Instagram DM Read Receipts: How to Turn Them Off in 2026 (Complete Guide)

As of March 2026, Instagram now lets you turn off read receipts for DMs. You can disable them globally or per conversation by going to Settings > Privacy > Messages > Read Receipts. When turned off, senders will not see "Seen" under their messages, and you will also lose the ability to see when others have read your messages in those conversations.

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How Instagram Read Receipts Work

When you open a direct message on Instagram, the sender sees a small "Seen" indicator below their message, along with a timestamp showing when you read it. This is Instagram's read receipt system.

Here is what triggers a read receipt:

• Opening a DM conversation and viewing the messages
• Swiping into a conversation from the notification
• Viewing a message in the chat thread

Here is what does NOT trigger a read receipt:

• Receiving a push notification with the message preview
• Seeing the message preview in your notification center
• Viewing the message count badge on the DM icon

How to Turn Off Read Receipts on Instagram (2026)

Instagram added the ability to control read receipts in early 2026. Here is how to disable them:

Method 1: Global Toggle (Turns Off for All Conversations)

1. Open Instagram and go to your profile
2. Tap the menu (three lines) in the top right
3. Go to Settings and privacy
4. Tap Privacy
5. Tap Messages
6. Toggle off Read receipts

When this is off:

• No one sees "Seen" when you read their messages
• You cannot see "Seen" on messages you send to anyone
• The setting applies to all individual DM conversations
• Group chat read receipts have a separate toggle

Method 2: Per-Conversation Toggle

1. Open the specific DM conversation
2. Tap the person's name or the info icon at the top
3. Scroll to Chat settings
4. Toggle off Read receipts for this conversation

This is useful if you want read receipts on for most people but off for specific conversations.

Method 3: Airplane Mode (Works Without Settings Change)

If you want to read a specific message without sending a read receipt and without changing your settings:

1. Receive the message notification (do not open the conversation)
2. Turn on Airplane Mode
3. Open Instagram and read the message
4. Close Instagram completely (force quit the app)
5. Turn off Airplane Mode

The message will show as delivered but not seen. However, the read receipt will be sent the next time you open that conversation with an internet connection. This is a temporary workaround, not a permanent solution.

The Trade-Off You Should Know

Instagram's read receipt toggle is reciprocal. This means:

• If you turn off read receipts, the person you are messaging also cannot see if you have read their messages, BUT you also lose the ability to see if they have read yours.
• It is a two-way street: You cannot hide your "Seen" status while still seeing theirs.

This is a deliberate design choice to prevent asymmetric information advantages in conversations.

Read Receipts in Group Chats

Group chat read receipts work slightly differently:

• Each member's read status is shown individually (up to a certain group size)
• The group chat read receipt toggle is separate from individual DM toggle
• In large groups (15+ members), Instagram shows "Seen by X people" instead of individual names

To toggle group chat read receipts:

1. Go to Settings > Privacy > Messages
2. Toggle off Group read receipts (separate from individual toggle)

Read Receipts for Message Requests

Messages from people you do not follow land in Message Requests. These have different rules:

• Reading a message request does NOT send a read receipt
• The read receipt is only sent if you accept the message request
• You can read message requests freely without the sender knowing

This is worth knowing if you want to preview messages from unknown accounts without revealing that you read them.

Instagram Read Receipts vs. Other Activity Signals

Turning off read receipts only affects the "Seen" indicator in DMs. It does not hide other activity signals:

• Your online status ("Active now") is controlled by a separate setting
• Your typing indicator (three dots) still appears when you type a reply
• Your follow activity is still publicly visible and trackable
• Your Story views still show you in the viewer list

If you are concerned about overall privacy on Instagram, you may want to review all of these settings. For understanding what activity is publicly trackable, read our guide on who someone follows on Instagram.

Why People Want to Turn Off Read Receipts

The most common reasons people disable read receipts:

• Avoid pressure to respond immediately: When someone sees "Seen," they expect a quick reply
• Read at your own pace: Sometimes you want to process a message before responding
• Avoid awkward situations: Reading a message and not responding can create tension
• Privacy preference: Some people simply prefer not to broadcast their reading activity

Can Someone Tell If You Turned Off Read Receipts?

Not directly. There is no notification or indicator that tells someone you turned off read receipts. However, they may notice that your messages no longer show "Seen" and infer that you changed the setting.

From their perspective, messages to you will show as "Delivered" but never "Seen," which is the same status as an unread message. They will not be able to distinguish between you not reading the message and you having read receipts turned off.

Related Privacy Controls

While adjusting read receipts, consider these related settings:

• Activity status: Shows when you were last active
• Message controls: Who can send you DMs directly
• Restrict vs. Block: Different levels of limiting someone's access
• Story sharing: Whether your Stories can be shared in DMs

For tracking what others do publicly on Instagram, including follow activity, Lurk lets you monitor any public account anonymously.

The Bottom Line

Instagram finally gives you control over read receipts in 2026. You can disable them globally, per conversation, or use workarounds for one-off situations. The key trade-off is that disabling read receipts is reciprocal: you lose the ability to see when others read your messages too. Choose the setup that works best for your communication style and privacy preferences.