---
title: Read Receipts API | Sendblue Docs
description: Send read receipts to mark conversations as read via the Sendblue API
---

Send read receipts to mark a conversation as read. This shows the sender that you’ve seen their message.

> **Note:** Read receipts must be enabled by the Sendblue engineering team for your account. Contact <support@sendblue.com> to request activation.

## Send Read Receipt

Mark a conversation as read by sending a read receipt.

```
POST https://api.sendblue.co/api/mark-read
```

### Request Body

| Parameter     | Type   | Required | Description                                                         |
| ------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `number`      | string | Yes      | The phone number of the conversation to mark as read (E.164 format) |
| `from_number` | string | Yes      | Your Sendblue line number (E.164 format)                            |

### Example Request

Terminal window

```
curl -X POST 'https://api.sendblue.co/api/mark-read' \
  -H 'sb-api-key-id: YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -H 'sb-api-secret-key: YOUR_API_SECRET' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "number": "+14155551234",
    "from_number": "+19175551234"
  }'
```

### Node.js Example

```
const axios = require('axios');


await axios.post(
  'https://api.sendblue.co/api/mark-read',
  {
    number: '+14155551234',
    from_number: '+19175551234'
  },
  {
    headers: {
      'sb-api-key-id': 'YOUR_API_KEY',
      'sb-api-secret-key': 'YOUR_API_SECRET',
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    }
  }
);
```

### Python Example

```
import requests


response = requests.post(
    'https://api.sendblue.co/api/mark-read',
    json={
        'number': '+14155551234',
        'from_number': '+19175551234'
    },
    headers={
        'sb-api-key-id': 'YOUR_API_KEY',
        'sb-api-secret-key': 'YOUR_API_SECRET'
    }
)
```

### Success Response (200)

```
{
  "status": "OK",
  "message": "Mark read request sent",
  "number": "+14155551234"
}
```

---

## Error Responses

### Missing Number (400)

```
{
  "status": "ERROR",
  "message": "You must specify a `number` in the request body."
}
```

### Missing from\_number (400)

```
{
  "status": "ERROR",
  "message": "You must specify a valid `from_number` in the request body."
}
```

### Line Not Found (404)

```
{
  "status": "ERROR",
  "message": "The from_number is not registered"
}
```

---

## Notes

1. **iMessage Only**: Read receipts only work for iMessage conversations, not SMS.

2. **No Delivery Confirmation**: Read receipts are sent on a “best effort” basis. There’s no confirmation that the recipient’s device received the read status.

3. **Recent Messages**: Read receipts work best when sent shortly after receiving a message. Very old conversations may not show the read status.