What read receipts do and why you might want them
A read receipt is a notification that tells you when someone opens an email you sent them. When you turn on read receipts for a message, Outlook sends you an automatic reply the moment the recipient opens that email in their inbox — not when they reply, but when they first read it.
This is useful if you need to know whether someone has seen something urgent, or if you're waiting for a response and want to know if the message actually reached them and got opened. It's different from a delivery receipt, which only tells you the email arrived on their mail server.
One important thing to know: read receipts only work if the person who receives your email has them turned on in their own Outlook settings, or if they manually agree when Outlook asks them. If they have read receipts disabled, you won't get a notification even if they open your message.
Key Takeaways
- You can request a read receipt on individual emails by checking a box before you send, or turn on read receipts for all outgoing mail in your Outlook settings.
- Read receipts only work if the recipient has them enabled or agrees to send one when prompted — you won't get a notification from someone who has them turned off.
- In Outlook on the web, you request read receipts one email at a time; in Outlook desktop, you can set them as a default for all messages.
- The recipient will see a notification that you've requested a read receipt, and they can choose whether to send one or ignore the request.
How to request a read receipt on a single email in Outlook on the web
Open Outlook in your web browser and start composing a new message. Write your email as normal. Before you click Send, look for the three dots (•••) menu button at the bottom of the compose window, usually on the right side near the Send button.
Click those three dots and select Request read receipt from the menu that appears. A checkmark will appear next to that option, showing it's now active for this email. Now click Send. When the recipient opens your email, you'll get a notification in your inbox.
This method works for one email at a time. If you want read receipts on most of your outgoing mail, you'll need to set a default in your settings instead of checking this box every time.
How to request a read receipt on a single email in Outlook desktop
Open Outlook on your computer and create a new email. Write your message. Before sending, look at the top ribbon menu. Click the Options tab (or Message tab, depending on your Outlook version).
In the ribbon, find the button labeled Request Read Receipt and click it. The button will highlight or change color to show it's active. Now click Send. The recipient will see a prompt asking whether to send you a read receipt when they open the email.
Like the web version, this applies to only the current email. To set read receipts as your default for all emails, you need to change your Outlook settings.
How to turn on read receipts for all your outgoing emails in Outlook desktop
Open Outlook and go to File in the top left corner. Click Options. In the window that opens, click Mail on the left side.
Scroll down until you see a section called Tracking. Under that section, check the box next to Request a read receipt for all messages I send. You may also see an option for Request a delivery receipt for all messages I send — that's separate and optional. Click OK to save your changes.
Now every email you send will automatically request a read receipt. Recipients will still see the notification and can choose whether to send one back. If you ever want to turn this off, you can return to the same settings and uncheck the box.
How to turn on read receipts for all your outgoing emails in Outlook on the web
Outlook on the web doesn't have a global setting for read receipts the way the desktop version does. Instead, you'll need to request them one email at a time using the three-dot menu method described earlier.
If you find yourself requesting read receipts frequently, the desktop version of Outlook may be more convenient for you, since you can set it once and forget it. The web version is better if you only need read receipts occasionally.
What happens when someone receives your read receipt request
When a recipient opens an email where you've requested a read receipt, Outlook will show them a notification bar at the top of the message. The notification says something like "The sender of this message has requested a read receipt when you read this email."
The recipient can click a button to send the read receipt, or they can dismiss the notification and ignore the request. Some people ignore these requests on principle, either because they don't want to confirm they've read something, or because they find the notifications annoying. There's no way to force someone to send a read receipt.
If the recipient's Outlook is set to automatically send read receipts, the notification may not appear at all — the receipt will just be sent automatically when they open the email.
Why you might not get a read receipt even though someone opened your email
The most common reason is that the recipient has read receipts turned off in their own settings. They may have disabled them because they prefer privacy, or because they don't want to confirm they've seen something.
Another reason is that the recipient uses a different email client entirely — Gmail, Apple Mail, or another program — and that client may not support read receipts the same way Outlook does. Some email clients ignore read receipt requests altogether.
It's also possible the recipient's email administrator has disabled read receipts for security or privacy reasons, especially in workplace settings. If you're not getting read receipts from people in your organization, check with your IT department to see if they've turned them off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see if someone read my email without requesting a read receipt?
Not through Outlook's built-in tools. You need to request a read receipt before you send the email. Some third-party email tracking tools claim to track opens, but they work differently and may not be reliable. The only official way is to request a read receipt when you send the message.
If I turn on read receipts for all emails, will everyone know I'm tracking them?
Yes. Every recipient will see a notification that you've requested a read receipt. They'll know you're asking to be notified when they open your email. There's no hidden way to track opens in Outlook.
What's the difference between a read receipt and a delivery receipt?
A delivery receipt tells you the email arrived at the recipient's mail server. A read receipt tells you they actually opened and read the message. Delivery is automatic and usually happens within seconds. Read receipts depend on the recipient's settings and their choice to send one back.
Can I turn off read receipts for emails from specific people?
Outlook doesn't have a way to block read receipt requests from certain senders. If you don't want to send read receipts, you can turn them off globally in your settings, and then you'll be prompted each time someone requests one. You can choose to send it or ignore the request on a case-by-case basis.
Do read receipts work on mobile Outlook?
Outlook on mobile devices (iPhone, Android) supports read receipts, but the experience varies. You can usually request them when composing an email, and you'll receive notifications when someone opens your message. The exact steps depend on which version of the Outlook app you're using.