WeChat: No "Read Receipt" Function Ever – Returning the Right to Respond to Users
Today, WeChat officially responded to why it doesn't have a read receipt function through its "WeChat Pai" official account: "Read" implies "seen but not replied to." This can lead to suspicion, anxiety, and even pressure the other party to reply immediately. Not having a read receipt function returns the choice of whether or not to respond to the user.
Unlike "read receipts," "typing..." is a limited status indicator, conveying only that the other party is online and preparing to reply. This preserves the real-time feel of the conversation while also giving both parties space to think and remain silent, while also considering the needs of phone battery life and data saving.
In response to a netizen's comment "Definitely don't release a read receipt function," WeChat officials directly replied "Definitely not," clearly stating they will not launch the function.
The published article also explained the trigger conditions for "typing...": it requires the user to open the chat window within 10 seconds of sending a message, and to have typing actions (including spaces) in the input box.
This prompt is implemented through a "signaling handshake" mechanism and is not a continuous online state, so it may appear intermittently.
In addition, Tencent's Director of Public Relations, Zhang Jun, has also repeatedly and clearly stated that WeChat has been firm in not providing a "read" function since its launch and will not launch it in the future. The core reason is to avoid increasing users' psychological burden and social pressure.