How to Manage Read Receipts in Outlook on Windows 11

This guide explains how to manage read receipts in the new Outlook app on Windows 11.

The new Outlook for Windows brings a modern design to your email experience. It supports Microsoft 365, Outlook.com, Hotmail, and Gmail accounts. The app includes many features like subscription management, email forwarding, setting default From address, backing up your mailbox, changing the reading pane, opening a new window for a message, language translations, turning text predictions on or off, switch primary account, sharing a calendar,  changing language, date and time format, and publishing a calendar.

Why manage read receipts?

People often request read receipts to confirm you have opened their email. You might want to control this to protect your privacy or to keep your inbox organized without sending automatic replies.

What happens when you change these settings?

By changing these settings, you decide if the sender is notified when you open their mail. You can choose to be asked every time, always send a receipt, or never send one.

How to change read receipt settings

First, open the new Outlook app on Windows 11. You can find it by clicking Start, selecting All apps, and choosing Outlook. You can also search for it in the Start menu.

Once the app is open, click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner.

On the Settings screen, click the Mail tab on the left. Then, select Message handling on the right side.

Look for the Read receipts section. You can choose one of three options:

• Ask me before sending a response: You decide each time an email asks for a receipt.
• Always send a response: You automatically tell the sender you opened the email.
• Never send a response: You ignore all requests for receipts.

Pick your preferred option and save your changes. Restart the Outlook app to make sure the new settings take effect.

Summary

This guide showed you how to control how Outlook handles read receipts. By visiting the Message handling section in your settings, you can choose whether to automatically send receipts, ignore them, or be asked each time. This helps you manage your privacy and email habits effectively.