If you want to delete all your LinkedIn messages at once, it is possible but takes a few steps. LinkedIn does not have a built-in mass delete option for messages, so you have to delete conversations individually. However, you can make the process quicker by selecting all conversations and deleting them in bulk.
Why You Might Want to Delete LinkedIn Messages
There are a few reasons why you may want to delete LinkedIn messages in bulk:
- Your inbox is cluttered with old messages and you want to clear them out.
- You are changing jobs and want to remove potentially sensitive conversations.
- You want to protect your privacy by deleting old messages.
- You are leaving LinkedIn and want to remove your data.
Deleting your LinkedIn messages helps give you a fresh start and protects your privacy. While the messages will still be visible to the senders, they will disappear from your account.
Can You Delete All LinkedIn Messages at Once?
LinkedIn does not have a “select all” option to delete messages instantly. However, you can delete all your messages in bulk pretty quickly by selecting conversations individually and deleting them together.
Here are the steps to delete all LinkedIn messages at once:
- Go to the LinkedIn website and log into your account.
- Click on the My Network icon at the top of your homepage.
- From the dropdown menu, click on Messages.
- This will open your LinkedIn inbox with all your conversations.
- Select the first conversation by checking the box next to it.
- Then hold the Shift key and select the last conversation to highlight all messages.
- Click on the More actions icon (three dots) at the top.
- Select Delete from the dropdown menu.
- Confirm that you want to delete all selected conversations.
This will allow you to delete all your LinkedIn messages at once in a couple of clicks. The conversations will be removed from your inbox and archived. Repeat this process if you have additional pages of messages to delete.
Other Ways to Delete LinkedIn Messages
If you only want to delete some of your LinkedIn messages, here are a couple other options:
- Delete individual conversations – Open a message thread and click the More actions icon > Delete. This removes just that single conversation.
- Delete from a mobile device – Open the LinkedIn mobile app and go to Messages. Swipe left on a conversation and tap Delete. You can do this for individual or multiple threads.
What Happens When You Delete LinkedIn Messages
When you delete LinkedIn messages, either individually or in bulk, here is what happens:
- The messages are permanently removed from your inbox and archived.
- The conversations will still appear in the senders’ message history, but your side will show as deleted.
- If the sender looks up your profile, it will not show you as a connection since the messages are deleted.
- Deleting the messages helps declutter your LinkedIn inbox.
The conversations are not deleted from LinkedIn’s servers. But they will no longer be visible or accessible in your account. Keep in mind the sender will still have a record of the conversation.
Tips for Managing LinkedIn Messages
Here are some additional tips for maintaining a clean LinkedIn inbox:
- Delete messages once conversations have ended or are no longer relevant.
- Turn off message notifications from groups and feeds using the notification settings.
- Mark unwanted messages as spam which blocks the sender.
- Adjust your inbox preferences to organize messages as they come in.
- Use the search bar to easily find conversations when needed.
Taking some time periodically to purge old LinkedIn messages helps keep your inbox clean and productive.
Can Deleted LinkedIn Messages Be Recovered?
Unfortunately, once you permanently delete your LinkedIn messages, there is no way to recover them. The conversations are removed from your account and archived by LinkedIn.
Some things to keep in mind:
- Try to save important message threads before deleting them. You can save them offline or export them.
- Think carefully before deleting all your messages at once. You won’t be able to retrieve them.
- Remember the other person still has a record of the conversation.
LinkedIn does not have a trash or recycle bin feature to retrieve deleted messages. So be sure you want to permanently remove conversations before deleting them.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn does not let you mass delete messages with one click, you can easily select and delete all conversations quickly in a few steps. This lets you clear out your entire LinkedIn inbox in bulk.
Keep in mind deleted messages are permanently removed from your account and cannot be recovered. The conversations will still exist for the other person. Be strategic in managing your LinkedIn messages for a clutter-free inbox.