Messenger is a popular messaging app from Facebook that allows users to communicate with friends and contacts. One feature of Messenger is the ability to see when a message has been delivered and read by the recipient. This is indicated through small icons that appear under the message bubbles.
One of these icons that users may notice is a grey circle with a check mark inside it. This icon indicates that the message has been successfully delivered to the recipient’s device or account. However, it does not necessarily mean that the person has actually read the message yet.
Meaning of the Grey Circle with Check Mark
Specifically, the grey circle with a check mark on Messenger means:
- The message has been delivered and received by the recipient’s device or server.
- The message is now available for the recipient to view in the Messenger app.
- The recipient may not have actually seen the message yet.
- It is different from the blue double check mark, which means the message has been read.
So in summary, the grey check circle simply means your message has been successfully sent and is now available for the recipient to view. It does not confirm they have opened or read the message.
When Does the Grey Check Circle Appear?
The grey circle check mark will appear after your message is successfully delivered to the recipient’s device and Messenger app. This usually happens very quickly, within a few seconds of sending the message.
However, there can be delays in the grey check mark appearing in some situations, including:
- Poor internet connectivity on the sender or receiver’s device
- The recipient’s device is offline or has Messenger closed
- Server issues delaying message delivery
- The message contains media attachments that take longer to deliver
In most cases, if you do not see the grey check circle appear within a few minutes, it usually means there is a technical delay. You may want to resend the message or check back later.
What Happens After the Grey Check Circle?
After the grey circle check mark appears, there are a few things that can happen next:
- Blue double check mark – This means the recipient has opened the Messenger app and actually read your message. It confirms they saw it.
- Nothing changes – If the grey check mark remains but no blue check appears, it means the recipient has not opened and read the message yet.
- Message deleted – The recipient can delete the message before reading it, removing all check marks.
So in summary, the grey check circle itself does not indicate the recipient read the message. You need to wait for the blue double check for confirmation they saw your message.
If You Don’t See a Grey Check Mark
If you’ve sent a message but do not see a grey check circle or any other indicator, there are a few possible reasons:
- Poor connection is delaying delivery to the recipient.
- The recipient’s account privacy settings are limiting read receipts.
- The recipient has blocked you, preventing message delivery.
- Your message failed to send due to a technical error.
If you don’t see the grey check appear within a reasonable time frame, you may want to double check the recipient’s settings, your connection, or resend the message. Persistent issues may require troubleshooting the app or contacting Messenger support.
Customizing Read Receipts
If you don’t want others to see when you’ve read their messages, it’s possible to turn off read receipts in Messenger.
On Android devices:
- Open the Messenger app and tap your profile picture
- Go to Privacy settings
- Toggle off Read Receipts
On iOS devices:
- Open Settings outside the Messenger app
- Tap on Messenger
- Toggle off Read Receipts
This will prevent the blue double check from appearing for others when you read their messages. However, the grey check circle will still show up when they receive your messages.
Summary of the Grey Check Circle Icon
To recap, the grey circle with a check mark on Messenger means:
- The message has been delivered to the recipient’s account.
- The message is available for the recipient to view.
- It does not indicate the recipient has actually read the message.
- It appears after the message is sent unless delays or errors occur.
- After it appears, the recipient may still read, ignore, or delete the message.
- For confirmation the message was seen, you need to wait for the blue double check mark.
So while the grey check circle means your message was successfully sent, only the blue check means it was successfully read. This is an important distinction in Messenger to understand when messaging friends, family, coworkers, and other contacts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don’t I see the grey check on some messages?
There are a few reasons you may not see the grey check circle on messages:
- The recipient has disabled read receipts in their Messenger settings.
- Your internet connection is spotty or offline preventing message sending.
- The recipient’s device is offline, preventing message delivery.
- You have been blocked by the recipient and cannot message them.
- A technical error is preventing Messenger from sending the message.
What happens if I delete a message before it’s read?
If you delete a sent message before the recipient reads it, all message icons and indicators will be removed. This includes the grey check circle and any potential blue double checks. It will seem as if the message was never sent.
Can I tell exactly when someone read my message?
Messenger does not convey the exact time when a message is read. You only get visual confirmation via the blue double check mark. However, you can estimate when it was seen based on the time you sent it originally.
Why does the blue check take so long sometimes?
A delay between the grey check and the blue check usually just means the recipient has not opened Messenger to read your message yet. They may eventually see and read it, at which point the blue check appears. Long delays could mean they are ignoring the message.
What about SMS text messages outside Messenger?
Standard SMS messaging uses different delivery receipts like “Delivered” or “Read”. The Messenger grey circle and blue double check marks are only used within the Messenger app, not regular texts.
Conclusion
The grey circle with a check mark on Messenger is an important delivery receipt icon to understand. While it means your message reached the recipient’s account, it does not guarantee they have actually read it. For that visual confirmation, you need to look for the blue double check mark instead. So the grey icon is more of a “sent” receipt, while the blue is a true “read” receipt.
With billions of messages sent daily on Messenger, these receipt icons help take some uncertainty out of the messaging experience. They provide visual cues so you can tell your messages are going through and being seen. While sometimes delays or issues occur, generally the grey and blue check marks enable Messenger users to communicate smoothly.
So keep an eye out for the grey circle check when sending messages. And once you see it, wait for that blue double check to know your recipient has finally read what you sent!
| Icon | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Grey circle with check mark | Sent receipt | Message delivered to recipient’s account |
| Blue double check mark | Read receipt | Recipient has opened and read the message |