New update?? Message read status

[dqr79]

Maybe it's been there for a while and I just didn't notice (very subtle and small text, easy to miss) but today I noticed "Read on day x" or "Read yesterday" statuses below my messages. I assume clients see these too.. Can this be turned off? Super intrusive..  I also wonder if I get the notifications on the mobile app, or the desktop app, does it count as read? Because in that case I'll just uninstall them asap.

[cd8ca41e]

how can I turn on notifications to enable me to see when my client has read my messages? 

[JoanneP]

Hi Elizabeth,

To manage your notifications you can go to your Settings. I can also confirm that the mobile app is currently not included in this experience.

If you don't see the feature in your messages or settings, it means that it's not currently available to you. Please know that this is a Beta feature and so is not available to all users at this time.

[m_fancyb]

How do I turn off read receipts? This feature being forced is very invasive. It's obviously fine if people want to use it, but like any non-essential setting, it shouldn't be forced on the user.

As part of my workflow, I reply to all of my messages 2-3x a day, usually morning, mid-afternoon, and late evening, but I take note of the messages I receive throughout the day and respond to clients after I've had a chance to gather necessary resources and have time for a conversation. If a client messages me late at night, I often read it in the evening, take mental note, and respond when I am at my desk the next day.

Now I have a client messaging me every time I read his message which is very annoying, and makes me look unprofessional even though I am not ignoring the client - just taking my time to ensure my response is correct and professional. I suspect I am not the only one having this problem. 

I want to turn this unthoughtful feature off. Please help me learn how. 

[IvygailJ]

Thank you for reaching out, Mary Alice.

We appreciate your feedback on this feature. I checked your account and saw that this feature is not yet available on your end. Please know that this is a Beta feature and so is not available to all users at this time.

I’d also like to confirm that Read Receipts are only enabled if everyone in the conversation has the option turned on. To manage your notifications you can go to your Settings. I can also confirm that the mobile app is not included in this experience.

[atreglia]

Ivygail, can you be more specific?  Where in settings do we shut this feature off?  Apparently I'm in the beta and I do not want them turned on.  Please tell me speifically where in settings>notfifications to shut them off as I have been unable to find it.  Thank you.

[IvygailJ]

Thank you for following up, Anna.

Could you please confirm if you have received a notification about the Read Receipt feature? To clarify, if you are part of the test, you will receive a pop up update of the Read Receipts Beta where you will be informed that it has been turned on for the test and provides an info where to turn it off in Setting. However, if you are not part of the test but is in a room with a client or a freelancer who opt in as part of the test, then the feature will be on, but you won't have the option to switch it off.

[atreglia]

Ivygail, I am unsure if I received a pop-up.  I don't think I did because I would have immediately opted out of it.  Below is a screenshot of a message I sent to a client on Friday showing it was read.  So, clearly, I have read receipts on and I am unable to turn them off.  Are you suggesting that because the client has them turned on I am forced to keep them on too???  I truly hope I read that wrong.

[45b96e5c]

I'm in the same boat. A pop-up flashed by too quickly to fully read it, only saw that read receipts are on and something about there being no option to turn them off. I never opted in, and would not. Yet, looking at my recent messages, it shows messages are "read", so apparently they are on. I assume this is because the client turned them on in our chat "room"? I looked through my settings and cannot find a reference anywhere for "read receipts".

This makes me very unhappy with Upwork for taking this decision out of my hands. If you juggle several clients at once, you probably understand where I'm coming from. I've never had a complaint from a client, but I'm afraid this feature may change that.

[IvygailJ]

Hello Michelle,

We are continuously striving to enhance our services, and we truly value your feedback. I will share your report with our team for further review. 

[45b96e5c]

Thank you, Ivy

[atreglia]

Yea, I don't recall getting a pop-up.  Could be it flew by too quick to read it, but don't think so.  I really don't think I got one because I don't want clients knowing I'm anywhere near my computer, let alone reading their messages.  

