Delivery & Read Receipts

Mark messages as delivered, read, or unread and receive real-time receipt events using the CometChat Android SDK.

Mark Messages as Delivered

You can mark the messages for a particular conversation as read using the markAsDelivered() method. This method takes the following parameters as input:

Parameter	Information
messageId	The ID of the message above which all the messages for a particular conversation are to be marked as read.
receiverId	In case of one to one conversation message’s sender UID will be the receipt’s receiver Id. In case of group conversation message’s receiver Id will be the receipt’s receiver Id.
receiverType	Type of the receiver. Could be either of the two values (user/group).
senderId	The UID of the sender of the message.

Messages for both user & group conversations can be marked as read using this method.

Ideally, you would like to mark all the messages as delivered for any conversation when the user opens the chat window for that conversation. This includes two scenarios:

1. When the list of messages for the conversation is fetched: In this case you need to obtain the last message in the list of messages and pass the message ID of that message to the markAsDelivered() method.
2. When the user is on the chat window and a real-time message is received: In this case you need to obtain the message ID of the message and pass it to the markAsDelivered() method.

Java (User)

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message.getId(), message.getReceiverUid(), CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_USER, message.getSender().getUid());

Kotlin (User)

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message.id, message.receiverUid, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_USER, message.sender.uid)

Java (Group)

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message.getId(), message.getReceiverUid(), CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_GROUP, message.getSender().getUid());

Kotlin (Group)

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message.id, message.receiverUid, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_GROUP, message.sender.uid)

This method will mark all the messages before the messageId specified, for the conversation with receiverId and receiverType(user/group) as read.

In case you would like to be notified of an error if the receipts fail to go through you can use markAsDelivered() method with the callbacks as shown below:

Java (User)

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message.getId(), receiverUID, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_USER, message.getSender().getUid(), new CometChat.CallbackListener<Void>() {
    @Override
    public void onSuccess(Void unused) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + "Success");
    }

    @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + e.getMessage());
    }
});

Java (Group)

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message.getId(), receiverUID, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_GROUP, message.getSender().getUid(), new CometChat.CallbackListener<Void>() {
    @Override
    public void onSuccess(Void unused) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + "Success");
    }

    @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + e.getMessage());
    }
});  

Kotlin (User)

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message.id, receiverUID, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_USER, message.sender.uid, object : CallbackListener<Void?>() {
    override fun onSuccess(unused: Void?) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + "Success")
    }

    override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + e.message)
    }
})

Kotlin (Group)

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message.id, receiverUID, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_GROUP, message.sender.uid, object : CallbackListener<Void?>() {
    override fun onSuccess(unused: Void?) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + "Success")
    }

    override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + e.message)
    }
})

Another option the CometChat SDK provides is to pass the entire message object to the markAsDelivered() method.

Java

CometChat.markAsDelivered(baseMessage)

Kotlin

CometChat.markAsDelivered(baseMessage)

In case you would like to be notified of an error if the receipts fail to go through you can use markAsDelivered() method with the callbacks as shown below:

Java

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message, new CometChat.CallbackListener<Void>() {
  @Override
    public void onSuccess(Void unused) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + "success");
  }

  @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + e.getMessage());
  }
});

Kotlin

CometChat.markAsDelivered(message, object : CallbackListener<Void?>() {
    override fun onSuccess(unused: Void?) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + "success")
    }

    override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsDelivered : " + e.message)
    }
})

Starting v3, the messages will not be marked delivered internally by the SDK. You will have to use the markAsDelivered() method. You will either have to use one of the above method signatures to mark the messages as delivered.

Mark Messages as Read

You can mark the messages for a particular conversation as read using the markAsRead() method. This method takes the following parameters as input:

Parameter	Information
messageId	The ID of the message above which all messages for a particular conversation are to be marked as read.
receiverId	In case of one to one conversation message’s sender UID will be the receipt’s receiver Id. In case of group conversation message’s receiver Id will be the receipts’s receiver Id
receiverType	Type of the receiver. Could be either of the two values (user/group). The possible values are: 1. CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_USER 2. CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_GROUP
senderId	The UID of the sender of the message

Messages for both user and group conversations can be marked as read using this method.

