LinkedIn allows you to access and search through old messages you have previously sent or received on the platform. Here are some tips to help you find those old LinkedIn messages:
Search your messages inbox
The easiest way to find an old message on LinkedIn is to use the search bar at the top of your messages inbox. Just enter any keywords, names, company names, etc. that might help surface the message you’re looking for. LinkedIn will search through all of your received messages and show matching results.
You can filter the search results by selecting “Received” or “Sent” at the top to only see messages you’ve received or sent. Use the date filter on the left sidebar to narrow down the date range if you have an estimate of when the message was exchanged.
Look through your message threads
Scroll through your message threads on the left sidebar of your inbox. This allows you to go through conversations with your connections over time. Look out for the name of the person or any keywords that may jog your memory and take you to the message.
Click on a conversation thread and use ctrl/cmd + F on your keyboard to search for keywords within that thread. You can also try sorting the messages by oldest first to go through the history.
Search All Mail
Use LinkedIn’s “All Mail” search option to look through all messages, including those in the inbox, sent items, and even deleted folders. Just go to the top of your inbox page and click “All Mail”.
This will let you search through everything using keywords, names, companies etc. Make sure to filter by date range if possible to narrow down the results.
Check your sent items
Sometimes it’s easier to locate an old sent message than finding the reply. Go to your sent items folder and scroll through your message history or use the search bar.
Looking for names and keywords related to what you might have discussed could help surface the initial message. You can then sometimes find the reply in your inbox by searching for that same message thread.
Recover deleted messages
If you have deleted a message thread that you now need to find, you may be able to recover it from your deleted items folder. LinkedIn holds deleted messages for 30 days before permanently removing them.
Go to your inbox, click the 3 dots icon at the top and select “View deleted”. Scan through the list of deleted items and search for any relevant keywords or names. You can restore any deleted messages during this 30 day period.
Export your Linkedin data
If the message you’re searching for was sent a long time ago, your best option might be to request an export of your LinkedIn data. This will include a zip file with all your messages and other LinkedIn activity.
On LinkedIn go to your profile icon > Settings & Privacy > Get a copy of your data. Request the download which may take up to 72 hours to process. Once ready, filter through the messages folder to find what you need.
Try searching your email inbox
For really old Linkedin conversations, check your regular email inbox. LinkedIn sends an email notification when you receive a new message. Try searching for the sender’s name or relevant keywords to see if you still have the notification email.
This email will usually include some of the message content as a preview that could jog your memory or give clues about that previous discussion.
Use a desktop browser
LinkedIn’s messaging capabilities are better optimized for desktop browsers compared to mobile. Searching through a lot of old messages is easier with a large screen and physical keyboard.
Some features like advanced search filters and sorting options are more readily available on the desktop site. Use your computer browser if you need to extensively dig through your inbox.
Adjust your LinkedIn settings
To avoid losing track of important messages in the future, adjust your LinkedIn settings. Turn on email notifications for all new messages under “Communications” in your Settings & Privacy.
Also enable auto-saving of all sent/received messages under “Data privacy & personalization”. This will make sure your messages are preserved if you ever need to reference them again.
Use a third-party tool
Some third-party software integrations for LinkedIn allow you to automatically save all your LinkedIn messages and data. This makes it easier to search through years of message history when needed.
Tools like Mixmax, GmailifyMe, and Nimble CRM sync LinkedIn messages with your email which becomes searchable. Social media archiving tools like Everypost and Social Safe also backup messages.
Contact LinkedIn support
In some cases, you may be able to get help directly from LinkedIn to recover deleted or extremely old messages no longer accessible through your account.
Reach out to LinkedIn’s customer service through their help center and open a support ticket. Explain what message you need recovered and why it’s important. There’s no guarantee, but their agents may be able to assist in some situations.
So in summary, take advantage of LinkedIn’s search and filtering options, look through your messaging folders, request a data export, check email notifications, and use third-party tools to find lost conversations. With some persistence, you can usually uncover old messages when needed.