Outlook 2013 handles read receipts in two directions: it can request a receipt when you send a message, and it can send a receipt when someone else asks for one. You can turn off either or both. This guide shows the global settings, how to change a single message, and where the same options live in newer Outlook versions.
Quick Answer
Click File > Options > Mail and scroll to Tracking. Uncheck Read receipt confirming the recipient viewed the message to stop requesting receipts, and select Never send a read receipt to stop sending them. Click OK.
Stop Requesting Read Receipts on All Messages
- In Outlook 2013, click File, then Options.
- Select Mail on the left.
- Scroll down to Tracking.
- Under For all messages sent, request, uncheck Read receipt confirming the recipient viewed the message. (Uncheck Delivery receipt too if you don’t want those.)
- Click OK.
Stop Sending Read Receipts to Others
- Go to File > Options > Mail > Tracking.
- Under For any message received that includes a read receipt request, choose:
- Never send a read receipt to silently ignore all requests, or
- Ask each time whether to send a read receipt to decide message by message.
- Click OK.
If Ask each time is on, Outlook shows a prompt when you open a message that requests a receipt. Click No to decline.
Turn Off a Read Receipt for One Message
If you left the global setting on but don’t want a receipt for a particular email:
- In the new message window, click the Options tab.
- In the Tracking group, uncheck Request a Read Receipt.
- Send the message.
The same checkbox turns a receipt on for one message when the global setting is off.
Things to Know About Read Receipts
- Recipients can refuse. Even when you request one, the other person’s email app may never send it, so a missing receipt doesn’t mean a message wasn’t read.
- Exchange accounts: on a work Exchange account, an administrator can control receipts for the whole organization, and your settings may be overridden or unavailable.
- Reading pane: in some setups, simply previewing a message in the reading pane can count as “read.” In File > Options > Advanced (or Mail > Reading Pane), you can control when messages are marked as read.
Newer Outlook Versions
| Version | Where to find read receipt settings |
|---|---|
| Outlook 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Microsoft 365 (classic) | Same as Outlook 2013: File > Options > Mail > Tracking |
| New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web | Settings > Mail > Message handling > Read receipts: choose Always send, Never send, or Ask me before sending a response |
| Outlook for Mac | Receipt options depend on the account type; for Exchange accounts, look in Outlook > Settings > Composing and in the message’s Options tab |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off read receipts stop delivery receipts?
No. They’re separate checkboxes. Uncheck Delivery receipt as well if you don’t want those.
Can I tell if someone read my email without a read receipt?
Not reliably in Outlook. Read receipts are the only built-in method, and recipients can decline them.
Why do I still get receipts after turning them off?
Receipts for messages you sent before changing the setting can still arrive. Also check for a mail rule or a sent message where you turned on Request a Read Receipt manually.
Summary
- Open File > Options > Mail > Tracking.
- Uncheck the read receipt request option to stop asking for receipts.
- Choose Never send a read receipt to stop sending them.
- Use the Options tab in a new message to change one email.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He is an IT specialist with over 20 years of experience, from a university help desk to small-business IT, IT management and his own consulting practice, and has written tech guides full time since 2020. Steps are checked against the current software on a real device or the maker’s official documentation. More about Kermit.