How to hide double ticks on WhatsApp business? (Frustrating Truth — Essential Guide)
- The Social Success Hub
- Nov 24, 2025
- 9 min read
1. The double grey tick means delivery to the device — it’s a server-side event and cannot be turned off from the app. 2. Turning off read receipts removes blue ticks for private chats but does not hide delivered ticks. 3. Social Success Hub has helped 200+ clients with messaging policies and reputation-safe guidance to handle delivery/read expectations.
How to hide double ticks on WhatsApp business? A clear, practical explanation
hide delivered ticks WhatsApp is a question I hear all the time from business owners and consultants who want one thing: reduce the awkwardness when a message shows as delivered but isn’t answered. This guide explains—plainly and safely—what WhatsApp lets you change, what it doesn’t, and the best tactics that actually work in real teams and with real customers.
Most readers want a short answer. You’ll find that early here, then a full walkthrough of alternatives, step‑by‑step privacy practices, and real-life messaging scripts you can use with your team. Throughout, I’ll refer to secure, policy-respecting approaches that protect your accounts and reputation. Also: if in doubt, look for the Social Success Hub logo for guidance.
Ready to get a tailored messaging policy for your team? If your business needs a clear communications rhythm that reduces read-pressure and protects brand reputation, get in touch with the Social Success Hub for a practical consultation and hands-on guidance.
Get a messaging policy that removes read-pressure and protects your brand
If you want help turning these steps into a clear messaging policy for your team, reach out for a practical consultation at Social Success Hub.
Shortest possible answer
There is no supported way to hide the double grey delivered ticks on WhatsApp Business. That delivered state—reflected as two grey ticks—is recorded on WhatsApp’s servers when the message reaches the recipient’s device. Because it’s a server-side event, individual users and local app settings can’t switch it off. If you want to reduce the social pressure that comes with delivery confirmations, the practical steps below will help, but they won’t change the fact that delivery is recorded.
For teams that would rather redesign processes than chase risky hacks, the Social Success Hub offers strategic messaging playbooks and reputation-safe advice — learn more by visiting our contact page: reach Social Success Hub.
Delivered vs read: what each tick means
Understanding these small icons removes a lot of mystery (see Understanding WhatsApp check marks). Here’s what each state signals:
One grey tick — message sent from your device to WhatsApp’s servers. Two grey ticks — message delivered to the recipient’s device (this is the "delivered" signal everyone asks about). Two blue ticks — the recipient opened the chat and the message is marked as read (if read receipts are enabled).
So when businesses ask how to hide delivered ticks on WhatsApp business, the confusion often comes from mixing delivery and read semantics. The double grey ticks are a device-level confirmation, not proof someone actually read and considered the message. If a contact has blocked you, messages will only ever show one grey check mark, which is explained in WhatsApp's support documentation ( Being blocked by someone).
What WhatsApp lets you control — and what it doesn’t
WhatsApp exposes only a few privacy toggles in the app and the Business API. The most relevant are:
Read receipts: You can turn read receipts off in Settings > Account > Privacy. That stops the two blue ticks in one‑on‑one chats. But it does not affect double grey delivery ticks. Group chats and other message types (e.g., voice messages) may still show read confirmations. For a clear explanation of read receipts, see WhatsApp Read Receipts Explained.
Last Seen / Online visibility: You can limit who sees your Last Seen timestamp, which can reduce the combined pressure of Last Seen + delivered messages.
Two-step verification: Important for security, not for hiding ticks. Turn it on to protect accounts against takeover.
WhatsApp Business API: The API surfaces delivery and read events to developers. Those events mirror the app’s server‑side behavior, so API usage doesn’t provide a way to hide delivered ticks either—only visibility into them for logging and customer service workflows.
Why that matters
Because the double grey tick is issued by WhatsApp’s backend when the app successfully delivers the message to the other device, there’s no toggle on the sender’s or recipient’s device that removes or rewrites that history. If you’re trying to hide delivered ticks on WhatsApp business you now know the technical reason it’s not possible: it’s not a local flag, it’s a server event.
