If you are having trouble seeing your LinkedIn messages, there are a few potential reasons and solutions you can try. The most common reasons are that your messages are going to another inbox, the sender has limited who can see the message, or you have messaging turned off. Here are some steps to troubleshoot:
Check your LinkedIn inbox
LinkedIn has several different inboxes where messages can go. Check your main LinkedIn inbox by clicking the Messaging icon in the top navigation bar. This houses messages from connections and LinkedIn itself.
If the message isn’t there, open the Me icon and go to Manage > Settings & Privacy. Click Communications to view your settings. See if you have notifications enabled for when you receive an InMail or connection request. If not, enable them so you don’t miss messages.
Look in your Other inbox
LinkedIn automatically filters some messages into the Other inbox. This includes messages from people not in your network.
To view it, go to Messaging > More > Other. See if the missing message is in the Other tab. If so, you can move it to your main inbox.
Note the Other inbox only keeps messages for 30 days before deleting them, so check promptly.
Check if the sender limited visibility
On LinkedIn, senders can limit who can see a particular message. For example, they may want to send it only to people at a certain company.
If the sender limited visibility and you’re not in the target audience, you won’t be able to view the message.
There’s no workaround for this on your end as a recipient unfortunately. You will need to contact the sender and ask them to resend the message without visibility limitations.
Make sure messaging settings are on
LinkedIn allows you to control which messages you receive under Settings & Privacy > Communications > Message settings.
Go here and make sure you have the following enabled:
– Receive messages from anyone (not just people in your network)
– Receive chat & InMail messages
– Receive messages when you’re mentioned
If any of those are disabled, turn them on so you can view all messages sent to you on LinkedIn moving forward.
Check for email notifications about the message
When someone sends you a message on LinkedIn, you should get an email notification too by default.
Check your email inbox and spam folder for any emails from LinkedIn about a new message. The email should have brief details about the message and a link to view it on LinkedIn.
If you see the notification but can’t find the actual message, try the link in the email. Sometimes it will let you view a message even if you can’t access it directly on LinkedIn.
Try viewing LinkedIn on desktop
The LinkedIn website sometimes has features and options that the mobile app lacks. Try viewing your LinkedIn inbox and messages on a desktop or laptop computer instead.
Log into your account on LinkedIn.com and see if the missing messages appear there. The Other inbox in particular is easier to find and manage on desktop.
You can also try clearing cookies and cache in your browser to see if that fixes any display issues with your messages and inboxes.
Ask the sender to resend
If you’ve checked all your inboxes and settings but still can’t find the message anywhere, reach out to the sender and ask them to send it again. Explain that LinkedIn says the message was sent successfully but you can’t view it on your end.
Before they resend, make sure your accounts are connected. Have them add you as a connection if they haven’t already done so.
Also ask what type of message they sent – InMail, direct message, or from the LinkedIn mobile app. Knowing the method they used originally may help troubleshoot why it didn’t come through.
Contact LinkedIn support
If resending the message still doesn’t work, there may be a technical issue blocking delivery specifically between you and the sender. Contact LinkedIn customer service for help.
Describe the situation and steps you’ve tried already. They may be able to diagnose and resolve the problem, whether it’s an account settings issue or bug preventing message visibility.
Check your account status
In some cases, LinkedIn may restrict messaging capabilities for an account. This can happen if you violated their terms of service at some point.
Go to your LinkedIn settings and look for any notices about account limitations. If your messaging has been restricted, you’ll have to appeal to LinkedIn support to get it reinstated.
Troubleshoot on mobile
If you’re trying to view LinkedIn messages on mobile, a few steps may help:
- Force quit and restart the LinkedIn app
- Update to the latest version of the app
- Clear the app data/cache through phone settings
- Uninstall and reinstall the LinkedIn app
- Log out then back into the mobile app
- Reset your phone network settings
- Try on a different wifi or mobile data connection
If none of those work, try viewing your LinkedIn messages on a desktop computer instead to see if they appear there.
Prevent future missing messages
To avoid LinkedIn message issues going forward, a few best practices can help:
- Check your LinkedIn notifications settings and turn on all message options
- Frequently view your main inbox plus the Other tab
- Keep your LinkedIn app updated on mobile
- Don’t ignore or delete LinkedIn emails about new messages
- Connect back with anyone who messages you
- Avoid actions that could restrict your account like spamming
Actively managing messages and connections makes it less likely for things to inadvertently get lost or filtered in the future.
When all else fails, pick up the phone
For an urgent business matter, if you still can’t get a LinkedIn message to send or view properly, your best bet may be to just call the person. Explain the situation and see if you can resolve things verbally over the phone instead.
While not ideal, it’s a reliable workaround when technology fails and the message absolutely can’t wait. Just be sure to follow up over LinkedIn later once the messaging problem is sorted out.
With these troubleshooting tips, hopefully you can get to the bottom of the missing LinkedIn messages situation. Double check your inbox settings, try viewing messages on desktop, and contact LinkedIn support if needed. With a little diligence, you should be able to recover access to your important conversations on LinkedIn.
Related Questions
Why are my LinkedIn messages going to Other instead of my inbox?
LinkedIn automatically redirects messages from people not in your network to the Other tab. You can move them to your inbox manually if needed. LinkedIn does this to prevent spam from strangers reaching your main inbox.
How do I find old LinkedIn messages?
Go to your inbox and use the search bar to find keywords from the old message. You can also filter by date range to narrow it down. LinkedIn keeps messages for up to 30 days in your inbox before auto-deleting.
Can LinkedIn messages be hacked?
Unlikely, but exercise caution as with any messages. Don’t click suspicious links, reply with personal/financial information, or download attachments that could contain malware. Enable two-factor authentication for extra security.
Why are my LinkedIn notifications not working?
Check your notification settings under Settings & Privacy > Communications. Make sure email and in-app notifications are enabled for new messages. Also confirm your email address is verified and up to date.
How do I recover a deleted LinkedIn message?
Unfortunately there is no way to recover deleted LinkedIn messages currently. They are permanently removed after 30 days. Your best option is to ask the sender to message you again if needed.
