How to Turn off Read Receipts on Instagram Stories? A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Hey there, fellow Instagram users! Have you ever felt like your privacy is being invaded when your friends or followers know exactly when you’ve viewed their Instagram Stories? Or maybe you just want to take a break from the social pressure of feeling like you need to respond to every story you watch.

Well, fear not! In this blog post, we’re going to show you how to turn off read receipts on Instagram stories, so you can view stories without letting anyone know you’ve seen them. Read this guide to know how to disable read receipts. Also, you will know about some useful tips on how to make the most of this privacy feature. 

Now, let’s get started!

Why Should You Turn Off Instagram Story Read Receipts?

Read receipts are a feature on Instagram stories that allow the person who posted the story to see who has viewed it and when. While this feature can be useful for businesses or influencers who want to track engagement, it can also be a source of stress for many users.

For instance, you may feel like you need to respond to every story you watch because the person who posted it knows that you’ve seen it. This can create unnecessary pressure to constantly stay connected and engaged with your followers, which can be exhausting.

Furthermore, read receipts may interfere with your privacy, particularly when you’re trying to stay away from anyone or need solitude. If someone notices that you’ve read their account and you don’t reply to them, they might think you’re either not interested or just avoiding them, leading to confusion.

The Drawbacks of Keeping Read Receipts On

Keeping read receipts on can also be a source of stress or anxiety. For instance, if you’re trying to avoid someone or just need some alone time, read receipts can be invasive of your privacy. If someone sees that you’ve viewed their story and you don’t respond, they may assume you’re ignoring them or avoiding them, which can lead to misunderstandings.

Moreover, read receipts can create a sense of pressure to constantly respond to every story you watch. You may feel like you need to engage with your followers all the time, even when you’re not in the mood to do so. This can be overwhelming and tiring, especially if you’re a heavy Instagram user.

Lastly, reading receipts can cause unnecessary drama in your relationships. For example, if you’re following someone you’re dating or interested in, they may see that you’ve viewed their story but haven’t responded, leading to misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Disabling read receipts can prevent this from happening and give you more control over your social interactions.

Step-by-Step Guide for Disabling Read Receipts on Instagram Stories

Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your mobile device and log in to your account.

Step 2: Tap on your profile picture located at the bottom right corner of the screen.

Step 3: From your profile, swipe right to access your Instagram story camera.

Step 4: Take a picture or record a video to create a story.

Step 5: Once you’ve created your story, tap on the gear icon located at the top left corner of the screen.

Step 6: Scroll down until you see the “Story Settings” section and tap on it.

Step 7: Look for the “Allow Message Replies” option and turn it off by sliding the button to the left.

Step 8: Next, look for the “Allow Sharing” option and turn it off as well.

Step 9: Finally, locate the “Hide Story From” option and select the people you want to hide your story from.

Step 10: Once you’ve made these changes, tap on the “Done” button at the top right corner of the screen.

Congratulations, you’ve successfully disabled read receipts on your Instagram stories! From now on, the people you’ve hidden your story from won’t be able to see when you’ve viewed their stories or send you messages in response to your story.

Keep in mind that these changes only apply to the current story you’ve created. If you want to disable read receipts for all future stories, you’ll need to repeat these steps every time you create a new story.

How to Check if Your Instagram Story Read Receipts Are Turned Off?

If you’re not sure whether your Instagram story read receipts are turned off, you can easily check by following these steps:

Step 1: Log in to your Instagram account.

Step 2: Tap on your profile picture ( bottom right corner of the screen).

Step 3: Swipe right to access your Instagram story camera.

Step 4: Create a new story and post it to your profile.

Step 5: Once the story is live, view it from another account (such as a friend’s or a fake account you created).

Step 6: If the read receipts are turned off, the person who posted the story won’t receive a notification or a “seen by” list when you view it.

Best Practices for Using Instagram Story Read Receipts

If you choose to keep Instagram story read receipts, here are some best practices to consider:

Step 1: Be mindful of who you’re sharing your story with. If you’re posting personal or sensitive information, consider limiting your audience to close friends or creating a close friends list.

Step 2: Don’t assume that just because someone viewed your story, they’re interested in what you’re posting. Remember that some people may view your story out of obligation or curiosity, but may not have the time or energy to respond.

Step 3: If you’re posting stories for business or promotional purposes, use read receipts to track engagement and respond to your followers’ messages in a timely manner.

Step 4: Be respectful of others’ privacy by not pressuring them to respond to your story or assuming that they’re ignoring you if they don’t.

Step 5: If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed by the pressure to constantly respond to every story you watch, consider disabling read receipts or taking a break from Instagram altogether.

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