The Mods need to stop going around telling people they can shut it off in settings because once a client has it turned on, we're stuck with it like Hotel California.   No wonder I couldn't find it.  Ooof.   What ARE these people thinking???????  How very intrusive!!

Guess I'll be reading my messages in Email.  What a joke.  

[IvygailJ]

Thank you for getting back, Anna. 

I'd like to confirm that if you are in a room with a client who chooses to participate in the test, the feature will be active on your end and cannot be disabled. 

[atreglia]

Thanks for getting back to me Ivygail, but in all sincerity, I'd hardly call this intrusive design a "feature". 

[m_fancyb]

Ivygail, I recieved the popup notification that I was part of the beta testing group, and am having my messages showing as "Read" by clients. I cannot see where to turn it off, and I do not want to see when clients have read my messages. I can also see when certain clients read my messages.

[59d1b5cc]

I can see read reciepts on multiple conversations, yet there is no such setting anywhere, as others have described.  Where is the setting?

---

[IvygailJ]

Hello Cole,

To clarify, if you are part of the test, you will receive a pop-up update of the Read Receipts Beta where you will be informed that it has been turned on for the test and provides info on where to turn it off in Settings. However, if you are not part of the test but are in a room with a client or a freelancer who opts in as part of the test, then the feature will be on, but you won't have the option to switch it off.

[AndreaG · Accepted solution]

Hi all, 

Thank you for sharing your experience with this feature. As some of you have pointed out, you're not seeing the option to turn Read Receipts off in your Settings. We've checked with the team and can confirm this is part of the experience for this Beta. If you're part of the Beta, you will see the option to turn it off in your Settings. However, if you are in a room with another user who is part of the Beta while you are not, you will be shown the experience but will not have the ability to turn it off. 

We understand it is important to all of you to have control over this feature, which is why, once it is fully rolled out, the ability to turn it off will be available to all parties. Apologies for the confusion while we were confirming this.

[45b96e5c]

Thank you, Andrea. As long as it's just a temporary situation (not having control over the function), I can deal. 🙂

[davidearnest]

The "Accepted Solution" is not or no longer accurate. This appeared for me for the first time today. I never opted into this, and read receipts are displayed. The message about the beta feature also clearly states that it cannot be turned off. I agree that this is intrusive. It is also another way, like the giant distracting animated scrolling banner ad for Upwork on the home page, and the recent initiate contract fees, that Upwork shows their disdain for freelancers.

[IvygailJ]

Hello David, 

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and concerns about the Read Receipts feature. We'd like to assure you that the feedback we receive is shared with the rest of the team; likewise, we will continue providing updates to the Community about the team's initiatives.

[raviewong]

Hello everyone, I just want to know if this is optional? With my other clients it shows Delivered and Read receipts but there's one that doesn't appear when I replied so I'm not sure if the message reached her or she just turned it off. I have no problems if she did turn it off in her end though, I'm just wondering if mg message was sent. 

[IvygailJ]

Hello Ravie Jane,

I saw your post in the community, and I'd like to clarify that if your client is part of the test, she can choose to turn it off. 

Furthermore, this is currently being applied to some selected accounts that are part of the test. If you are part of the test, you will receive a pop-up update of the Read Receipts Beta, where you will be informed that it has been turned on for the test and provides info on where to turn it off in Settings. However, if you are not part of the test but are in a room with a client or a freelancer who opts in as part of the test, then the feature will be on, but you won't have the option to switch it off. 

[meshias]

Ivygail, is there any update on when this supposed test will be ocmplete? It's been more than a month since this issue was originally brought to Upwork's attention, yet as of today, I still do not have the option to control read receipts. I think many of us would appreciate any semblance of timeline and transparency from Upwork. 

[IvygailJ]

Hello Dameshia,

Thank you for checking. As of this time, there's no update yet, but we will continue providing updates to the Community about the team's initiatives. We appreciate your feedback on this, and I'd like to assure you that I have shared this with the rest of the team.

[ahetesanazim]

After posting about whether the message was seen or not, Upwork should correctly implement this feature. Thank you!