There is a way to read WhatsApp messages without the sender knowing on Android phones. This involves adding a 4 x 2 WhatsApp widget to your home screen after accessing it through the Widgets option. This allows you to read the message without opening the app and without the sender being notified. This method is a workaround for those who do not want to turn off read receipts, as it allows them to keep track of whether or not their own messages have been read.