How to Request a Read Receipt on Gmail

To know when my mail has been received, how do I request a receipt in Gmail?

Basically you have are 2 ways: either subscribe to Google Workspace (which includes this feature), or use extensions in your browser (for example Mailtrack or Boomerang for Gmail).

Read this article and choose what’s best for you!

Solution number 1: Google Workspace to request a read receipt or send a read confirmation

This feature is only available if you use Gmail with a Google Workspace plan. If your email address ends with @gmail.com, this solution does not work.

How does it work? To find out if an email has been read, send it with a read receipt request. An acknowledgement will be sent to you in the form of an email indicating the time and date your message was opened.

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To request a Gmail read receipt in Workspace:

1. On your computer, open Gmail
2. Click on Compose
3. Compose your email as you normally would
4. At the bottom right, click on “More sending options”, then “Request proof of receipt”
5. Send your message

Note: Each acknowledgement will appear in your inbox. The person you sent the message to may need to approve the receipt before you are notified. There is no need to add this person to your Gmail contacts.

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To send a Gmail read receipt in Google Workspace:

1. To send the receipt now, click “Send Receipts.”
2. To send the receipt later, click “Not Now”. You will be prompted to send the receipt the next time you open the message.
3. If someone asks for a read receipt, but you don’t see a message, it means that the read receipt was sent automatically.

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Warning: no guarantee of reading!

Getting an acknowledgement of receipt does not always mean that the recipient has read your message. How a receipt works depends on the email system used by your recipient.

For example, you can get a read receipt if someone using an IMAP-based email client marks your message as read, but does not open it. Some non-IMAP mobile email systems may not return an acknowledgement at all.

See also: How do I access my Gmail inbox?

Solution number 2: How to add a Gmail receipt with the Mailtrack Add-On

Install Mailtrack

This Number Solution is free in some cases (if you use Gmail on computer). Here is how to install it:

1. In your Chrome browser, install the Mailtrack add-on available here
2. Check that the installation is done with the right Google/Gmail account and accept the permissions
3. Choose the free “Free Plan” of Mailtrack
4. In Gmail, you now have the Mailtrack icon to the right of the settings icon ⚙️

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Request a receipt in Gmail with Mailtrack

Here’s how to request a receipt in Gmail with Mailtrack:

1. Click on “New message”, write your email and remove if you prefer the advertisement at the bottom of the email, by clicking on “Remove signature” (then closing the window that appears)
2. Before sending the email, click on the Mailtrack icon just to the right of the “Send” button
3. Check that the 2 options “Track this email” and “Notify me about this email” are activated
4. Send your email!

Mailtrack adds Gmail labels to show if an email has been received and opened. You can see the details in your sent messages.

See also: where are the archived messages in Gmail?

Solution number 3: How to know if an email has been read on Gmail with the Boomerang extension

How does Boomerang for Gmail work?

This extension adds an option when sending a message to request a read receipt and track clicks on links in your Gmail messages. You’ll be notified when someone reads your message or clicks on a link.

How do I install the Boomerang extension in Gmail?

1. In your Chrome browser, install the Boomerang for Gmail extension available here
2. After installation, click on “Sign in with Google”.
3. Make sure that the installation continues with the right Google/Gmail account and accept the permissions

You can look at the explanations that appear, about the features added in Gmail. Note that this tool is free up to 10 mailings per month. Beyond that, you have to buy a subscription.

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How do I use Boomerang for Gmail?

In the email editing window, click on the blue envelope-shaped button “Request read receipt and track clicks”.

Tracking read receipts (and clicks) is a direct part of the Boomerang tool. With this, you can enable a very useful feature: to be automatically notified after N days (to be defined) if the message has not been opened (or if no embedded link has been clicked). To do this, check “Remind me if” and specify values in the boxes for the number of days and the condition.

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Does it work in all cases?

You will receive an email when the message is opened. Your own opens and clicks are not counted.

Because some email clients do not support the receipt feature, opens and clicks may not be reported. Recipients may choose not to provide read receipts.

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Solution number 4: How to get an acknowledgement of receipt and reading with Outlook

If you are using Microsoft Outlook (on computer) to check your Gmail emails, then you can use a very useful option. Here are the steps:

1. start writing the mail you want to send
2. go to the Options menu of the mail window (not the options of the whole program)
3. find the “Follow-up” icon block
4. check “ask for an acknowledgement of receipt” and “ask for a reading confirmation”.

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Other questions

See also: how to use a signature in Gmail

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