Determining whether a sent electronic message has been accessed by the recipient is a common desire for senders. The methods for achieving this vary and often depend on the email client and settings used by both the sender and the recipient. For example, some email programs offer a “read receipt” feature that, when enabled by the sender, requests a notification when the recipient opens the message.
Understanding if an email has been accessed provides senders with confirmation that their message has been delivered and potentially viewed. This can be valuable in business communications, legal matters, or any situation where confirmation of receipt is necessary. Historically, physical mail relied on registered delivery and return receipts to achieve a similar level of assurance.