How to stop read receipts in email
There are two different things people mean by stopping read receipts. The first is the consent-based receipt some clients offer, where a sender requests confirmation and you can decline it — that is a setting in your mail client. The second, and the one that actually matters, is covert open-tracking: a 1x1 pixel embedded in the message that silently reports your open without ever asking. You cannot decline what you are not shown. To stop the covert kind you need to block the pixel request before it loads, which is what Mailshade does via Chrome's declarativeNetRequest across Gmail, Outlook, Office 365, Superhuman, Yahoo Mail and ProtonMail. This guide separates the two, shows how to handle the consent-based receipt in common clients, and explains how to shut down the silent tracking that no setting covers.
Consent receipts vs covert tracking
A read receipt is requested and can be refused; covert open-tracking is a hidden pixel that fires automatically. Blocking the consent receipt is a client setting; blocking the covert pixel needs a network-level blocker.
Declining consent read receipts
- Outlook / Office 365: you are prompted to send or decline a receipt; choose decline, or set the option to never send.
- Gmail: receipts are limited to Workspace accounts and are sender-requested; consumer Gmail has no receipt to send.
Stopping covert open-tracking
- Install Mailshade from mailshade.org.
- Open any tracked message; the pixel request is cancelled via DNR before it fires.
- Confirm via the red-eye overlay and the per-sender dashboard.
Why settings alone are not enough
Client settings only govern the receipts a sender openly requests. The majority of tracking is the silent pixel, which no setting exposes — only blocking the request stops it.
FAQ
What is the difference between a read receipt and a tracking pixel?
A read receipt is requested by the sender and you can decline it in your client. A tracking pixel is a hidden 1x1 image that reports your open automatically, with no prompt and no way to decline — only blocking the request stops it.
Can I stop covert tracking with a client setting?
No. Client settings only cover consent-based read receipts. Covert pixel tracking is invisible to those settings; you need a network-level blocker like Mailshade to cancel the pixel request.
Does Mailshade stop tracking in Outlook and Superhuman?
Yes. Mailshade blocks open-tracking pixels across Gmail, Outlook, Office 365, Superhuman, Yahoo Mail and ProtonMail, regardless of any read-receipt setting in those clients.
Will the sender be told I declined or blocked the open?
No. When the pixel request is cancelled, the sender simply receives no open signal — indistinguishable from not having opened the message. There is no block notification.
How much does Mailshade cost?
Paid plans start at $3.99 per month or $19 one-time for the Founders Lifetime tier, capped at the first 1000 seats. Pricing is at mailshade.org.