Ideally, you should mark all the messages as read for any conversation when the user opens the chat window for that conversation. This includes two scenarios:

1. When the list of messages for the conversation is fetched: In this case you need to obtain the last message in the list of messages and pass the message ID of that message to the markAsRead() method.
2. When the user is on the chat window and a real-time message is received: In this case you need to obtain the message ID of the message and pass it to the markAsRead() method

Java (User Conversation)

CometChat.markAsRead(message.getId(),message.getSender().getUid(),CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_USER,message.getSender().getUid());

Kotlin (User Conversation)

CometChat.markAsRead(message.id, message.sender.uid, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_USER, message.sender.uid)

Java (Group Conversation)

CometChat.markAsRead(message.getId(), message.getReceiverUID(), CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_GROUP,message.getSender().getUid())

Kotlin (Group Conversation)

CometChat.markAsRead(message.id, message.receiverUID, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_GROUP, message.sender.uid)

This method will mark all the messages before the messageId specified, for the conversation with receiverId and receiverType (user/group) as read.

In case you would like to be notified of an error if the receipts fail to go through you can use the markAsRead() method with the callbacks as shown below:

Java (User)

CometChat.markAsRead(message.getId(), message.getSender().getUid(),CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_USER, message.getSender().getUid(), new CometChat.CallbackListener<Void>() {
  @Override
    public void onSuccess(Void unused) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + "Success");
  }
  
  @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + e.getMessage());
  }
});

Java (Group)

CometChat.markAsRead(message.getId(), message.getReceiverUid(), CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_GROUP, message.getSender().getUid(), new CometChat.CallbackListener<Void>() {
  @Override
    public void onSuccess(Void unused) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + "Success");
  }
  
  @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + e.getMessage());
  }
});

Kotlin (User)

CometChat.markAsRead(message.id, message.sender.uid, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_USER, message.sender.uid, object : CallbackListener<Void?>() {
    override fun onSuccess(unused: Void?) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + "Success")
    }
    
    override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + e.message)
    }
  }
)

Kotlin (Group)

CometChat.markAsRead(message.id, message.receiverUid, CometChatConstants.RECEIVER_TYPE_GROUP, message.sender.uid, object : CallbackListener<Void?>() {
    override fun onSuccess(unused: Void?) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + "Success")
    }
    
    override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
        Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + e.message)
    }
  }
)

Another option the CometChat SDK provides is to pass the entire message object to the markAsRead() method.

Java

CometChat.markAsRead(baseMessage) 

Kotlin

CometChat.markAsRead(baseMessage)

In case you would like to be notified of an error if the receipts fail to go through you can use the markAsRead() method with the callbacks as shown below:

Java

CometChat.markAsRead(message, new CometChat.CallbackListener<Void>() {
  @Override
    public void onSuccess(Void unused) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + "success");
  }

  @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + e.getMessage());
  }
});

Kotlin

CometChat.markAsRead(message, object : CallbackListener<Void?>() {
  override fun onSuccess(unused: Void?) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + "success")
  }
  
  override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
    Log.e(TAG, "markAsRead : " + e.message)
  }
})

Starting v3, the markAsRead() method working with v2.x is deprecated and will not work. You will either have to use one of the above method signatures to mark the messages as read.

Mark Messages as Unread

Use markMessageAsUnread() to mark a message as unread. All messages below that message in the conversation will contribute to the unread count. On success, returns an updated Conversation object.

Parameter	Information
message	A non-null BaseMessage instance. All messages below this message in the conversation will be marked as unread.
listener	A non-null CallbackListener<Conversation> instance.

