You are probably familiar with the WhatsApp ticks that indicate the status of your messages.
A single tick means that the message has been sent, a double tick means that the message has been delivered, and a blue double tick means that the message has been read.
But what if you see a single tick but the person is online? Does that mean they are ignoring you or is there something wrong with your WhatsApp?
In this article, we will explore the possible reasons why this might happen and how to fix it. Whether it is a network issue, a privacy setting, or a bug, we will help you find the solution to this annoying problem.
Read on to find out more!
Why Do You See WhatsApp Single Tick But Showing Online?
Sometimes, you may see a single tick on WhatsApp, even though the person is online. This can mean one of the following:
#1. The person has blocked you
If someone has blocked you on WhatsApp, you will not be able to see their last seen, profile picture, status, or online status.
You will also only see a single tick on your messages to them, even if they are online.
However, this is not a definitive sign of being blocked, as it could also be due to other factors.
#2. The person has a poor internet connection
If someone has a weak or unstable internet connection, they may appear online on WhatsApp, but their device may not be able to receive your messages.
This could cause a delay in the delivery of your messages, resulting in a single tick.
This could also happen if the person is using a VPN, proxy, or firewall that interferes with WhatsApp.
#3. The person has disabled data usage for WhatsApp
If someone has turned off mobile data or Wi-Fi for WhatsApp in their device settings, they may not be able to receive your messages, even if they are online.
This could happen if the person is trying to save data, battery, or avoid distractions.
They will only receive your messages when they enable data usage for WhatsApp again.
#4. The person has a bug or glitch in their app
If someone has a technical problem with their WhatsApp app, such as a corrupted file, a virus, or an outdated version, they may not be able to receive your messages, even if they are online.
This could happen if the person has not updated their app, has downloaded a modded or unofficial version, or has tampered with the app settings.
Why show only one tick on WhatsApp when I am not blocked?
If you are seeing only one tick on WhatsApp but not blocked, it means that your message has been sent from your device to the WhatsApp server, but has not been delivered to the recipient’s device yet.
This could happen if the recipient has turned off their phone, has no internet connection, or has deleted WhatsApp.
Why Showing WhatsApp single tick for a long time?
WhatsApp single tick for a long time means that your message has been sent successfully but has not been delivered for a long time.
These are some of the possible causes of WhatsApp single tick for a long time.
You can try to contact the recipient through another app or platform, such as SMS, email, or social media, and ask them to check their internet connection, data usage settings, app version and settings, or reinstall their app.
However, sometimes, you may have to wait patiently for the recipient to receive your messages, and not spam them with messages or calls.
Remember that WhatsApp is not the only way to communicate, there are other options that you can use.
How To Fix WhatsApp Single Tick But Online Issue? (For Android Users)
If you are seeing a single tick on WhatsApp, even though the person is online, you may want to fix it and make sure that your messages are delivered and read.
Here are some possible solutions that you can try:
#1. Check if you are blocked
If you suspect that the person has blocked you on WhatsApp, you can try to confirm it by checking their profile.
If you cannot see their last seen, profile picture, status, or online status, and you only see a single tick on your messages, you are likely blocked.
However, this is not conclusive proof, as the person may have changed their privacy settings to hide this information from everyone.
You can also try to call them on WhatsApp, and if the call does not go through, it is another sign of being blocked.
The only way to unblock yourself is to ask the person to do it, or to use a different phone number or account.
#2. Check your internet connection
If you think that the person has a poor internet connection, you can try to contact them through another app or platform, such as SMS, email, or social media.
If they reply to you there, it means that their internet connection is working, but their WhatsApp is not.
You can ask them to check their internet connection and make sure that it is stable and strong.
You can also ask them to switch to a different network, such as Wi-Fi or mobile data, and see if that helps.
#3. Check your data usage settings
If you think that the person has disabled data usage for WhatsApp, you can try to contact them through another app or platform, such as SMS, email, or social media.
If they reply to you there, it means that their data usage is working, but their WhatsApp is not. You can ask them to check their data usage settings and ensure that they have enabled data usage for WhatsApp.
You can also ask them to turn on their data saver mode, which reduces the data usage of WhatsApp and other apps, but still allows them to receive messages.
#4. Check your app version and settings
If you think that the person has a bug or glitch in their app, you can try to contact them through another app or platform, such as SMS, email, or social media.
If they reply to you there, it means that their app is not working properly. You can ask them to check their app version and make sure that they have updated it to the latest version.
You can also ask them to clear their app cache and data, which may fix minor issues. You can also ask them to reinstall their app, which may solve some major problems.
However, they should back up their chat history before doing so, as they may lose their messages otherwise.
#5. Check the recipient’s phone number
If you have entered the wrong phone number or the recipient has changed their number, you may not be able to send them messages on WhatsApp.
You can check the recipient’s phone number by asking them through another app or platform, or by looking at their profile on WhatsApp.
