When you delete a conversation on LinkedIn, whether it deletes the conversation for both parties or just for you depends on how you delete it. LinkedIn gives you a couple different options for removing conversations:
- Delete conversation – This deletes the entire thread for both sides.
- Delete for me – This removes the conversation from your inbox, but leaves it intact for the other person.
So in summary:
- If you delete the conversation, it removes it completely for you and the other person.
- If you delete it for yourself, it just takes it out of your inbox but leaves it for the other participant.
Below we’ll go into more detail on how each delete option works in LinkedIn messaging.
Deleting a LinkedIn Conversation Completely
If you want to delete a LinkedIn conversation entirely, removing it from both your inbox and the other person’s, you can use the “Delete conversation” option.
Here’s how to delete a full conversation on LinkedIn:
- Open the conversation thread you want to delete.
- Look for the More actions icon (the ellipsis icon) and click it.
- Select “Delete conversation.”
- Confirm you want to delete the conversation when prompted.
Once you complete these steps, the conversation will be permanently deleted for you and the person you were messaging. Neither of you will be able to access the conversation again.
Some key things to note about deleting full conversations:
- You can only delete conversations you initiated. If the other person started the chat, only they can delete it fully.
- Group conversations cannot be deleted completely. You can only remove them for yourself.
- Deleted conversations are removed from LinkedIn’s servers and cannot be recovered.
So in summary, the “Delete conversation” option erases the conversation for good for both you and the recipient. Use this when you want to permanently erase the entire discussion.
Deleting LinkedIn Conversations for Yourself
If you just want to remove a LinkedIn conversation from your own inbox but keep it intact for the other person, you can use the “Delete for me” option.
Here is how to delete a LinkedIn conversation for yourself only:
- Open the conversation thread you want to remove.
- Look for the More actions menu and select it.
- Choose “Delete for me.”
- Confirm you want to delete the conversation from your inbox.
Doing this will:
- Remove the conversation from your inbox and archive.
- Keep the conversation visible for the other participant.
- Allow the other person to continue replying to the thread.
Essentially, it’s like you are muting or ignoring the conversation instead of erasing it. The other person will have no indication you deleted it from your side.
Key things to know about deleting conversations for yourself:
- You can use this option even if the other person initiated the conversation.
- The chat will remain in LinkedIn’s records, just hidden from your inbox.
- You can still find deleted conversations under the Archived tab.
So in summary, deleting a conversation for yourself just removes it from your view while keeping it intact and visible for the other participant. Use this when you want to step away from a discussion without erasing it completely.
Restoring Deleted LinkedIn Conversations
If you regret deleting a LinkedIn conversation, whether fully or just from your inbox, there are a couple ways to try restoring it:
- Desktop – On LinkedIn desktop, deleted conversations get moved to the Archived folder. You can open Archived conversations and move them back to your inbox.
- Mobile app – The LinkedIn mobile app doesn’t have an archive. But you may be able to restore recently deleted conversations by tapping “Undo” after deleting.
However, keep in mind:
- Completely deleted conversations cannot be recovered if permanently removed from LinkedIn’s servers.
- Undoing a delete only works for a limited time, usually just a few seconds.
- On mobile, undo is not always available after deleting chats.
So restore deleted LinkedIn conversations promptly if possible. But keep in mind permanently deleted conversations cannot be brought back.
Differences Deleting on Mobile vs Desktop
Deleting LinkedIn conversations works a bit differently on mobile devices versus the desktop website:
Action | On Mobile | On Desktop |
---|---|---|
Delete conversation | Permanently erases the conversation from your inbox and the other person’s inbox. | Same behavior, deletes conversation fully. |
Delete for me | Removes conversation from your inbox only. | Archives conversation but you can restore it from Archived folder. |
Undo delete | You may have a few seconds to undo a delete by tapping Undo. | No undo option, but you can recover archived chats. |
So in summary:
- Fully deleting conversations works the same on mobile and desktop.
- But deleting for yourself is more permanent on mobile since conversations aren’t archived.
- Undoing a delete is only possible in the mobile app, and only for a brief time.
Consequences of Deleting LinkedIn Conversations
Before deleting LinkedIn conversations, it’s important to be aware of the consequences:
- Lost information – Any information, files, links etc shared in the conversation will be permanently deleted and irretrievable.
- Damage relationships – The other person may feel slighted if you delete chats without notice, especially for business relationships.
- Lose context – Conversations often have important context. Deleting them can make ongoing discussions confusing.
So consider if deleting is absolutely necessary vs just muting conversations or ignoring messages you don’t want to engage with anymore.
If you do need to delete a conversation, doing it politely can mitigate relationship harms:
- Let the person know you need to delete chat history and it’s not personal.
- Provide an alternate way to contact you (email, phone number etc).
- Save or export important information from the conversation before deleting.
With care, deleting LinkedIn messages can remove conversations you don’t want cluttering your inbox without damaging your relationships or losing vital information permanently.
Best Practices for Deleting LinkedIn Conversations
Here are some best practices to follow when deleting LinkedIn conversations:
- Avoid deleting chats from employers, business contacts, recruiters, or other important connections if possible.
- Export conversations to save important information before permanently deleting when necessary.
- Let the other person know if you plan to fully delete a conversation to avoid confusion.
- Use “Delete for me” to quietly remove conversations you want out of sight but not fully erased.
- Promptly restore accidentally deleted conversations from your archive when possible.
- Delete conversations consistently on mobile and desktop to avoid inbox clutter.
Following these tips will allow you to effectively remove unwanted LinkedIn conversations while minimizing negative consequences.
Limits on Deleting LinkedIn Conversations
LinkedIn does impose some limits around deleting conversations:
- You can only fully delete one-on-one conversations you initiate.
- Group conversations cannot be permanently erased, only removed from your view.
- Deleted conversations can only be recovered if archived or restored immediately after deleting.
- Permanently deleted conversations cannot be retrieved.
So while LinkedIn gives you options to remove conversations, there are restrictions. Make sure to delete carefully keeping these limits in mind.
Conclusion
To wrap up, deleting LinkedIn conversations completely erases them for both you and the other participant. This is irreversible. However, you can also just remove conversations from your own inbox which keeps them visible for the other party.
When deleting conversations, be thoughtful about losing information and relationships. Follow best practices like exporting chats and notifying connections. Be aware of LinkedIn’s limits around deleting and restoring conversations.
With the right approach, deleting LinkedIn messages can help curate your inbox and remove distractions while maintaining your essential professional connections.