Java (User)

BaseMessage message = messageInstance;

CometChat.markMessageAsUnread(message, new CometChat.CallbackListener<Conversation>() {
    @Override
    public void onSuccess(Conversation conversation) {
        Log.e("TAG", "markMessageAsUnread: onSuccess");
    }

    @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
        Log.e("TAG", "markMessageAsUnread: onError: " + e);
    }
});

Kotlin (User)

val message: BaseMessage = messageInstance

CometChat.markMessageAsUnread(message, object : CometChat.CallbackListener<Conversation>() {
    override fun onSuccess(conversation: Conversation) {
        Log.e("TAG", "markMessageAsUnread: onSuccess")
    }

    override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
        Log.e("TAG", "markMessageAsUnread: onError: $e")
    }
})

Java (Group)

BaseMessage message = messageInstance;

CometChat.markMessageAsUnread(message, new CometChat.CallbackListener<Conversation>() {
    @Override
    public void onSuccess(Conversation conversation) {
        Log.e("TAG", "markMessageAsUnread: onSuccess");
    }

    @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
        Log.e("TAG", "markMessageAsUnread: onError: " + e);
    }
});

Kotlin (Group)

val message: BaseMessage = messageInstance

CometChat.markMessageAsUnread(message, object : CometChat.CallbackListener<Conversation>() {
    override fun onSuccess(conversation: Conversation) {
        Log.e("TAG", "markMessageAsUnread: onSuccess")
    }

    override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
        Log.e("TAG", "markMessageAsUnread: onError: $e")
    }
})

Receive Delivery & Read Receipts

Real-time events

Callback	Description
onMessagesDelivered	Message delivered to a user
onMessagesRead	Message read by a user
onMessagesDeliveredToAll	Group message delivered to all members
onMessagesReadByAll	Group message read by all members

1. onMessagesDelivered() - This event is triggered when a message is delivered to a user.
2. onMessagesRead() - This event is triggered when a message is read by a user.
3. onMessagesDeliveredToAll() - This event is triggered when a group message is delivered to all members of the group. This event is only for Group conversations.
4. onMessagesReadByAll() - This event is triggered when a group message is read by all members of the group. This event is only for Group conversations.

Java

CometChat.addMessageListener("Listener 1", new CometChat.MessageListener() {
  @Override
  public void onMessagesDelivered(MessageReceipt messageReceipt) {
    Log.e(TAG, "onMessagesDelivered: " + messageReceipt.toString());
  }
  
  @Override
  public void onMessagesRead(MessageReceipt messageReceipt) {
    Log.e(TAG, "onMessagesRead: " + messageReceipt.toString());
  }

  @Override
  public void onMessagesDeliveredToAll(MessageReceipt messageReceipt) {
    Log.e(TAG, "onMessagesDeliveredToAll: " + messageReceipt.toString());
  }

  @Override
  public void onMessagesReadByAll(MessageReceipt messageReceipt) {
    Log.e(TAG, "onMessagesReadByAll: " + messageReceipt.toString());
  }
});

Kotlin

CometChat.addMessageListener("Listener 1", object : MessageListener() {
  override fun onMessagesDelivered(messageReceipt: MessageReceipt) {
    Log.e(TAG, "onMessagesDelivered: $messageReceipt")
  }

  override fun onMessagesRead(messageReceipt: MessageReceipt) {
    Log.e(TAG, "onMessagesRead: $messageReceipt")
  }
  
  override fun onMessagesDeliveredToAll(messageReceipt: MessageReceipt) {
    Log.e(TAG, "onMessagesDeliveredToAll: $messageReceipt")
  }
  
  override fun onMessagesReadByAll(messageReceipt: MessageReceipt) {
    Log.e(TAG, "onMessagesReadByAll: $messageReceipt")
  }
})

You will receive events in the form of MessageReceipt objects. The message receipt contains the following parameters:

Parameter	Information
messageId	The Id of the message prior to which all the messages for that particular conversation have been marked as read.
sender	User object containing the details of the user who has marked the message as read. System User for deliveredToAll & readByAll events.
receiverId	Id of the receiver whose conversation has been marked as read.
receiverType	type of the receiver (user/group)
receiptType	Type of the receipt (read/delivered)
deliveredAt	The timestamp of the time when the message was delivered. This will only be present if the receiptType is delivered.
readAt	The timestamp of the time when the message was read. This will only be present when the receiptType is read.

