacy, Privacy and safety, under Direct Messages.

Can people see I read their message request on X?

No, not until you accept it. X says senders of a request can't see whether you've read their messages unless you accept the conversation.

Do read receipts work on mobile web?

X says read receipts only display in the X apps and on x.com, but they're still sent when you read DMs on mobile web.

Does deleting a DM remove it for the other person?

No. X says deleting a Direct Message or conversation removes it from your account only. Others in the conversation can still see it.