The short answer is yes, you can export your LinkedIn messages. LinkedIn allows users to download a copy of their account data, including messages, which can then be saved as a file on your computer or external storage device.
Why Export LinkedIn Messages?
There are several reasons why you may want to export your LinkedIn messages:
- To have a backup of important conversations
- To save messages before deleting your LinkedIn account
- To view messages offline or on another device
- To analyze messages for business or research purposes
- For record keeping or compliance requirements
Exporting your messages allows you to retain access to your conversations even if you no longer have a LinkedIn account. The exported data can serve as a useful archive.
How to Export LinkedIn Messages
Exporting LinkedIn messages is a straightforward process. Here are the steps:
- Go to your LinkedIn account settings page. This can be accessed by clicking on the “Me” icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- On the left sidebar menu, click on “Data privacy”.
- Under “Get a copy of your data”, click on the blue “Request archive” button.
- On the popup that appears, select the data you want to export. Make sure “Messages” is checked.
- Choose your requested format. LinkedIn allows export as either .zip files or .json files.
- Enter your LinkedIn account password to confirm the data request.
- Click on the “Request archive” button to submit your request.
- LinkedIn will start processing the request. This usually takes about 24-48 hours but can take up to a week.
- Once ready, LinkedIn will email you a link to download your archive.
- Download the file and save it to your computer or external device.
- Unzip the file if it’s in .zip format to access your messages and other LinkedIn data.
And that’s it! Following these steps will allow you to download a copy of your LinkedIn messages for export and backup.
What Data is Included in Exported Messages?
The exported LinkedIn messages will contain your full message history across these apps and features:
- LinkedIn inbox messages
- Conversations with your LinkedIn connections
- Messages sent through LinkedIn Groups
- Messages from your LinkedIn Company/Brand page
- Direct messages from the LinkedIn messaging feature
For each message thread, you’ll be able to see the full back-and-forth conversation including dates and timestamps. Images shared through messages will also be included.
Keep in mind exported LinkedIn messages do not include:
- Messages or posts in LinkedIn Group forums or discussions boards
- Comments on LinkedIn posts, articles, videos
- Messages on third-party apps like Slack or Teams integrated with LinkedIn
But overall, the LinkedIn message export will contain the majority of conversations from your account.
What Format Options Are Available for Exported Messages?
LinkedIn allows users to export an account archive in the following formats:
- .ZIP file – This contains your LinkedIn data as a compressed zipped folder. When unzipped, the data is organized into subfolders and HTML files.
- .JSON file – This is your account data in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format, which is structured as readable text.
The .zip file option retains the original LinkedIn formatting and structure. But the .json file option is better for developers wanting to analyze or manipulate the data programmatically.
Both formats contain the same account data – your choice depends on your needs for the exported archive.
Are There any Limits on Message Exports?
LinkedIn places some limits on how often users can request an account data export:
- You are limited to 1 export request per calendar week.
- Each account data archive is limited to a maximum size of 5GB.
- Exports can contain data going back a maximum of 90 days.
This means very frequent exports are not allowed, and you won’t be able to export your entire message history if you’ve been actively using LinkedIn for years. But for most users, you should be able to export your recent conversations without hitting the limits.
Can You Export LinkedIn Messages of Other Users?
You can only export your own LinkedIn messages and account data. For privacy reasons, downloading another user’s messages is not possible through LinkedIn’s tools.
The message export contains your private conversations, so it would be unethical and in violation of LinkedIn’s terms to access or export someone else’s data.
Tips for Managing Exported LinkedIn Messages
Here are some tips for managing your exported LinkedIn data archive:
- Store the exported files securely just like any other important data.
- Consider encryption or password protection for sensitive business messages.
- Back up the exported messages to external drives or cloud storage in case your main copy gets corrupted or lost.
- Open .json files in a text or code editor for easier readability and searching.
- Use the subfolders in the .zip archive to navigate different data types.
- On Mac computers, preview the HTML files in LinkedIn data exports using Quick Look for quick access without extracting the zip file.
Properly managing your exported messages will make it easier to find, view and analyze old LinkedIn conversations.
Alternative Ways to Export LinkedIn Messages
Besides LinkedIn’s account data export, there are some alternative options for saving your LinkedIn messages:
- LinkedIn saver browser extensions – These extensions let you save LinkedIn conversations directly from your inbox.
- Copy/paste messages – You can manually copy and paste messages into another app or document.
- Email conversations to yourself – Forward important message threads via email for offline access.
- Screenshots – Take screenshots of conversations on desktop and mobile as a quick exporting option.
However, these manual methods are more time consuming compared to LinkedIn’s full automated data export. But they can serve as handy alternatives in a pinch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about exporting LinkedIn messages and account data:
Does exporting LinkedIn messages remove them from my account?
No, exporting your messages does not delete or remove them from your LinkedIn account. It just creates a copy. Your conversations remain intact.
Does the other person receive a notification when I export messages with them?
No, exporting LinkedIn messages is completely private and invisible to your contacts. They will not know you downloaded your inbox conversations.
What if I need to export messages older than 90 days?
Unfortunately LinkedIn’s account export only includes data from the last 90 days maximum. To save older messages, you would have had to export them previously before they expired.
Can I export messages from my LinkedIn Sales Navigator account?
Yes, exporting account data includes messages from both your main LinkedIn account and LinkedIn Sales Navigator if you have it enabled.
Is there a way to automate regular exports of my LinkedIn messages?
LinkedIn does not offer a built-in way to schedule automated recurring message exports. The only option is to manually request the export weekly as needed.
Do my exported messages also include attachments and shared files?
Yes, any files, images, and attachments exchanged in your conversations will be included in the exported message data.
Can I export my LinkedIn messages as a PDF instead of HTML or JSON formats?
No, LinkedIn does not directly let you export account data as PDFs. But you can print or use PDF conversion tools on HTML files from the export.
In Conclusion
Exporting your LinkedIn messages allows you to create backups for important business discussions and access conversations offline. Although frequent mass exports are restricted, most users should be able to adequately extract their recent inbox history.
With proper management and organization of the exported files, you can build a useful archive of your professional conversations and connections.