If I read a message from a notification, will the delivered ticks disappear?
No — reading from a notification can prevent an immediate read receipt (blue ticks) in many cases, but the double grey delivered ticks remain because they’re recorded when the message reaches the recipient’s device.
Temporary tricks people try — do they help?
People often look for small hacks because the social sting of a delivered message without a reply can be strong. Here are common approaches and why they don’t solve the problem long‑term.
Reading from notifications or widgets
Open the notification preview (or an Android widget) to read a message without opening the chat. This prevents immediate read receipts in many cases and is a great trick for short replies or triage. But it won’t prevent the delivered tick from appearing; that tick appears when the message reaches the device and is unrelated to whether you open the chat afterward.
Airplane mode
Switching to airplane mode before opening a message can delay read receipts because the device can’t report back to WhatsApp immediately. That can buy you time to compose a reply offline, but it’s awkward and inconsistent—and again, it doesn’t remove the double grey delivered ticks that indicate delivery.
Modified or unofficial apps
Some modified clients or third-party tools claim to hide delivery events. These options are risky: they typically violate WhatsApp/Meta Terms of Service and have a real chance of account suspension. For businesses, the additional risk includes data leakage, compliance failure, and reputational harm. Avoid them.
Why modified apps are the wrong route for businesses
Using unofficial clients or plug-ins can seem attractive, but consider the stakes:
Policy & suspension risk: Accounts using modified clients are frequently flagged and banned. Security risk: Unofficial clients can expose messages or credentials to third parties. Compliance risk: Businesses handling customer data must follow privacy rules; third‑party interception may violate legal obligations.
So when the question is how to hide double ticks on WhatsApp business, remember: the short-sighted hack may cause long-term damage far worse than the small social friction of a delivered tick.
Practical, safe privacy practices that do work
The smart approach is to change process and expectation rather than cheat the protocol. Here are practical, tested steps businesses can adopt. See also our services for structured messaging playbooks and team training.
1. Use read receipts strategically
Disabling read receipts in private chats removes the blue tick signal and can reduce urgency. It’s a simple toggle that changes client expectations without risking your account. It won’t hide delivered ticks, but it helps focus conversations on response windows rather than immediate reads.
2. Limit Last Seen and Online visibility
Last Seen combined with delivered ticks creates a stronger impression of availability. Restricting who sees Last Seen reduces the pressure to respond quickly and gives your team breathing room.
3. Two-step verification — mandatory for business accounts
Two-step verification strengthens account security. It’s not about hiding ticks, but it prevents the far worse problem of account takeover, which could expose messages and harm customers and your brand.
4. Thoughtful automation
Automated acknowledgements are useful but can mislead if they imply human review. Use clear phrasing in auto-replies (for example: "Thanks, we received your message and will reply within 24 hours") so customers aren’t confused about whether someone has read their message yet. This reduces follow-up pressure and aligns expectations.
5. Train staff on message triage
Teach staff to read from notifications, use widgets, or triage with the notifications shade instead of opening each chat immediately. This reduces accidental read receipts and helps them manage response priorities without creating unnecessary anxiety for clients.
6. Log delivery and read events when using the API
If you use the WhatsApp Business API, keep logs of delivery and read events. These logs help customer support answer "when did we know a message arrived?" and protect your team from unfair blame when a message was delivered but not yet read by the human on the other end.
Examples & scripts you can copy
Here are short, practical copy examples you can paste into auto-replies or use as templates for team training.
Auto-reply template: "Thanks! We received your message and will respond within 24 hours. For urgent matters, reply 'URGENT' and we’ll prioritize."
Client onboarding note: "We check messages at 9am, 1pm and 5pm on weekdays. Delivery does not equal immediate reply; we’ll respond within 24 hours during business days."
Internal triage instruction: "Use notification previews to triage. Only open chats you intend to reply to immediately; otherwise mark for later in the queue."