Missed Receipts

You will receive message receipts when you load offline messages. While fetching messages in bulk, the message object will have two fields i.e. deliveredAt and readAt which hold the timestamp for the time the message was delivered and read respectively. Using these two variables, the delivery and read status for a message can be obtained.

However, for a group message, if you wish to fetch the deliveredAt and readAt fields of individual member of the group you can use the below-described method.

Receipt History for a Single Message

To fetch the message receipts, you can use the getMessageReceipts() method.

Java

private int messageId = 10101;

CometChat.getMessageReceipts(messageId, new CometChat.CallbackListener<List<MessageReceipt>>() {
  @Override
    public void onSuccess(List<MessageReceipt> messageReceipts) {
      // Handle message receipts
  }

  @Override
    public void onError(CometChatException e) {
    // Handle error
  }
});

Kotlin

val messageId:Int=10101

CometChat.getMessageReceipts(messageId, object : CallbackListener<List<MessageReceipt?>?>() {
  override fun onSuccess(messageReceipts: List<MessageReceipt?>?) {
    // Handle message receipts
  }

  override fun onError(e: CometChatException) {
    // Handle error
  }
})

You will receive a list of MessageReceipt objects in the onSuccess() method.

The following features will be available only if the Enhanced Messaging Status feature is enabled for your app.

• onMessagesDeliveredToAll event,
• onMessagesReadByAll event,
• deliveredAt field in a group message,
• readAt field in a group message.
• markMessageAsUnread method.

Always remove message listeners when they’re no longer needed (e.g., in onDestroy() or when navigating away). Failing to remove listeners can cause memory leaks and duplicate event handling.

MessageReceipt Payload Structure

MessageReceipt Object

The MessageReceipt object contains information about message delivery and read status:

Parameter	Type	Description
messageId	long	ID of the message
sender	User	User who sent the receipt
receiverType	String	Type of receiver. Values: "user", "group"
receiverId	String	ID of the receiver
timestamp	long	Unix timestamp of the receipt
receiptType	String	Type of receipt. Values: "delivered", "read"
deliveredAt	long	Unix timestamp when message was delivered
readAt	long	Unix timestamp when message was read
messageSender	String	UID of the message sender

Sample MessageReceipt Object:

{
  "messageId": 12345,
  "sender": {
    "uid": "user_123",
    "name": "John Doe",
    "avatar": "https://example.com/avatar.png",
    "status": "online",
    "role": "default"
  },
  "receiverType": "user",
  "receiverId": "user_456",
  "timestamp": 1699900000,
  "receiptType": "read",
  "deliveredAt": 1699900001,
  "readAt": 1699900002,
  "messageSender": "user_123"
}

User Object (Receipts)

The nested User object in sender contains:

Parameter	Type	Description
uid	String	Unique identifier of the user
name	String	Display name of the user
avatar	String	URL to user’s profile picture
link	String	URL to user’s profile page
role	String	User role for access control
metadata	JSONObject	Custom data set by developer
status	String	User online status. Values: "online", "offline"
statusMessage	String	Custom status message
lastActiveAt	long	Unix timestamp of last activity
hasBlockedMe	boolean	Whether this user has blocked the logged-in user
blockedByMe	boolean	Whether the logged-in user has blocked this user
tags	Array<String>	List of tags for user identification
deactivatedAt	long	Unix timestamp when user was deactivated (0 if active)

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Next Steps

Typing Indicators

Show when users are typing

Receive Messages

Handle incoming messages with listeners

Retrieve Conversations

Fetch conversation list with unread counts

Real-Time Listeners

Learn more about event listeners