How I Disabled Blue Ticks on WhatsApp (And Why I Finally Did It)

If you use WhatsApp daily like I do, you probably know exactly what blue ticks are — and how annoying they can be.

For a long time, I didn’t really care about them. Then one day, I opened a message, got busy, and didn’t reply for a few hours. When I finally checked WhatsApp again, I had three missed calls and a “why are you ignoring me?” message waiting. That’s when I decided it was time to turn blue ticks off.

If you’ve ever wanted more privacy or just less pressure when chatting, here’s how to disable blue ticks on WhatsApp, plus a few things I learned along the way.

What Are Blue Ticks, Really?

On WhatsApp, message ticks work like this:

• One gray tick – Message sent
• Two gray ticks – Message delivered
• Two blue ticks – Message read

Those blue ticks are basically a public announcement saying, “Yes, I saw this.” And sometimes, you don’t want people to know that immediately — or at all.

Why I Chose to Disable Blue Ticks

Everyone has their own reasons, but here are mine (and maybe yours too):

• I don’t always have time to reply immediately
• Some messages need thinking before responding
• I don’t want awkward follow-ups like “???”
• I value my privacy more than instant replies

WhatsApp is supposed to make communication easier, not stressful. And, I also recommend an alternative app–WhatsApp Blue. This is actually a mod version with advanced features. If you’re interested, you can download it.

How to Disable Blue Ticks on WhatsApp (Step by Step)

The good news? WhatsApp makes this very easy, and it only takes about 10 seconds.

On Android & iPhone

1. Open WhatsApp
2. Tap Settings
3. Go to Privacy
4. Find Read Receipts
5. Turn it OFF

That’s it. No restart needed.

Once you do this, people won’t see blue ticks when you read their messages.

Important Things WhatsApp Doesn’t Tell You

Before you disable blue ticks, there are a few things you should know.

1. It Works Both Ways

When you turn off read receipts:

• Others won’t see your blue ticks
• You won’t see theirs either

So if you like knowing when someone read your message, this might feel like a trade-off.

2. It Doesn’t Apply to Group Chats

This surprised me at first.

Even if read receipts are off:

• Group messages will still show blue ticks
• Everyone can see when messages are read

WhatsApp says this is for “group transparency,” but yeah… not ideal.

3. Voice Messages Still Show Blue Ticks

This is another detail many people miss.

• Blue ticks will still appear for voice messages once played
• There’s no official way to disable this

So if privacy really matters, avoid opening voice notes until you’re ready.

Can I Read Messages Without Triggering Blue Ticks?

Yes — and I use these tricks all the time.

Method 1: Read from Notifications

If the message is short:

• Just read it directly from the notification bar
• Don’t open the chat

No blue ticks, no “last seen” update.

Method 2: Airplane Mode Trick

This one still works:

1. Turn on Airplane Mode
2. Open WhatsApp and read messages
3. Close WhatsApp completely
4. Turn off Airplane Mode

Since WhatsApp can’t connect to the internet, it doesn’t send read status.

Method 3: WhatsApp Widgets (Android)

On Android:

• Add the WhatsApp widget to your home screen
• Read incoming messages there

It’s discreet and surprisingly useful.

Does Disabling Blue Ticks Affect Status Views?

Yes, and this is actually a bonus.

If read receipts are turned off:

• You can view WhatsApp Status anonymously
• Others won’t know you’ve seen their status
• But you also won’t see who viewed yours

For me, this was a win.

Is It Rude to Turn Off Blue Ticks?

Honestly? No.

At first, I worried people would think I was ignoring them on purpose. But after using WhatsApp this way for a while, I realized:

• Not everyone needs instant replies
• Privacy is a personal choice
• Most people don’t even notice

And if someone does ask, you can always just say, “I turned off read receipts.”

Can I Turn Blue Ticks Back On Later?

Absolutely.

You can:

• Turn read receipts on or off anytime
• No data is lost
• No chats are affected

I’ve turned mine back on temporarily for work chats before, then switched it off again later.

Final Thoughts

Disabling blue ticks made WhatsApp feel less stressful and more natural for me. I reply when I’m ready, not when a blue icon pressures me to.

If you value:

• Privacy
• Peace of mind
• Less social pressure

Then turning off blue ticks is 100% worth it.

WhatsApp should work for you, not the other way around.

If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a day or two. You might not want to go back.