Gmail read receipt : simple guide

How to tell if someone read your email on Gmail?

Are you trying to check if an invitation to an event has been opened? Or maybe you want to confirm whether a candidate has seen your email about an interview invitation?

If these questions sound familiar, you're in the right place.

In this article, we’ll cover two methods. The first uses Gmail’s built-in read receipt feature, which is unfortunately limited in its effectiveness.

The second leverages free third-party tools that integrate seamlessly with Gmail.

⚡Once we’ve gone through both methods, we’ll compare their pros and cons. Let’s dive in!

The Gmail Read Receipt Settings

While interesting, Gmail’s read receipt feature leaves much to be desired.

How to Turn on Read Receipts in Gmail

It’s quick and easy:

1. On your computer, open Gmail.

2. Click "Compose" to draft a new email.

3. Click the three vertical dots in the lower-right corner, then select "Request read receipt."

4. Send your email.

❓ What does the recipient experience?

The recipient sees a prompt with two options:

• Send receipt now: Sends the read receipt immediately.

• Send receipt later: Defers the receipt. The recipient gets a reminder the next time they open the email.

Can’t find this feature? Or is "Request read receipt" not showing in Gmail? 🧐 Let’s explore why.

Major Drawbacks of Gmail’s Read Receipt Feature

1️⃣ Limited to Google Workspace accounts: Personal Gmail accounts (@gmail.com) do not have access.

2️⃣ Administrator control: Admins can restrict read receipts to internal recipients or specific external contacts.

3️⃣ No mobile support: The feature is unavailable on the Gmail mobile app.

4️⃣ No bulk emails: You can only use "To" and "CC" fields—no "BCC" for mass emails.

5️⃣ The recipient can ignore the read receipt. Ah, the quirks of human psychology! 🙄 But let’s be less sarcastic: it’s also possible that the recipient opens the email too quickly and simply misses the read receipt prompt.

6️⃣ Manual activation for each email: Unlike other email providers, Gmail doesn’t allow you to set default preferences for read receipts.

7️⃣ Compatibility issues: The recipient’s email provider might not support Gmail’s read receipts, especially if it doesn’t sync in real-time.

How to Turn Off Read Receipts in Gmail

You’re going to be disappointed: only administrators can disable read receipts. With great power comes great responsibility! 🕸️

Here’s how admins can disable it:

1. Log in to the Google Admin Console.

2. Navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > User settings.

3. Under Email read receipts, choose one of these options:

• "Do not allow email read receipts": Disables read receipts entirely.

• "Allow receipts only for internal or specific addresses".

• "Ask users to approve or ignore each receipt request".

• "Allow read receipts for any email address".

4. Click Save.

Use a Third-Party Email Tracker for Gmail

Fortunately, third-party tools bridge the gaps in Gmail’s native functionality.

Advantages of Third-Party Tools

Take Gmail’s list of limitations and flip it: third-party tools solve almost all of these issues.

Here are the top four benefits:

1️⃣ Technical reliability:

• They work regardless of the recipient’s email provider or client.

• Most are available as browser extensions or plugins for both desktop and mobile.

2️⃣ Recipient independence: The recipient doesn’t see or need to approve a read receipt request.

3️⃣ Detailed tracking and automation:

• Open rates

• Click-through rates

• Link tracking

• Average response times

4️⃣ Organized insights:

• Filter read/unread emails.

• Sort by dates to identify follow-ups.

Demo: Mail Track for Gmail

Among the many available tools, Mail Track for Gmail stands out for being simple, intuitive, and free for basic features.

Features include:

• Unlimited email tracking directly from Gmail.

• Instant push notifications when emails are opened.

• Choice between a visible or hidden tracker for recipients.

☀️ Bonus: MailTrack integrates with Gmail on Android and iOS, so you can track emails on the go.

How to Use It ? Install the MailTrack Chrome extension. Access the email tracking report by clicking "Open Email Tracking Report".

The report opens in a new tab, allowing you to:

• View all tracked email threads.

• Check aggregate statistics (open status, number of opens, etc.).

• Drill down for detailed event timing.

Rated 4.5 stars on the Chrome Web Store and used by 50,000+ users, Mail Track for Gmail is a top choice for Gmail.

The Ultimate Comparison: Gmail vs. Third-Party Tools

How about we take stock? Let’s compare the features offered by Gmail with those provided by third-party tracking tools.

Gmail’s feature is limited, but how can you make the most of it? Let’s explore some use cases.

Email Tracking: Use Cases and Ethics

Marketing Applications

Marketing is a prime field for email tracking. It provides businesses with precise data to refine their strategies. Here are some typical examples:

💲 Offer Personalization
A streaming platform sends an email with personalized suggestions for movies or series. With tracking:

• It identifies which types of content generate the most clicks.

• It fine-tunes recommendations for future communications.

💲 A/B Testing
A startup tests two versions of an email campaign: one with a subject line highlighting a discount offer, and the other emphasizing the product’s benefits.
With tracking, the company compares open and click-through rates to determine the most effective version and apply it across its entire audience.

But is all this ethical?

Legality and ethics

Yes, email tracking is legal, but it is subject to specific regulations depending on the region. For example:

• European Union (GDPR): Email tracking is permitted as long as the recipient is informed and consents to it.

• United States (CAN-SPAM Act, CCPA): Tracking is legal, but companies must be transparent about their practices.

Additionally, email tracking raises ethical concerns. It collects data about recipients’ activity (opens, clicks) without their direct involvement.

👉 However, it’s not the tool itself that determines ethics, but how it’s used and the principles guiding its use.

A Professional Perspective: Ethical Tracking with Mail Merge

Mail Merge, a mail merge tool, also offers real-time email tracking in an ethical way:

• You only enable the option when you need it.

• You access basic metrics (opened/not opened) without invasive features like location tracking or reading time.

• Mail Merge does not share any data with third parties.

• Mail Merge does not have access to your Gmail inbox or Google Drive files.

How does Mail Merge work?
To enable email tracking, simply check the "Track emails" box in the add-on.

The tracking status will be available in your spreadsheet. When the email is opened, the status changes from "Sent" to "Read."

Here are its advantages:

• Free plan with no time limits

• Simplicity

• Full compatibility with Gmail and Google Sheets

• Security: no read access to your Gmail inbox

• Paid plan with a full refund within 30 days

Why not try it for free? You’ll see for yourself why it’s the leader in email merge for Gmail.

You might feel a bit underwhelmed by Gmail’s email tracking feature. That said, Gmail excels in other areas, such as email scheduling and the ability to block unwanted emails.