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How to Turn Off Read Receipts on Instagram DMs

Updated June 2026

That little "Seen" under a DM creates pressure — they know you read it, so now you "owe" a reply. Instagram finally added a way to switch read receipts off. Here's how, and the one catch to know before you do.

How to turn read receipts off

1. Go to Settings and activity.
2. Tap Messages and story replies → Show read receipts.
3. Toggle it off.

Now when you open someone's message, they won't see the "Seen" label.

The catch: it's a two-way street

Turn off your read receipts and you also lose the ability to see when others have read your messages. Fair trade — Instagram won't let you read silently while still spying on others' "Seen" status.

What it does and doesn't affect

• Affects: the "Seen" label in one-on-one and group DMs.
• Doesn't affect: typing indicators in some cases, and it's separate from your active-now green dot (that has its own toggle).

Stack it with other privacy toggles

For a quieter, lower-pressure inbox, pair this with hiding your activity status, and route unwanted senders to message requests. Small settings, big peace of mind.

While you're tidying things up

Privacy settings control how others see your activity. If you also want to see who actually follows you back, that's a different question — UnfollowScan compares your own export (no login, in your browser) to show who doesn't reciprocate.