LinkedIn is a popular professional networking platform used by millions of people around the world. On LinkedIn, users can connect with other professionals, join groups, follow companies, and search for jobs. One of the core features of LinkedIn is messaging – users can send direct messages to their connections for networking opportunities, recruiting prospects, sharing ideas, and more.
When sending a message on LinkedIn, you have the option to delete the message after it is sent. However, this will only delete the message from your own inbox – the recipient will still be able to see the message in their inbox. So a common question many LinkedIn users have is: can you delete a LinkedIn message for both the sender and recipient?
The short answer is no, there is no feature on LinkedIn currently that allows you to recall or delete a message for all parties. Once a message is sent, it can only be removed from your own inbox. The recipient will still have access to the message thread and be able to see your past messages.
In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at how message deletion works on LinkedIn and why you cannot delete messages for everyone. We’ll also provide some tips on being cautious about what you send over LinkedIn messaging to avoid potential embarrassment or mistakes down the line.
How Does Message Deletion Work on LinkedIn?
When you send a message to a connection on LinkedIn, it gets delivered to their personal inbox immediately. At this point, the message content and thread is accessible to both you and the recipient.
If you later decide you want to delete a message you sent, you can do so by opening the message thread, hovering over the specific message, clicking the “More” icon, and selecting “Delete.”
Deleting a message from your inbox
When you delete a message from your own inbox, here is what happens:
– The message content is removed from your view of the message thread. You will no longer be able to see the text and content of your deleted message.
– The message thread still remains visible, but your deleted message will show as “This message has been deleted.”
– Profile images, names, timestamps, and any non-deleted messages remain visible in the thread.
– You will not get any notification or confirmation that the message was deleted. It will simply disappear from your view.
The key thing to understand is that deleting a LinkedIn message only affects your inbox view – not the recipient’s inbox. They will still be able to see the full message thread, including any messages you have deleted.
Why you can’t delete messages for recipients
LinkedIn does not allow message senders to delete or recall a message for all recipients for a couple reasons:
– It gives users autonomy over their own inboxes. Recipients can choose what conversations to save or remove.
– It prevents misuse of message deletion to hide inappropriate conversations.
– Deleted messages may still be relevant to the recipient for referencing past communication.
– Technical architecture makes it difficult to synchronize deletions across different inboxes.
Essentially, once you send a message via LinkedIn, you relinquish control over that content. The recipient now has ownership over that message in their personal inbox.
What Happens When You Block Someone on LinkedIn?
If you block someone on LinkedIn, it prevents them from viewing your profile or contacting you on the platform. But it does not delete existing message threads between you and that person.
Here’s what happens when you block another LinkedIn member:
– They will no longer be able to find or view your profile. You become invisible to them.
– They cannot send new messages to you or add you to Groups.
– You will both be removed from each other’s connections list.
– Prior messages exchanged before blocking will still be visible in both your inboxes. Neither person can delete these messages from the other’s inbox.
– You will not receive notifications from that person nor see their comments/posts.
Blocking only prevents further interaction – it does not erase the history of your past communication on LinkedIn. Any messages sent previously will still be accessible in your inbox and the other person’s inbox.
Again, there is no way to selectively delete parts of the message history or recall messages once sent and received by another LinkedIn member. Blocking just limits future messaging/visibility going forward.
Linking Guidelines on LinkedIn Messaging
Because messages on LinkedIn cannot be universally deleted or edited once sent, it’s important to follow professional communication guidelines when messaging connections. Here are some tips:
Be cautious sending confidential company information
Avoid sending internal documents or sensitive company data via LinkedIn messaging. This content will remain visible and accessible to the recipient indefinitely.
Double check messages before hitting send
Proofread messages and make sure to send them to the intended recipient only. Mistakes can happen, so review carefully before sending.
Keep tone formal and avoid inflammatory speech
LinkedIn messaging is for professional relationships only. Don’t say anything you wouldn’t be comfortable with your colleagues or manager seeing.
Think twice before criticizing employers or contacts
Remember that messages can remain visible years later and be forwarded to others. Don’t burn bridges through impulsive communication.
Be wise about humour, sarcasm, or slang
Tone can be misinterpreted over messages. Err on the side of caution if joking around informally.
Following these tips will reduce the risks of messaging mishaps that could negatively impact your reputation and relationships on LinkedIn. Proper professional communication is key.
Options if You Regret Sending a LinkedIn Message
Although it’s impossible to delete a sent message for everyone on LinkedIn, you do have some options if you regret sending an improper or unintended message:
Delete the message from your own inbox
This at least removes your view of any objectionable content you sent, even if the recipient can still see it. Out of sight, out of mind.
Promptly message the recipient asking them to disregard
If it was an unintentional message, let them know immediately to ignore it and that it was sent by mistake.
Block the recipient from seeing your profile and contacting you
Prevent any further communication on the platform by blocking their account. This limits any potential fallout.
Customize your inbox to hide the message thread
Use LinkedIn’s settings to customize your inbox views. Hide conversations you don’t want to be reminded about.
Change your notification settings
Adjust notifications to avoid being updated about responses or new messages from a particular unwanted conversation.
Report harassment or misconduct to LinkedIn
If a contact is harassing you via messaging or text violates guidelines, formally report them to LinkedIn for violation of terms.
While less than ideal, these damage control tactics can help mitigate the impact of messaging mistakes and misjudgments that happen from time to time.
Conclusion
In summary, there is no way for LinkedIn users to delete or recall messages once they have been sent and accessed by the recipient. While you can delete a message from your own inbox view, the recipient will still be able to see the full message thread. This is due to LinkedIn’s messaging architecture and policies.
To maintain professionalism on LinkedIn, be cautious when messaging connections. Do not send anything inflammatory, confidential, or unintended. Be advised that all messages remain visible and saved unless actively deleted by the recipient. There are options to block contacts and modify inbox settings if you need to limit damage from messaging regrets. But the safest practice is simply thinking twice before hitting send in a LinkedIn message.