In today’s digital age, the world has become smaller thanks to the internet and the numerous communication channels that exist. Instant messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and others have become ubiquitous and now play a significant role in our daily communication. We rely on instant messaging to stay in touch with family and friends, connect with colleagues at work, engage with businesses, and even make transactions.
When you use an instant messaging app, you may encounter two types of notifications that indicate whether your message has been sent or delivered. These notifications are “Sent” and “Delivered,” and they mean different things.
Sent vs. Delivered
When you send a message, it goes through various stages before reaching the recipient’s device. The “Sent” status indicates that your message has been successfully sent from your device and is in the process of reaching the recipient. Usually, this status appears immediately after you send a message.
On the other hand, the “Delivered” status indicates that your message has reached the recipient’s device. In other words, it confirms that the message was successfully delivered, and the recipient is now in a position to read it.
When a message has been delivered, you may also see other indicators such as the recipient’s online status, whether they have read your message, or whether your message has been ignored or rejected.
Differences between Sent and Delivered
The main difference between “Sent” and “Delivered” is that “Sent” means that the message has left your device and is on its way to the recipient, while “Delivered” means that the message has been successfully delivered to the recipient’s device.
Typically, you will see the “Sent” status when you send a message, and it will usually disappear once the message has been delivered. On the other hand, the “Delivered” status may remain visible until the recipient has opened or read your message.
Another difference is that the “Sent” status confirms that your message has been sent from your device, while the “Delivered” status confirms that your message has reached the recipient’s device but doesn’t necessarily mean that they have received or read the message.
The “Delivered” status can confirm that the message was delivered, but the recipient may not have seen it yet. This could be because they have not had time to check their messages or because they are experiencing connectivity issues with their device.
FAQs
Q: What does it mean when a message is sent, but not delivered?
A: When a message is sent but not delivered, it usually means that the recipient’s device is offline, has no internet connection, or is experiencing temporary connectivity issues. In such cases, the message will be delivered once the recipient’s device is back online.
Q: Can I see when a message has been read?
A: Yes, on some instant messaging apps, you can see when a message has been read by the recipient. This feature is usually indicated by a double blue tick mark next to the message.
Q: Can a message still be delivered if the recipient has blocked me?
A: No, if the recipient has blocked you, your messages will not be delivered, and you will not receive any notification of the block.
Q: Can I delete a message after it has been sent?
A: Yes, you can delete a message after it has been sent, but this will only remove the message from your device, and it won’t be deleted from the recipient’s device.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the “Sent” and “Delivered” statuses on instant messaging apps are essential indicators of your message’s status. Knowing the difference between the two will help you understand whether your message has been successfully sent or delivered and when the recipient has received it. While the “Sent” status confirms that your message has left your device, the “Delivered” status confirms that the message has reached the recipient’s device.