Message Status (Sent / Delivered / Seen)
The WebSocket version shows real-time message status indicators on every message — the WhatsApp / iMessage pattern that confirms whether your message was sent, delivered to the recipient's device, or seen by the recipient. Status updates appear instantly thanks to WebSocket push.
Real-time status indicators require the persistent WebSocket connection. The free version doesn't show delivery / seen states.
What it adds#
- Status indicator on every message you send
- Three states: Sent, Delivered, Seen
- Real-time updates — status changes appear instantly to the sender
- Works in private and group conversations (group shows "seen by X" when applicable)
- Visual icons familiar to users of major messaging apps
- Three switches at Settings → Messaging → Message Status: Message Status itself, Status in Conversation List (show the last message's state in the inbox preview), and Detailed Message Status (let members click the indicator in a group to see who has read it)
Status meanings#
| State | Icon (typical) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Sent | ✓ (single check) | Message reached your server and is queued for the recipient |
| Delivered | ✓✓ (double check) | Recipient's device has received the message |
| Seen | ✓✓ in the accent color (the message's text color on a bubble filled with the accent) | Recipient has actively viewed the message in the conversation |
In group conversations, "Delivered" means at least one other participant has received it. "Seen" indicates the read state per-participant.
How it works#
When you send a message, the cycle is:
- Sent — message reaches your WordPress server, status becomes Sent
- Delivered — recipient's browser receives the message via WebSocket, sends an ACK back, status becomes Delivered
- Seen — recipient opens the conversation. Their browser sends a read receipt, status becomes Seen
The WebSocket connection makes these state transitions feel instant — typically < 1 second between Sent and Delivered for online recipients.
When status indicators are useful#
| Use case | Why status matters |
|---|---|
| Sales / customer chat | Know when the prospect saw the offer |
| Coaching / consulting | Confirm important messages were read |
| Time-sensitive communications | Decide whether to follow up via another channel |
| Group decisions | See who's read the announcement |
| Marketplace order chat | Track buyer-vendor message engagement |
Privacy considerations#
Read-receipt suppression is not exposed as a built-in setting today. Sites that need a per-user opt-out can wire one through a custom user-meta toggle and override the relevant React component via the plugin override pattern.
Frequently asked questions#
Can users disable showing "Seen" status?#
Not per user — the switches are site-wide. An administrator can turn Message Status off entirely, or leave it on and turn off just Detailed Message Status so a group's read state stays a count rather than a list of names.
What about offline recipients?#
For offline recipients (browser closed), status stays at "Sent" until they open the conversation, then jumps to "Seen" (skipping Delivered) once their browser confirms.
Does delivery / seen status work in chat rooms?#
Yes — chat rooms show participant read receipts. Useful for moderators verifying that critical announcements were seen.
How fast do status updates appear?#
Typically < 200 ms after the underlying event. Faster than users can blink.
Do AI bot messages have status?#
The bot's message gets the standard status. Your message to the bot gets "Seen" almost immediately (the bot reads it).
See also#
- Typing indicator — see when someone is composing a reply
- Presence indicator — online / away / DnD status
- Instant delivery — why status updates are real-time
- Web push notifications — when status updates trigger off-site notifications