If the number is incorrect or outdated, you can delete the chat and start a new one with the correct number.
#6. Check the network settings
If you or the recipient have enabled the airplane mode, the do not disturb mode, or the low power mode on your devices, you may not be able to send or receive messages on WhatsApp.
You can check the network settings by swiping down from the top of your screen and looking at the icons.
If you see an airplane, a moon, or a battery icon, you can tap on them to disable the modes. You can also ask the recipient to do the same if they have enabled these modes.
#7. Check the storage space
If you or the recipient have low storage space on your devices, you may not be able to send or receive messages on WhatsApp.
You can check the storage space by going to the settings app and looking at the storage section.
If you see that the storage is full or almost full, you can free up some space by deleting some unwanted files, apps, or photos.
You can also ask the recipient to do the same if they have low storage space.
How To Fix WhatsApp single tick but online? (For iPhone Users)
If you are facing the problem of WhatsApp single tick but online on your iPhone, you can try some of the following steps to fix it:
#1. Check if you have enabled the low-data mode on your iPhone
This mode may limit the data usage of WhatsApp and other apps, and prevent your messages from being delivered.
You can disable the low data mode by going to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Low Data Mode and turning it off.
You can also disable it for Wi-Fi by going to Settings > Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi Network > Low Data Mode and turning it off.
#2. Check if you have enabled the background app refresh on your iPhone
This feature allows WhatsApp and other apps to refresh their content in the background, and ensure that your messages are delivered.
You can enable the background app refresh by going to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turning it on. You can also choose to enable it only for WhatsApp by selecting it from the list of apps.
#3. Check if you have updated your WhatsApp app to the latest version
Sometimes, an outdated version of WhatsApp may cause some bugs or glitches, and prevent your messages from being delivered.
You can update your WhatsApp app by going to the App Store > Updates and tapping on Update next to WhatsApp.
You can also enable the automatic updates by going to Settings > iTunes & App Store > App Updates and turning it on.
#4. Check if you have enough storage space on your iPhone
If you have low storage space, you may not be able to send or receive messages on WhatsApp.
You can check your storage space by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and looking at the available space.
If you see that the storage is full or almost full, you can free up some space by deleting some unwanted files, apps, or photos.
You can also use the offload app feature to temporarily remove some apps without deleting their data. You can do this by tapping on the app from the list and choosing Offload App.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. HOW DO I CONFIRM IF SOMEONE HAS BLOCKED ME?
There are a few ways to find out if someone has turned off read receipts on WhatsApp, even if you can’t see the blue ticks or the last seen status of that person. Here are some of the methods you can try:
Send them a voice note message. If they open it, the ticks will turn blue, even if they have disabled read receipts1. You can also check if the microphone icon next to the voice note turns blue, which means they have listened to it.
Send them a message in a group chat. In a group chat, you can tap and hold on to your message and then tap on the info icon to see who has read and delivered your message. This works even if the individual has turned off read receipts.
Call them on WhatsApp. If they answer your call, it means they are online and have seen your messages.
If they decline your call, it might mean they are busy or ignoring you. If they don’t answer your call, it might mean they are offline or have not seen your messages.
Q2. HOW TO SEE DELETED MESSAGES ON WHATSAPP?
There are several ways to see deleted messages on WhatsApp, depending on whether you want to see messages deleted by the sender or by yourself. Here are some of the methods you can try:
If you have an Android phone with Android 11 or above, you can use the notification history feature to see messages deleted by the sender. This feature records all the notifications you receive, including WhatsApp messages.
To enable it, go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Notifications > Notification History and toggle on the Use Notification History option.
To see the deleted messages, go back to the Notification History page and look for the WhatsApp notifications.
If you have an older version of Android, you can use third-party apps like WhatsDelete, WhatsRemoved+, or WAMR to see messages deleted by the sender.
These apps read the messages from the notification and save them even if they are deleted for everyone. You will need to grant notification access to these apps and enable auto-download media in WhatsApp for them to work properly.
If you want to see messages deleted by yourself, you can use the local or cloud backup feature of WhatsApp to restore your chats. WhatsApp automatically backs up your chats every day at 2 am by default.
You can also manually backup your chats by going to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and tapping on Back Up Now.
To restore your chats, you will need to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp and then follow the prompts to restore your backup.
However, this will overwrite your current chats and you may lose any messages received after the last backup.
Conclusion
WhatsApp single tick but online is a common issue that many users face. It can be caused by various factors, such as being blocked, having a poor internet connection, disabling data usage, or having a bug or glitch.
It can be fixed by checking these factors and trying some possible solutions, such as contacting the person through another app, asking them to check their internet connection, data usage settings, app version, and settings, or reinstalling their app.
However, sometimes, it may not be possible to fix it, and you may have to wait for the person to receive your messages.
In that case, you should be patient and respectful, and not spam them with messages or calls. Remember that WhatsApp is not the only way to communicate, there are other options that you can use.