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The right steps depend on whether you use new Outlook or classic Outlook; Windows 11 alone does not determine the menus. A read receipt reports that Outlook received an indication a message was opened, while a delivery receipt reports delivery to the recipient’s mail server or mailbox. Neither proves that someone understood or acted on the message, and the recipient or their email system may prevent a read receipt from being sent.
Read receipts and delivery receipts are different
| Receipt | What it indicates | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery receipt | The message reached the recipient’s mail server or mailbox. | That the recipient opened it or saw it. |
| Read receipt | Outlook received an indication that the message was opened. | That the recipient read every word, understood it, agreed with it, or will respond. |
Microsoft notes that a recipient can decline a read-receipt request, and their mail program or organization may not support or allow receipts. There is no setting that forces a recipient to send one. See Microsoft’s receipt guidance.
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Identify your Outlook version
- New Outlook for Windows: Look for the newer simplified interface and a Settings gear; receipt-response settings are under Mail > Message handling.
- Classic Outlook for Windows: The app has a File tab and an Options command.
- Browser: Outlook on the web and Outlook.com use browser interfaces, not the Windows app menus. Outlook.com has an important receipt-request limitation described below.
Microsoft lists read receipts as available in both new and classic Outlook for Windows; its comparison page was updated April 14, 2026: feature comparison. If a path below does not match your screen, check which Outlook interface is open.
Request a receipt for one email
New Outlook for Windows
- Start a new email.
- Open the Options tab.
- Under Tracking, select Request a Read Receipt. To request confirmation of delivery as well, select Request a Delivery Receipt.
- If the tracking commands are not shown, select More Options at the right side of the ribbon and choose the desired receipt.
- Send the message.
Classic Outlook for Windows
- Compose a new email.
- Open the Options tab.
- In Tracking, select Request a Read Receipt, and optionally Request a Delivery Receipt.
- Send the message.
These menu paths are documented in Microsoft’s instructions for requesting receipts.
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Request receipts for every message in classic Outlook
Classic Outlook provides a setting to request receipts by default for outgoing messages. Use it only if it fits your workflow: repeated requests can create notification clutter and may irritate recipients, who are not required to approve them.
- Select File > Options > Mail.
- Scroll to Tracking.
- Select Delivery receipt confirming the message was delivered to the recipient’s e-mail server and/or Read receipt confirming the recipient viewed the message.
- Select OK.
For occasional confirmation, requesting a receipt on the individual message is more selective. Microsoft recommends reserving receipt requests for important messages in its receipt guidance.
Choose how Outlook responds to incoming read-receipt requests
New Outlook for Windows
- Select Settings.
- Go to Mail > Message handling.
- Under Read receipts, choose the response behavior you want.
Microsoft documents this location but does not specify every label used across new Outlook builds. Choose the option in your account that declines requests or asks before responding if you do not want automatic sending.
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Classic Outlook for Windows
- Select File > Options > Mail.
- Scroll to Tracking.
- Under the read-receipt response setting, choose Always send a read receipt, Never send a read receipt, or Ask each time whether to send a read receipt.
- Select OK.
Classic Outlook also offers a setting to automatically update the original sent message with receipt information. Details are in Microsoft’s page on how Outlook processes read receipts and meeting responses.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Find receipt notifications and tracking details
Receipts typically arrive as email notifications. Check your Inbox, Junk Email, and any focused/other or clutter-style folders your account uses. A delayed or filtered notification can be easy to miss.
In classic Outlook, open the sent message in Sent Items, then select Message > Tracking. The command may not appear until at least one receipt has arrived; Microsoft says it can take several minutes after the first receipt reaches the Inbox for the command to become available. If no receipt has arrived, the missing command alone does not show that Outlook is malfunctioning.
Why a read receipt may not arrive
- The recipient declined the request or their organization blocks receipt responses.
- Their mail app or server does not support read receipts, or handles them differently.
- The message was viewed in a way that did not trigger a receipt. Microsoft notes that a message read only in the Reading Pane may not generate one; this behavior can depend on the configuration.
- The notification is delayed or filed outside the main Inbox.
- You requested a delivery receipt and expected a read receipt. Delivery confirmation does not confirm opening.
- You sent from a service or interface with different receipt support, such as Outlook.com in a browser.
Microsoft’s documentation describes receipts as dependent on recipient software and policy, not guaranteed tracking: read and delivery receipt limitations. An absent receipt is not proof that the message was not read.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outlook.com in a browser cannot request read receipts
Outlook.com’s web interface does not let you request a read receipt. That is distinct from using the Outlook application for Windows with an Outlook.com account: the Windows app can request receipts for messages sent from that account. Microsoft explains the distinction in its Outlook.com read-receipt guidance.
Use receipts as a courtesy signal, not proof of accountability
For a deadline, approval, contract, or compliance-sensitive message, do not treat a read receipt as evidence of completion. Ask for an explicit reply such as “received,” give a clear response deadline, or use an approved task, ticket, approval, or document-signing workflow when a recorded action is required. A receipt can be a useful extra signal, but the recipient and their systems control whether it is returned.
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