Knowing our messages are read on WhatsApp or Instagram is quite easier as WhatsApp shows a double blue tick and Instagram shows seen written below the last message that you have sent. whereas in Gmail, we can not check if the recipient reads our email or not but this is not happening anymore.
Yes, you heard it right!!
I know waiting for a reply from a recipient on Gmail can feel like sending a carrier pigeon with an urgent message and looking up in the sky for its return. But as minutes turn into hours we start thinking: Did it even reach the recipient or pigeon lost along the way? Jokes apart but yes with each passing minute we check our inboxes more frequently to know whether we have received an email in return from the recipient. But now you can check if someone has seen or read your email on Gmail.
I have the solution for you. Read the article and each step to know how to tell if someone read your email on Gmail.
So, Gmail used to have a feature called read receipts, but now it is not available on free Gmail accounts anymore. But don’t worry, there are many other ways to check if someone has read your email on Gmail.
However, If you want to read receipts directly from Gmail without using any third-party tools, you need to sign up for Google Workspace. This is a paid service offered by Google for businesses.
To turn on the read receipts feature on Gmail, you need to follow some simple steps mentioned below:
- Log in to the Admin Console.
- Go to Apps then go to Google Workspace move to Gmail and click on User Settings.
- Look for “ Email read receipts” and turn on the option that perfectly fits your needs.
- Click on Save at the bottom.
Once you turn on read receipts, you can request them for individual emails by following this:
- Compose your email as you normally do
- Click on the three dots at the bottom
- Choose “request read receipt” before sending the email.
But even with Google Workspace, there are some limitations on read receipts in Gmail.
Limitations
If you have a normal Gmail address ending like @gmail.com then you can not use this feature.
Many email tools do not support read receipts. Some popular tools like Thunderbird, Outlook and Canary do support this feature.
Read receipts can not be automated on Gmail. You have to turn on this feature before sending every single email you compose.
Recipients can choose whether they want to send a read receipt or not. They can deny providing read receipts even if you have turned on the feature from your side.
Read receipts do not provide any information like how long the recipient took to read or if they did anything else with it. The feature is only to confirm that the email was opened.
Gmail read receipts can only give you some basic information when email opens, they can not perfectly track emails.
Bonus Read: How to Recover Missing Emails in Gmail
Tools you can use to track emails
There are a few third-party tools we are mentioning below to track your emails.
Canary Mail: this tool can track email receipts and notify you when the recipient opens your email. Canary Mail also offers features like AI-generated organisation and spam protection.
HubSpot Sales: HubSpot Sales is another useful tool that can be used for email tracking. It also provides sales-focused features such as email templates and meeting scheduling tools to simplify your process.
Mailtrack: Mailtrack is a very convenient option for tracking emails. It adds a double checkmark to send emails and they turn green when the email is opened.
Boomerang: Boomerang is a handy option for tracking emails. It notifies the user when the email is opened by the recipient.
Now you must have understood how you can track your emails with Google Workspace or using any third-party tool. The process seems so easy and straight but there might be some technical process behind it.
Let us know what happens when you send an email with the read receipt or use any third-party tool to track email.
Invisible Pixels: when you send an email with a read-receipt request or use any third-party tool, a small invisible image included with the email works there. When the recipient opens the email, this image loads and sends information back about when it was opened and on which device.
Gmail’s Native Feature: Google Workspace users can request read receipts directly from Gmail. However, it depends on the recipient whether they want to send the receipt or not.
Privacy Concerns: it is so important to consider privacy concerns while tracking emails. Some recipients may find read receipts annoying so it is better to use this feature carefully.
Analysing Data: tracking data can provide better insights about emails such as the best time to send emails and which type of email gets more engagement. This helps businesses and individuals improve their communication strategies.
Limitations: some email clients may block tracking pixels and some recipients may mark spam on the tracked emails.
There are a few Chrome extensions that can also be used for Gmail to receive read receipts
- Mailtrack
- Boomerang for Gmail
- BananaTag
- Yesware
- Streak for Gmail
Conclusion:
the read receipt feature is very useful and it lets us know when the email was opened but sadly it is not available in the free Gmail version. But many third-party tools, Chrome extensions and Google Workspace can be used to track emails if the recipient wants to send the read receipts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
What are Gmail read receipts?
Gmail read receipt is a feature provided by Gmail that allows users to know when the email they have sent is opened.
How can I enable read receipts in Gmail?
You can enable the read receipts feature only in the Admin Console section of the Google Workspace account.
Can I use the read receipts feature in my personal Gmail account?
No, the read receipts feature is only allowed for the Google Workspace accounts.
