Check Facebook and WhatsApp Messages Without Updating the Read Receipts on Android
On Android, you will have to install an app called “Unseen,” which lets you get around the “Seen” check marks for a slew of messaging apps. This includes Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber. Unseen functions by simply replicating and logging your incoming notifications separately. Hence, for every incoming text, you’ll receive two alerts — one from the official app itself and another from Unseen. If you view the message on Unseen, the read receipts won’t be updated. The app works quite seamlessly, although since it employs the notification system for this, you won’t be able to check any sort of media on Unseen unless you enable the auto download. The app also comes with an “All Messages” tab which, as you’d expect, lets you read all the unread chats in one place. From there, if you’d like to reply, Unseen will redirect to the original app. The free version of Unseen contains advertisement banners on the bottom. For Rs 70, however, you can get rid of them. You can download Unseen from this link. There’s another workaround for WhatsApp you should probably know as well. The messaging app has a widget on Android which you can simply place on the home screen and read the incoming messages without messing with the receipts. This also eliminates the need for an extra application, but unfortunately, others like Facebook Messenger don’t have a similar widget.
Check Facebook Messages Without Updating the Read Receipts on iOS
On iOS, your options are significantly limited. For starters, there’s no way to avoid reading receipts on WhatsApp. There is, fortunately, an app called NoSeen that allows you to read Facebook chats without letting the other person know. Once logged in, NoSeen lets you check all your recent messages and bypasses read receipts in the process. The chats you view on NoSeen remain unread until you open them on the official Facebook apps like Messenger or its desktop counterparts. Sadly, as of now, NoSeen doesn’t support media or even stickers and only functions with texts. As a placeholder for such messages, the app adds an entry that says, “We will support viewing stickers, media, and files very soon.” There’s also an option if you’d like to reply to messages, although that merely takes you to Facebook Messenger. Apart from that, NoSeen lacks any further customization options and is quite barebones in that regard. It is entirely free of cost, without any in-app purchases and advertisements whatsoever. Related Read: How to Set Custom Notification for WhatsApp Contacts and Groups
Check Facebook Messages Without Updating the Read Receipts on Your Computer
Read and delivery receipts for Facebook Messenger can be sidestepped on your computer as well. All you need to do is install this free Chrome extension and you’re all set. “Unseen for Facebook” is also compatible with Messenger’s dedicated website and even lets you block the “typing” indicator. A few weeks ago, a similar solution for WhatsApp Web existed as well. But for some reason, it has been removed from the Chrome Web Store. We’ll update the article if it’s available again. That is all for this article. Let us if you’re stuck at some step in the comment section down below.
