What are email read receipts and how do they work?

Sending an important email and then waiting to hear back can feel like shouting into a void. Forbes estimates that the average professional receives 120 emails each day - meaning your email is competing with hundreds of others for brain space. So how do you know if they’ve seen it, or if your message has been buried somewhere between a newsletter they'll never read and a LinkedIn notification?

Email read receipts exist to remove these mental gymnastics. They tell you when someone has opened your email, meaning your message made it through the noise. In this guide, we'll go through what read receipts are, how they work, how to tell if someone's opened your email, and why some people swear by them while others avoid them completely.

What is a read receipt email?

A read receipt is a notification that tells you when someone has opened your email. It works in one of two ways: either the recipient's email client sends back a confirmation when they open it, or a tiny tracking pixel embedded in your email loads and signals that the message was viewed. Both methods fall under email tracking, but neither is foolproof.

There are a few different types of read receipts:

• Built-in read receipts
  These are provided by major email platforms like Microsoft Outlook or Google Workspace. These are native features that work within the platform's ecosystem.
  
• Third-party tracking tools
  These insert invisible pixels, monitor link clicks, or use server logs to detect opens. Tools like Mailtrack, HubSpot, or Yesware fall into this category.
  
• Delivery receipts vs. read receipts
  A delivery receipt confirms your email reached the recipient's mail server. A read receipt tries to confirm they actually opened it, but it's less reliable since recipients can choose to block read receipts.

How to tell if someone has read your email

Here's how to check if your email has been opened, depending on which platform you're using.

Gmail (Google Workspace)

If you're using Gmail for business through Google Workspace, you can request a read receipt:

1. Compose your email
2. Click the three dots in the bottom-right corner of the compose window
3. Select "Request read receipt"
4. Send your email

If the recipient's email client supports read receipts and they allow it, you'll get a notification when they open your message. Keep in mind this feature isn't available on free Gmail accounts.

Outlook

How to request a read receipt on Outlook:

1. Compose your message
2. Go to the "Options" tab
3. Check the box for "Request a Read Receipt" (you can also select "Request a Delivery Receipt" if you want both)
4. Send your email

You'll receive a notification or a separate email if the recipient's client responds with a read receipt.

Apple Mail and other clients

Apple Mail doesn’t have a straightforward button for read receipts. If you need this feature, you'll likely need to use a plugin or third-party tracking service. The challenge is that many recipients block tracking pixels or disable receipt notifications, so even with a tool, you might not get confirmation.

Alternative tracking methods

If built-in receipts aren't cutting it, you can try:

• Shortened or unique URLs embedded in your email that track clicks
• Email marketing tools like Mailchimp or SendGrid that report opens (though these are designed for bulk emails, not one-on-one messages)

Note: These methods only show that your email’s been opened. They don't guarantee someone actually read your content or understood it.

What happens if read receipts are turned off?

If the recipient has disabled read receipts or uses an email client that doesn't support them, you won't get a confirmation even if they opened your email. The absence of a receipt doesn't mean they didn't read your message. It just means the system didn't register it.

Many people turn off read receipts for privacy reasons or because they find the constant prompts annoying. Plenty of users feel uneasy knowing someone is tracking when they open emails, while others find the feature intrusive or unnecessary.

Why do people request read receipts on emails?

There are legitimate examples when read receipts can be important to use:

Accountability
A manager sends a company-wide policy update and wants confirmation that everyone on the team saw it.

Time-sensitive communication
A lawyer sends a contract with a deadline and needs to know when the recipient opened it.

Engagement tracking
A salesperson sends a proposal and wants to gauge interest based on when (or if) the prospect viewed it.

Workflow coordination
In fast-moving projects, knowing when someone read an email helps teams stay aligned on next steps.

That said, there are etiquette and privacy concerns. Requesting read receipts can feel like micromanaging or surveillance, especially in external or less formal contexts. Some corporate cultures embrace them as standard practice, while others see routine read-receipt requests as overly controlling. 

The pros and cons of using read receipts

Pros:

• Gives you visibility into whether your email was opened, reducing uncertainty.
• Helps you follow up more strategically since you know when to check in again.
• Serves as a lightweight confirmation tool for internal communications or compliance-related messages.

Cons:

• Not fully reliable. Mobile clients, preview panes, ad blockers, and privacy settings can all block receipts.
• Creates false confidence. Just because someone opened your email doesn't mean they read it carefully or understood it.
• Can annoy or alienate recipients, especially external contacts who might see it as invasive.
• May signal a lack of trust, which can damage relationships over time.

Email read receipts can be useful when applied thoughtfully

Read receipts can give you insight into whether your message was opened and can help you time follow-ups more effectively. But they're not perfect. They don't guarantee someone read your email carefully, and they can feel intrusive if overused.

Used with care and respect, read receipts can support smoother communication. But like any tool, they work best when they're not your default setting for every email. 

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Frequently asked questions

What is a read receipt email?

A read receipt is a notification sent either automatically by the recipient's email client or through embedded tracking when someone opens your email. It tells you when your message was opened, though it doesn't guarantee the recipient read or understood the content.

How can I tell if my email has been read?

If your email platform supports it (like Gmail Workspace or Outlook), you can request a read receipt when composing your message. You can also use tracking tools or unique links to detect opens. Keep in mind that none of these methods are foolproof, and they don't confirm someone actually engaged with your content.

What happens if I turn read receipts off?

If you disable sending read receipts, people who requested them won't receive confirmation when you open their email. You keep your privacy, but senders might assume you didn't see their message even if you did.

Why do people request read receipts?

People use read receipts to confirm time-sensitive or compliance-related communications were opened, to follow up appropriately, or to track engagement in sales or HR workflows. The reasons vary, but accountability and timing are common motivators.

Are email read receipts accurate?

No. Preview panes, mobile viewing, image blockers, and privacy settings can all interfere with read receipts. They might fail to register even when an email is opened, or they might register when it wasn't fully read. Treat them as a rough indicator, not definitive proof.

Is it polite to use read receipts?

It depends on the situation. In internal corporate communication where accountability matters, they're often acceptable. In external or informal messages, they can feel intrusive. Use your judgment and consider whether you've explained why you're requesting a receipt.

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