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Check if Email sent has been opened by recipient

kenm
Grafter
Posts: 58
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎03-07-2014

Check if Email sent has been opened by recipient

Is there a setting in Webmail that does above 

I have had to do this with certain companies 

before being able to read the email. sent to me.

Just had a couple of incidents where organisation have said items had not been received

Thanks

Ken

5 REPLIES 5
jab1
Legend
Posts: 19,267
Thanks: 6,325
Fixes: 290
Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Check if Email sent has been opened by recipient

I think you may be out of luck. Most email clients don't send that information - I have my proper client (Thunderbird) set to request read receipts, but only one of my contacts is using a client which will send them. It used to be standard in the original Microsoft Outlook, but seems to have been quietly dropped by most mail clients these days.

I don't think it has ever been possible in webmail.

John
kenm
Grafter
Posts: 58
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎03-07-2014

Re: Check if Email sent has been opened by recipient

Thanks Jab1  My thoughts also

i had a good search thru all webmail settings but thought i may have missed something.

just recently had a problem sent of a lot of important info 

then had email discussion about it then a month later they denied receiving it.

Thanks Ken

greygit1
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 411
Thanks: 56
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎26-06-2023

Re: Check if Email sent has been opened by recipient

With HTML formatted e-mail it is possible to embed a web link whixch could reveal that the e-mail has been opened/read. Whether the e-mail client blocks such is generally down to configuration of the e-mail client.

 

(old spammer way of confirming a 'live' e-mail address)

 

Beyond that it is a request of a delivery receipt, which the remote client may decline (configuration optios in the client).

 

I've never been in a position to test whether web-based e-mail (client-side) effectively filters out such.

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 24,096
Thanks: 10,248
Fixes: 176
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Check if Email sent has been opened by recipient

In webmail compose email, the setting cog (above the compose window) offers a "Return receipt" option.

Setting that will for an email client which supports the functionality ask the received if they want to send a delivery acknowledgement.  If the opt to do so, you should receive a read acknowledgement email.

Things to note:

  1. Not all email clients respect the user's read acknowledgement request
  2. Most users decline to send the acknowledgement if the client presents the option
  3. Email might not have reached the addressee (as they claim), for not all delivery failures are acknowledged / notified to the sender

If you need full assurance of the delivery of a communication, put it on paper and send by Royal Mail signed for delivery, especially if there are legal ramifications to the communication not being received.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

kenm
Grafter
Posts: 58
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎03-07-2014

Re: Check if Email sent has been opened by recipient

Thanks for reply  will try that in future

I did resort to tracked mail in the end

The annoying thing is the company requested i use their Email as it would be quicker

and would also reduce paper wastage Huh

Kenm