On LinkedIn, you can accept message requests from other members in order to start communicating with them. Here are the steps to accept messages on LinkedIn:
On Desktop
- Log in to your LinkedIn account on the desktop site.
- Click on the “My Network” icon at the top navigation bar.
- Under the “Manage” section, click on “Invitations”.
- This will open the “Invitations” page where you can see all your pending invitations and messages.
- To accept a message request, find the message and click on “Accept”. This will open the message thread with that member.
- You can now start conversing with the member by typing your message in the message box and hitting enter or clicking the send icon.
On Mobile App
- Open the LinkedIn mobile app on your device.
- Tap on the “My Network” tab at the bottom.
- This will open your connections page. Tap on “Invitations” at the top.
- You will see a list of all pending invitations and messages.
- To accept a message, tap on the message. This will open the message details.
- Tap on “Accept” to start the conversation.
- Type your message in the text box and hit send to reply.
Who can send you messages on LinkedIn?
On LinkedIn, you can receive messages from the following:
- Your 1st degree connections – These are members who you are directly connected with.
- 2nd degree connections – These are connections of your 1st degree connections.
- Group members – If you are part of any common LinkedIn groups.
- LinkedIn members who you share a paid LinkedIn subscription with e.g. Recruiter seat, Sales Navigator etc.
Essentially, any LinkedIn member with whom you share some common connection can send you message requests. However, you have the control to accept a message request before starting a conversation.
Does accepting a message mean connecting with the member?
No, accepting a message request does not automatically connect you with the member. It simply starts a conversation thread with that person. Your networks remain unchanged.
To connect with a member who has messaged you, you can send them a connection request by going to their profile and clicking “Connect”. Or, they can send you a connection invitation which you can then accept.
How to customize your messaging preferences?
You can customize your messaging settings on LinkedIn to control who can message you:
- Go to your LinkedIn account settings.
- Under “Communications”, click on “Sharing & Visibility”.
- Under “Message Settings”, choose from:
- All LinkedIn Members – Anyone can send you messages.
- Only people who know your email address or are connections – Limits messages to your connections only.
- No one – Disables messaging completely.
- Click “Apply” to save changes.
Additionally, you can also block a member who is messaging you inappropriately. Just go to their profile, click the “More” icon and choose “Block”.
How to know if someone has read your LinkedIn message?
LinkedIn does not have read receipts for messages. So there is no way to directly know if the recipient has read your message. However, here are some indicators:
- The recipient replies to your message. This confirms they have read it.
- The message shows “Sent” below it. If it still shows “Sent”, likely they haven’t read it yet.
- The preview of your message disappears once the other person opens it.
- On desktop, if you have sales navigator, it shows if your message is read.
While not foolproof, these signs can tell you if the LinkedIn message was viewed or not. Lack of read receipts is to protect privacy of users.
Does the Sender Know if You’ve Read Their Message?
Similar to you, the sender also cannot directly know for sure if you have read their message on LinkedIn. Some indicators for them include:
- You replying confirms you have read their message.
- On desktop, sales navigator shows if you have read the message.
- The “Sent” status changing to “Read” also indicates you may have opened it.
But there are no read receipts visible to the sender. Your reading of the message remains private.
How to reply to a LinkedIn message?
Replying to LinkedIn messages is easy. Once you have accepted a message request, here is how you can reply:
- Open the conversation thread with the member.
- In the text box at the bottom, type out your message.
- You can add emojis or attach files if you want.
- Once done, simply click the send icon or press enter to send your message.
This will send your reply and add it to the conversation thread. The recipient will be notified and can respond back, turning it into a conversation.
How to start a new conversation?
To initiate messaging with a LinkedIn member, here are the steps:
- Go to their LinkedIn profile.
- Click on the “More” icon next to the “Connect” button.
- Choose “Send message” from the dropdown menu.
- Type your message in the text box and hit send.
This will send them a message notification. Once they accept it, the conversation can begin.
Useful tips for LinkedIn messaging
- Personalize messages with the recipient’s name.
- Be clear about your intent and purpose for reaching out.
- Add a clear and concise subject line.
- Keep messages short and conversational.
- Include a call to action if you need a response.
- Follow up if you don’t get a response within a week.
- Avoid spamming or mass messaging.
- Use LinkedIn messages for professional networking only.
Following these tips will make you more successful with LinkedIn messaging and conversions.