Quick Answer
Yes, you can stop someone from messaging you on LinkedIn in a few different ways:
- Unfollow the person so you no longer see their posts or activities
- Block the person so they can no longer see your profile or send you messages
- Report any harassing messages to LinkedIn
- Adjust your settings to only allow messages from people in your network
The easiest options are to unfollow or block the person. Reporting harassing messages can get a person banned from LinkedIn. Adjusting your settings to only allow in-network messages prevents unwanted outreach.
Should I Unfollow or Block?
Unfollowing someone on LinkedIn simply removes their posts and activities from your feed. You will no longer see their updates, but they can still see your profile and send you messages.
Blocking goes a step further and prevents the person from viewing your profile or messaging you entirely. They will be unaware that you blocked them.
So if you just want to avoid seeing someone’s posts, unfollowing is sufficient. But if you want to stop all communication, blocking is more effective.
Here are some reasons you may want to block someone completely:
- They are frequently messaging you despite requests to stop
- Their messages are harassing, aggressive or make you uncomfortable
- They are sending spam or trying to sell you something
- You do not know them and want to avoid unsolicited outreach
Blocking is permanent unless you later decide to unblock the person. Unfollowing still allows them to connect if you change your mind.
Step-by-Step Guide to Blocking on LinkedIn
Blocking someone on LinkedIn is easy to do through the desktop site or mobile app:
- Go to their LinkedIn profile page
- Click on the More icon (three dots) next to the Message button
- Select Block or Unblock
- Confirm that you want to block them
On the mobile app:
- Go to their profile
- Tap on the More icon (three dots) in the top right
- Tap Block
- Tap Block again to confirm
Once blocked, they will immediately be unable to see your profile or send any messages. Blocking on LinkedIn is mutual, so you will be unable to view their profile as well.
The person will not be notified that they have been blocked. Your connection will simply disappear from their point of view.
Unblocking Someone on LinkedIn
If you change your mind later, you can easily unblock people:
- Go to the Blocked Members section in your Settings
- Locate the person’s name and click Unblock
- Confirm you want to unblock them
On mobile:
- Go to your profile
- Tap on Manage next to the Blocked members section
- Locate the person and tap Unblock
- Tap Unblock again to confirm
Once unblocked, they will regain access to view your profile and send messages again. You can always re-block them at any point if needed.
Reporting Harassing Messages on LinkedIn
If someone is sending you inappropriate messages, you can report them directly to LinkedIn:
- Go to the offensive message
- Click on the More icon (three dots) and Report
- Select the reason for reporting, such as spam or harassment
- Add any details to help LinkedIn understand the violation
- Click Submit
On mobile:
- Open the harassing message
- Tap on the More icon (three dots)
- Tap Report
- Select the reason and add details
- Tap Submit
LinkedIn has strict policies against harassment and can ban members who violate the rules. Reporting messages helps keep LinkedIn safe and professional.
Make sure to also block the offending member so you do not receive any more messages from them.
Adjusting Settings to Limit Messages
Another option is to adjust your LinkedIn settings to limit who can message you.
By default, any LinkedIn member can message you, even if they are not in your network. But you can restrict messages to only your 1st-degree connections:
- Go to the Privacy & Settings section of your LinkedIn account
- Find the Message Preferences and click Change
- Select Only 1st connections can message you directly
- Click Save changes
On mobile:
- Go to your profile and tap Settings & Privacy
- Tap Communications
- Under Messaging, choose 1st Connections Only
This prevents people you do not know from messaging you without an invitation to connect first. However, limiting messages can also block genuine opportunities and outreach.
Can You Stop LinkedIn Message Requests?
If someone you are not connected to tries to message you on LinkedIn, they will send a message request rather than a direct message.
As the recipient, you can either:
- Accept the request to open the message
- Delete the request so you do not receive the message
- Report the request if it seems inappropriate
But there is no setting to automatically decline or block all message requests. Each one has to be managed individually.
Deleting the request is the easiest way to stop receiving unwanted messages from people you don’t know. Reporting any harassing requests can get the sender banned.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn does not allow members to fully opt-out of messages, there are a few options to stop unwanted communication:
- Block – Prevents all messages and profile views from someone
- Unfollow – Removes their posts from your feed
- Report – Flags harassment to get offenders banned
- Limit Messages – Only allows messages from 1st-degree connections
- Delete Requests – Manually decline incoming message requests
Blocking or limiting messages provides the most complete solution. But unfollowing, deleting requests, and reporting harassment can also help reduce unwanted messages.
Table Summary of Options to Stop LinkedIn Messages
Method | Impact | Ease | Notification |
---|---|---|---|
Block | Stops all communication | Easy | None |
Unfollow | Hides posts, allows messages | Easy | None |
Report | Can get sender banned | Easy | None |
Limit Messages | Only 1st connections can message | Easy | None |
Delete Requests | Prevents single message | Moderate | None |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you tell if you’ve been blocked on LinkedIn?
No, you cannot directly tell if someone has blocked you on LinkedIn. Their profile simply appears non-existent from your point of view. There is no notification that you have been blocked.
What happens when you block someone on LinkedIn?
Blocking on LinkedIn prevents the person from viewing your profile or sending you any messages. You are also blocked from seeing their profile or messaging them. All communication is cut off with no notification delivered.
Can you get blocked on LinkedIn for no reason?
Yes, members can block others on LinkedIn for any reason. Some common reasons are too many messages, inappropriate behavior, or simply not wanting to connect. There is no requirement to justify blocking and no notice given.
Does blocking someone on LinkedIn remove the connection?
Yes, blocking removes your LinkedIn connection. You will no longer be listed as connected profiles and will be unable to see each other’s profiles or interact in any way.
Can LinkedIn connections see you viewed their profile if you are not connected?
No, LinkedIn members can only see who viewed their profile if that person is a 1st degree connection. If you view profiles of those you are not connected to, it will not show up in their viewer list.
Does deleting a LinkedIn message request notify the sender?
No, deleting a LinkedIn message request does not notify the sender. They will be unaware their request was deleted unless you also block them or report them.
Can people with free LinkedIn accounts message paid members?
Yes, a LinkedIn free or premium account can still message other members regardless of their account type. The only restriction is based on connection status, not the account tier.
Can you retrieve deleted LinkedIn messages?
No, LinkedIn messages cannot be retrieved after being deleted. They are permanently removed from the inbox. However LinkedIn may still have records if required for an investigation.
Can LinkedIn tell if you screenshot a message?
No, LinkedIn cannot tell if you take a screenshot of a message. Screen recording or screenshots are controlled by your local device, not detected by LinkedIn.
Who can see if you viewed their LinkedIn profile anonymously?
No one can see anonymous profile views. Anonymous browsing will not show up in anyone’s viewer list. Your name and info remains hidden.