Yes, LinkedIn does have a feature called “seen messages” which allows users to see if their messages have been viewed by the recipient. When you send a message on LinkedIn, there will be an icon next to the message indicating whether it has been seen or not.
What are Seen Messages on LinkedIn?
Seen messages, also known as read receipts, are a feature on LinkedIn that shows whether a message you sent has been opened and viewed by the recipient. If the recipient has viewed the message, a small icon will appear next to the message showing it has been “seen.” This allows the sender to know if their message has been read.
The seen icon is a filled-in circle for messages that have been opened. For messages that have not yet been viewed, the icon is an empty circle. So if you send a message and notice the empty circle icon, you know your message has been delivered but not yet read.
Where to Find Seen Messages on LinkedIn
You can find seen receipt icons in a few places on LinkedIn:
- In your messages inbox – Look next to each sent message for the seen icon. Hover over it to confirm “Seen.”
- On the message thread – When viewing a message thread, seen icons display next to each message.
- In email notifications – If you get emailed about a new LinkedIn message, the notification will say if it’s been seen or not.
- On mobile app – The LinkedIn mobile app also shows seen receipts next to messages.
Who Can See Seen Messages on LinkedIn?
Both the sender and recipient of a message can see the seen receipt icon. So if Person A sends a message to Person B:
- Person A will see the seen icon once Person B opens the message.
- Person B will also see the seen icon on their end once they’ve read it.
This allows both parties to know when a message has been read. Only the sender and recipient can view seen receipts – other LinkedIn members not involved in the message won’t see the icons.
Why Seen Messages are Useful on LinkedIn
Seen receipts can be very helpful on LinkedIn for a few reasons:
- Confirmation your message was delivered – The seen icon reassures you that your message successfully reached the recipient’s inbox.
- Know if someone is ignoring you – If you don’t see the seen icon after a while, the recipient probably hasn’t checked their LinkedIn messages.
- Follow up appropriately – Knowing if a message was read helps you determine when and how to follow up if needed.
- Keep the conversation going – Seeing that the recipient read your message can cue you to send a follow-up.
Overall, seen receipts create better messaging experiences on LinkedIn by adding context around your conversations.
Tips for Using Seen Messages on LinkedIn
Here are some tips to keep in mind when using read receipts on LinkedIn:
- Don’t bombard someone if they’ve seen your message but haven’t replied – they could just be busy.
- Understand seen icons don’t guarantee a response – recipients opening a message doesn’t necessarily mean they will reply.
- Use discretion with following up – make sure your follow-up is adding value, not pestering them.
- Remember messages can be seen on phones or computers other than the primary account holder’s devices.
- Don’t assume a lack of seen icon means the person is ignoring you – they may just not check LinkedIn often.
Turning Off Seen Receipts
If you prefer not to use read receipts on LinkedIn, they can be disabled:
- On desktop – Go to your LinkedIn Settings & Privacy and uncheck “Show read receipts.”
- On mobile – Go to your app Settings and toggle off “Send read receipts.”
With read receipts off, you won’t see seen icons for any messages you send or receive. Recipients of your messages will also no longer get seen receipts from you.
Seen Messages vs. Delivered Messages
In addition to seen messages, LinkedIn also shows if a message was successfully “delivered” to the recipient’s inbox. Here is how seen and delivered differ:
- Delivered – Message reached the recipient’s inbox.
- Seen – Recipient has opened and viewed the message.
A message can be delivered but not seen. But if it shows as seen, that means it was successfully delivered as well.
Limits of Seen Messages
While seen messages are useful, they have some limitations:
- No way to tell how thoroughly message was read – skimmed vs. studied in depth.
- Doesn’t mean recipient fully comprehended the message.
- People can accidentally open messages without reading them.
- Messages may be read by someone other than the intended recipient.
- Buggy apps could falsely show messages as seen or unread.
So while helpful, take seen receipts as one signal among many when messaging someone. Don’t assume they fully processed a message just because the seen icon appears.
Proper LinkedIn Messaging Etiquette
When using seen receipts on LinkedIn, keep these etiquette tips in mind:
- Don’t bombard people with follow-up messages – allow time for a response.
- Avoid tagging contacts just to indicate you want a reply.
- Don’t call out someone for not responding – assume positive intent.
- Remember they don’t owe you a response – respect their communication preferences.
In general, use seen messages only to politely follow up, not to pressure recipients. And don’t assume malice if someone doesn’t reply – they likely just missed your message in their inbox.
Use Cases for Seen Messages on LinkedIn
There are many scenarios where the seen receipt feature comes in handy on LinkedIn:
- Job interviews – Confirm an interview request or follow-up was received.
- Prospecting – See if your targeted outreach landed successfully.
- Sales inquiries – Check if a prospect opened your message about a product/service.
- Networking – Validate a connection request was seen by the recipient.
- Lead generation – Track opens of your personalized messages to prospects.
The key is using seen messages to politely keep conversations moving – not to bombard people or make them uncomfortable. When used properly, it’s a very useful LinkedIn feature.
Troubleshooting Seen Messages
Here are some things to try if you’re having issues with read receipts on LinkedIn:
- Make sure you have the newest version of the LinkedIn app.
- Check app notifications settings for read receipts.
- Toggle read receipts off and back on in LinkedIn Settings.
- Log out and log back into LinkedIn.
- Clear LinkedIn app cache/data and restart app.
- Try on both mobile and desktop to isolate issues.
- Report bugs to LinkedIn if issues persist.
Read receipts not showing up consistently could indicate a bug or glitch affecting your account. Trying the troubleshooting steps above often resolves many common problems.
LinkedIn Read Receipts vs. Other Platforms
Compared to other platforms, LinkedIn’s seen message feature has some similarities and differences:
- Facebook Messenger – Also uses filled-in and empty circle icons by default for read receipts.
- WhatsApp – Uses checkmarks instead of circles but also indicates seen messages.
- Instagram – Has a different icon but functions similarly.
- Twitter DMs – No read receipts available, so no way to see if a message was seen.
- Slack – Doesn’t have built-in read receipts but some third-party apps add the feature.
Overall, LinkedIn’s implementation works well and provides clear seen/delivered indicators to improve business messaging.
The Takeaway on LinkedIn Seen Messages
Seen messages on LinkedIn provide value by giving senders confirmation when their messages are opened and read. This allows for polite follow-ups and helps keep conversations progressing smoothly.
However, some discretion is required. Don’t misuse the feature to pressure recipients, and understand seen doesn’t guarantee a response. With proper etiquette, seen receipts offer transparency and context to messaging.