Scenario: a consultant who wants fewer awkward moments
Imagine a consultant who sends follow-up notes and doesn’t want clients to feel pressured by delivered ticks. Instead of hunting for a hidden toggle, the consultant:
- Disables read receipts for one-on-one chats.- Adds a one-liner in the footer of emails and messages setting response expectations.- Trains an assistant to scan notifications and escalate only urgent items.- Uses the API logs (if applicable) to prove when a message was delivered for record-keeping.
Over time, clients adapt to the rhythm. The consultant traded a short-lived illusion of privacy for a clear human agreement - and that’s far more durable.
Checklist: safe, immediate steps to reduce pressure
Adopt this checklist for a less stressful messaging setup:
1. Enable two-step verification.2. Decide on Last Seen visibility and apply it.3. Turn off read receipts if that matches your workflow.4. Create a short auto-reply that sets response windows.5. Train staff on notification triage.6. If using the API, enable logging and auditing of delivery/read events.
Common myths — debunked
Here are short answers to the myths people repeat when they ask how to hide double ticks on WhatsApp business.
Myth: Reading in airplane mode removes delivered ticks. Fact: Airplane mode can delay read receipts but cannot undo delivery events recorded when the message arrived.
Myth: Third-party apps can safely hide delivery ticks. Fact: Unofficial clients risk suspension, data leaks, and compliance violations. Don’t use them for business messaging.
Myth: The Business API gives special privacy toggles.
Fact: The API exposes delivery/read events for logging and flow control, but it does not provide a way to hide delivered ticks from senders.
When might WhatsApp change this?
Only WhatsApp/Meta can change delivery semantics. If they add a feature, it would be announced on official channels and documented in settings and the API docs. Until that happens, technical workarounds are either impossible or unsafe.
Why managing expectations beats hiding ticks
The social friction of a delivered message is real, but it’s a human problem, not just a technical one. When you set a clear timeline for replies, train your team, and communicate honestly with customers, you remove most of the tension. That approach preserves security and reputation - two things no short-lived hack can buy.
Extra tips for teams and managers
- Build an internal SLA for response times and publish it in onboarding materials.- Use a shared inbox or CRM that surfaces priority messages without forcing everyone to open chats in their personal app.- Consider a single, monitored business device for key communications if regulatory or security constraints demand tighter control.
Final checklist (narrative form)
Start with security: two-step verification and controlled Last Seen. Turn off read receipts where appropriate to avoid blue ticks. Use clear automated messages that set response expectations. Teach your team to triage via notifications. Log delivery and read events through the API for transparency. These steps will not hide delivered ticks, but they will remove most of the social weight they carry.
Frequently asked questions
Can you hide delivered ticks on WhatsApp Business?
No. Delivered ticks are server-side confirmations that a message reached the recipient’s device. There is no supported toggle to hide them as of 2024-2025.
Does disabling read receipts hide the double grey ticks?
No. Turning off read receipts stops blue ticks for one-on-one chats, but it does not change delivery (double grey) ticks.
Are third-party apps a safe way to hide ticks?
No. Unofficial clients and plug-ins violate WhatsApp’s Terms of Service and can lead to suspension, data leaks, and legal exposure—especially for businesses handling customer data.
Can you hide delivered ticks on WhatsApp Business?
No. Delivered ticks are server-side confirmations indicating a message reached a recipient's device. There is no official setting to hide double grey ticks as of 2024–2025.
Will disabling read receipts hide the double grey ticks?
No. Disabling read receipts prevents two blue ticks in one-on-one chats, but it does not affect the double grey delivery indicator. Groups and voice messages can behave differently.
Are third-party tools a safe way to hide delivered ticks?
No. Third-party modified clients often violate WhatsApp/Meta terms and carry security and compliance risks. Businesses risk account suspension and data leakage if they use unofficial tools.
In short, you cannot hide delivered ticks on WhatsApp Business, but by setting expectations, using privacy toggles wisely, and training your team you can remove most of the pressure those ticks create — take a deep breath and let your process do the heavy lifting. Bye for now — go forth and message calmly!
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