LinkedIn uses different colored dots next to member’s names and photos to indicate their status and availability. These dots serve as a quick visual cue to convey whether someone is active, offline, or busy. Understanding what each color dot signifies can be useful when connecting with other members.
Green Dot
A green dot next to a LinkedIn member’s name or profile photo means they are online and available to chat or message. The green status dot indicates the member is actively using LinkedIn at that moment.
Some key things to know about the green dot:
- It shows the member is currently online and active on LinkedIn.
- It signals they are likely to respond quickly to messages or connection requests.
- The green dot appears when the member has the LinkedIn mobile app open and is actively using it.
- On the desktop site, it means the member has a LinkedIn tab or window open in their browser.
The presence of the green dot means it is a good time to reach out to a connection, because they are currently active on LinkedIn. However, the absence of a green dot does not necessarily mean a member is unreachable. They may still respond promptly to messages, even without the green active status indicator.
Orange Dot
An orange dot next to a LinkedIn member’s profile can mean different things:
- It may indicate the member has their profile set to “Do Not Disturb” mode. This causes the orange dot to display when they are active on LinkedIn.
- Members who are Premium subscribers can also manually set their status to “Do Not Disturb” to trigger the orange dot.
- The orange dot signifies they are active on LinkedIn, but may be limiting notifications and interruptions while using the platform.
So essentially, the orange dot signals the member is active on LinkedIn but has indicated they are not fully available to connect. It’s best to avoid sending messages or connection requests to those with an orange dot showing, unless they are an existing connection. The orange “Do Not Disturb” status means they’ve limited their availability for the time being.
No Dot
When there is no colored dot next to a LinkedIn member’s name or profile picture, it simply means they are not currently active on the platform. Some things to know about profiles without a status dot:
- It indicates the member does not currently have LinkedIn open and is not logged in.
- They may still be active elsewhere online, just not on LinkedIn at that moment.
- The lack of a green or orange dot does not indicate anything about their overall availability to connect.
- They may be active on LinkedIn sporadically throughout the day without the constant green dot.
Essentially, no dot just means the LinkedIn member is not actively using LinkedIn at that exact point in time. You can still reach out to them without the green dot, but they may take a bit longer to respond compared to when they are live on the platform.
Gray Dot
A gray dot indicates that a member has the LinkedIn mobile app installed on their device, but they have not used it recently. Some key things to know about the gray dot:
- It means they have not opened or actively used the LinkedIn mobile app for at least a week.
- Their last active moment within the app was at least 7 days ago.
- They are considered inactive LinkedIn mobile app users.
- This does not reveal anything about their activity on the desktop LinkedIn site.
Essentially, members with a gray dot are LinkedIn users who have gone more than a week without accessing LinkedIn on their phone or tablet. They may still be active on the desktop site, however.
Profile Photo Only
Sometimes on LinkedIn you will see only a member’s profile photo without any color dot next to it. There are a few possible meanings for this:
- It may show for members who are not your LinkedIn connections.
- For non-connections, LinkedIn may omit the status dot as their availability is less relevant.
- A missing dot may also occasionally be due to a glitch or delay in LinkedIn updating the user’s status.
- For connections, no dot usually just indicates they are inactive at the moment.
So generally, the lack of any colored dot can simply mean limited status information is available for that particular member. Their active status is not displayed due to either not being connected on LinkedIn or a technical issue.
How to Update Your Own Status
As a LinkedIn member, you can also control your own status dot and availability. Here’s how to update it:
- Via Mobile App: In your profile, tap “set status” and select your desired option (Available, Do Not Disturb, etc).
- Via Desktop Site: Click your profile photo > View profile > Edit public profile & contact info > Set your status update > Select status.
- As a Premium Subscriber: You can schedule your status, toggle Do Not Disturb mode, share when you’re available, and see profiles who viewed yours.
Updating your own status helps signal to connections when you are actively available for messaging and new opportunities on LinkedIn.
Conclusion
LinkedIn’s status dots are a simple but powerful feature. With green, orange, gray, and no dot options, members can quickly glance to see the availability of connections and prospects. Understanding what each colored dot means enables you to connect at the right times and respect others’ preferences on the platform.
Dot Color | Meaning |
---|---|
Green | Online and available |
Orange | Online but in ‘do not disturb’ mode |
No dot | Offline or inactive on LinkedIn |
Gray | Inactive LinkedIn mobile user |