As a LinkedIn user, you may find yourself receiving notifications for new messages that pop up on your screen while you’re trying to work or browse other sites. While some find these message pop-ups useful for staying on top of conversations, others may find them distracting or disruptive. Fortunately, LinkedIn allows you to control these notifications and minimize disruptive pop-ups.
Understanding LinkedIn Message Notifications
When another LinkedIn member sends you a direct message via LinkedIn’s messaging platform, you will receive a notification by default. There are two main ways these message notifications can reach you:
- Popup notifications that appear briefly over your current browser tab or application.
- A red message notification icon that appears in the top right corner of your LinkedIn homepage and profile pages.
Both notification types aim to grab your attention and let you know that you’ve received a new message. The popup notifications can feel particularly intrusive, as they take over a portion of your screen temporarily.
Disabling Message Popup Notifications
If you want to turn off the popup notifications that alert you to new LinkedIn messages, you can do so in your account settings:
- Click on the Me icon in the top right corner of your LinkedIn homepage and click Settings & Privacy.
- In the left sidebar, click Notifications.
- Under Messages, toggle the switch off for Receive desktop notifications when you have new messages.
With desktop notifications disabled, you will stop receiving popups for new LinkedIn messages. However, the red message notification icon may still appear in your header bar to inform you of new unread messages.
Silencing Message Notifications Entirely
If you want to silence LinkedIn message notifications altogether, you can:
- Mute conversations to stop receiving notifications from specific message threads.
- Disable the red message notification icon in your account settings.
To mute a conversation:
- Open the message thread you want to mute.
- Click the More icon (3 dots).
- Select Mute notifications.
This will stop notifications from that conversation thread. Repeat for any other conversations you want to mute.
To disable the red message icon that appears with unread messages:
- Go to Settings & Privacy in your account menu.
- Click on Notifications in the left sidebar.
- Under Messages, toggle the switch off for Show a notification count when you have new messages.
With both desktop popups and the notification icon disabled, you will no longer receive any visual cues for new messages. However, messages will still arrive in your LinkedIn inbox.
More Options for Managing LinkedIn Messages
In addition to silencing notifications, there are a few other options for managing LinkedIn messages and limiting distractions:
- Update message preferences – Configure your preferences for receiving messages from outside your network or turning off read receipts.
- Ignore conversations – Completely remove conversations from your inbox so they no longer appear.
- Leave conversations – Exit from group conversations that no longer interest you.
- Add senders to Restricted List – Prevent unwanted messages from specific members.
Using your preferences and the conversation management tools can help curate your LinkedIn inbox and reduce noise. Focus on the conversations and connections most valuable for your goals on the platform.
Troubleshooting LinkedIn Message Notifications
If you have disabled notifications but are still receiving message popups or notification icons, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Double check your notification settings – Confirm that popups and red icons are toggled off.
- Refresh/reload – The page may need a manual refresh to apply new settings.
- Log out and log back in – Resetting your session can help apply changes.
- Check different browsers – Settings may differ across browsers if you use multiple.
- Update LinkedIn – Outdated app or site versions can cause issues.
Additionally, some third-party LinkedIn tools and browser extensions may activate their own message notifications outside of LinkedIn’s settings. Review any other LinkedIn-connected apps you use.
If issues persist, you can try reaching out to LinkedIn’s customer support for assistance investigating further.
Conclusion
LinkedIn message notifications aim to connect you with relevant conversations, but can sometimes become intrusive and distracting. By adjusting your notification settings, muting conversations, and leveraging message management tools, you can take control over LinkedIn messages and curate a more focused inbox. Silencing distracting message pop-ups can help you stay productive and avoid unnecessary disruptions while using LinkedIn.
