RCS checkmarks guide: Why they matter for your business
RCS checkmarks are visual indicators that confirm when a message has been sent, delivered, or read in an RCS-enabled chat. But why do they exist? Why do they matter? And how can Infobip help you track the status of your RCS messages? Find out in this blog.
Ever noticed checkmarks in your RCS chats and wondered what they actually mean?
As RCS replaces SMS with richer, more interactive messaging, message status indicators become more important, especially for businesses.
This blog decodes the RCS checkmark system and shows how businesses can use it to track engagement and improve communication.
RCS checkmarks are visual indicators that show whether a message has been sent, delivered, or read in an RCS-enabled chat. They provide transparency for both users and businesses, making it easier to track message status in real time.
Additionally, an RCS blue checkmark for senders indicates a verified sender. Meaning the business profile has been authenticated by the carrier or messaging platform. This helps users know they’re talking to a legitimate brand, not a scammer or impersonator.
RCS messaging uses a simple checkmark system to show the status of a message. These indicators look familiar to users of popular chat apps like WhatsApp or Messenger:
| Icon | Status | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| One grey checkmarks | Sent | Your message was successfully sent from your device and accepted by the RCS network. |
| Two grey checkmarks | Delivered | The message reached the recipient’s device but hasn’t been opened yet. |
| Two blue checkmarks | Read | The recipient opened and viewed your message (if they have read receipts enabled). |
Why checkmarks exist?
RCS checkmarks were designed to make messaging more transparent and user-friendly. Similar to apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Viber, these visual indicators help both users and businesses understand:
- Whether a message left the sender’s device successfully
- If it reached the recipient’s phone
- When it was opened and read, providing a clear engagement signal
For businesses, these real-time statuses create a valuable feedback loop for campaign performance and customer experience optimization.
Why RCS checkmarks matter for businesses
RCS checkmarks aren’t just a user-facing feature, they give businesses valuable, actionable insights into campaign performance and customer engagement.
Unlike SMS, which only confirms delivery, RCS shows when a message is sent, delivered, and read.
- Know exactly when customers see your messages.
- Use these insights to optimize campaign timing and trigger smart follow-up actions automatically.
More transparency than SMS
Traditional SMS marketing lacks read receipts and has limited delivery feedback.
- RCS gives a clearer view of how users interact with your messages.
- Marketers can measure engagement more accurately and adjust campaigns based on real-time behaviour.
Boosting customer experience
When customers see checkmarks, they know their messages are successfully delivered and viewed.
- This transparency builds trust and reduces uncertainty in communication.
- Businesses can personalize reminders or follow-ups based on whether a message was opened, improving the overall customer experience.
How Infobip helps you track the status of your RCS messages
Infobip gives businesses full visibility into every RCS message they send, enabling real-time engagement tracking, advanced reporting, and automated next steps to maximize campaign effectiveness.
With Infobip’s Moments, you can go beyond basic delivery confirmations.
Also, you can get a complete breakdown of sent, delivered, and read messages for every campaign.
Trigger automated follow-ups based on engagement, for example:
- If a message isn’t read within 24 hours → send a fallback SMS or WhatsApp message.
- If a message is read → automatically assign a lead to a sales rep for immediate action.
- Compare RCS metrics against other channels to identify top-performing journeys.
Live tracking in Conversations
For sales and support teams, Infobip’s Conversations interface makes it easy to see customer interactions as they happen.
- Agents can view delivery and read receipts in real time during one-on-one chats
- This visibility helps them know when a message is being seen and when it’s the right moment to follow up
- Perfect for nurturing leads, confirming appointments, or resolving issues without delays
Advanced analytics and reporting
Infobip offers more than just real-time tracking, it provides powerful analytics for strategic decision-making.
- Centralized dashboards show RCS performance across campaigns, channels, and regions.
- Combine RCS engagement data with People CDP to segment audiences based on their interaction history.
- Export delivery and read data to BI tools for deeper reporting and ROI analysis.
Limitations and compatibility notes
While RCS offers advanced messaging capabilities, delivery and read indicators aren’t guaranteed in every scenario. Here’s what you should know:
Device and carrier dependencies
- Not all Android devices or carriers fully support RCS read receipts
- Both sender and recipient must be RCS-enabled and using a compatible messaging app, such as Google Messages
- Some third-party Android messaging apps may show different or limited status indicators
RCS behaviour on iOS
- iOS 18 update: Apple announced support for RCS messaging between iPhones and Android devices, improving media quality, typing indicators, and security features.
- Checkmark limitations: iOS users will not display RCS checkmarks or read receipts in the same way as Android users.
- Encryption status: RCS chats with iPhone users do not currently offer end-to-end encryption. Google Messages provides end-to-end encryption only when both parties are using Google Messages. GSMA and partners are working on cross-platform encryption standards.
- Fallback options: Infobip ensures full visibility by automatically falling back to SMS or WhatsApp when RCS statuses can’t be displayed.
Get full visibility into your RCS campaigns
Understanding RCS checkmarks is essential for both users and businesses looking to improve their messaging strategy.
These delivery and read indicators provide valuable, real-time feedback that SMS cannot offer, helping you measure engagement, optimize follow-ups, and build better customer experiences.
With Infobip, you don’t just see checkmarks, you gain enterprise-grade visibility into every message sent.
Our platform tracks sent, delivered, and read statuses across devices and carriers, with automatic fallbacks to SMS or WhatsApp when RCS isn’t available. Paired with Moments automation and advanced analytics, you can confidently deliver and measure rich, interactive campaigns at scale.
Next steps:
- Explore RCS Messaging
- See how Moments tracks delivery and engagement
- Talk to an expert about optimizing RCS campaigns
FAQs
Two grey checkmarks mean your message was successfully delivered to the recipient’s device. When the two checkmarks turn blue, it means the recipient has read the message (if read receipts are enabled).
Yes. In most RCS-enabled messaging apps (such as Google Messages), users can turn off read receipts in the settings. When disabled, messages will still show as delivered but not as read.
If you don’t see any checkmarks, it could mean:
- The recipient’s device or carrier doesn’t support RCS.
- One or both users are using SMS fallback instead of RCS.
- Read receipts are turned off on the recipient’s device.
RCS checkmarks work similarly to WhatsApp and iMessage but are carrier-based, not app-based. This means checkmarks depend on device, carrier, and messaging app support, while WhatsApp and iMessage have consistent status indicators within their ecosystems.
Yes, but behaviour can vary. In RCS group chats, a message shows as delivered when it reaches all participants. Read indicators appear only for users who have read receipts enabled, so you may see partial read confirmations.
