LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional networking platforms, with over 722 million users worldwide as of April 2021. On LinkedIn, users can connect with other professionals, join groups, follow companies, and message other users. One feature of LinkedIn messaging is the ability to see when a message has been read by the recipient. This is indicated by one or two blue ticks or checkmarks next to the message.
What does one blue tick on a LinkedIn message mean?
A single blue tick on a LinkedIn message indicates that the message has been successfully delivered to the recipient’s inbox. This does not necessarily mean that the recipient has opened or read the message, only that it has been received by LinkedIn’s servers and is now accessible to the recipient in their inbox. Some key things to know about a single tick on LinkedIn:
- Confirmation of delivery – The message has been delivered to the recipient’s inbox.
- Message not yet read – The recipient has not yet opened or read the message. It is waiting unread in their inbox.
- Recipient may be offline – If the recipient is offline or has not accessed LinkedIn recently, the message will show one tick until they log in again.
- No guarantee it’s been seen – One tick does not confirm the recipient has read the message, only that LinkedIn has made it available to them.
So in summary, a single blue tick on a LinkedIn message simply means your message has successfully been transmitted to the recipient’s inbox and is accessible for them to read. It does not indicate the message has actually been read.
When does a LinkedIn message show two ticks?
LinkedIn messages will display two blue ticks next to a message when the recipient has opened or read the message. This occurs when:
- The recipient actively opens the message in their LinkedIn inbox.
- They view message previews from notifications or email alerts.
- They return to previous conversations which contain unread messages.
So unlike other messaging apps, LinkedIn does not wait until the recipient directly opens the conversation thread to mark a message as read. The two ticks will display as soon as they view the message in any location on LinkedIn. Some key pointers on the two tick indicator:
- Message has been read – Two ticks confirm the recipient has opened or viewed the message via inbox, notifications or elsewhere.
- No timescale indicator – Two ticks do not indicate how long ago the message was read.
- May not imply response time – Two ticks do not necessarily mean the recipient will respond immediately, or at all.
- Message was opened – Unlike one tick, two ticks verify the recipient has actively read the message content.
Why you may only see one tick on LinkedIn
There are a few reasons why a LinkedIn message may continue to show just a single tick, even though you sent it a while ago:
- Recipient has not logged in – If they are offline or have not accessed LinkedIn’s apps or site, the message will remain unread.
- They missed notifications – Email and app notifications can sometimes be missed or get lost among other alerts.
- They are ignoring the message – Some recipients may see your message but choose not to open it.
- Connection issues – Technical glitches may mean ticks do not update, though this is rare.
- You are no longer connected – If your connection has been removed, ticks will no longer update.
While one tick indicates the message was sent, two ticks are needed to confirm the recipient has read your message. If concerned about a lack of response, it may be wise to send a polite follow up message.
How long should you wait for two ticks?
There is no set timeframe for when a LinkedIn message will turn from one to two ticks. How long it takes depends on the individual recipient and their activity on LinkedIn. However, there are some general guidelines you can follow:
- 1-3 days – Wait at least this long before expecting two ticks for most connections.
- 1 week – Follow up if still no response or second tick after 7 days.
- 2 weeks+ – Message may have been missed or ignored if no update after 2+ weeks.
Also consider the nature of your relationship and frequency of communication. You may expect a quicker response from close connections whom you interact with often. With casual contacts, it is reasonable to allow more time for them to read and respond.
Can you see if someone reads a LinkedIn message?
Yes, LinkedIn’s messaging interface allows you to see when your messages have been read by the recipient. When they open or view the message, it will display two blue ticks next to it. This provides a confirmation that they have read the message content.
However, it is important to note that you cannot see exactly when they read the message, only that they have at some point. LinkedIn does not provide a timestamp or date of when the second tick appeared.
Also, while two ticks indicate the message was opened, keep in mind that:
- The recipient may not have read the full message.
- They may have quickly skimmed without fully processing it.
- There are ways to preview messages without triggering the read tick.
So two ticks confirm your message was opened but not necessarily thoroughly read and understood. Don’t assume the recipient has fully digested the message content.
What does it mean if a LinkedIn message doesn’t have any ticks?
Typically, a LinkedIn message should display either one or two blue ticks to indicate its status. However, sometimes you may see a message thread with no ticks at all next to your messages. There are a few possible reasons for this:
- You are no longer connected – If the connection was removed, ticks will disappear.
- Recipient account closed – Ticks will not show if the account no longer exists.
- Technical issues – Occasional bugs may prevent ticks from loading.
- Message failed to send – Rarely, a failed pending message may show no ticks.
If this occurs, first try refreshing the page or reloading the messaging window. Ticks should reappear if there is no underlying issue. If ticks remain missing, check your connection status with the recipient. You may need to re-establish the connection to resume normal messaging activity.
In most cases, lack of ticks likely indicates the recipient is no longer able to receive or read the messages you have sent them for one reason or another.
Can recipients tell if you’ve read their LinkedIn messages?
Yes, the tick indicator works both ways on LinkedIn. When you open a message sent to you, the sender will see two blue ticks appear next to the message on their own account.
So just as you can track if your messages have been read, other users can also see when you have read their messages to you. Some key points:
- Ticks appear mutually – Both parties see ticks on sent/received messages.
- They know when you’ve read – Two ticks notify them you’ve opened the message.
- No time visibility – They cannot see exactly when you read it.
Keep this in mind when deciding if or when to open messages on LinkedIn. For example, you may wish to delay opening an important message until you have time to thoughtfully respond. However, once opened, the sender will know you’ve read it.
Can you remove or turn off read receipts on LinkedIn?
Unlike some other messaging platforms, there is no built-in way to remove or disable read receipts on LinkedIn. The blue tick system is automatically enabled for all users when sending messages.
There are a couple of workaround options if you wish to read messages without triggering the read notification:
- Preview from notifications – Quickly preview the message without opening it.
- Turn off email alerts – Disable email notifications to avoid previewing.
- Use a separate viewer – View your inbox via a different LinkedIn account.
However, there is no setting or option within LinkedIn itself to remove ticks or prevent them from being displayed to the sender. The platform is designed with open read receipts in mind for transparency.
Who can see the ticks on your LinkedIn messages?
The visibility of the read receipt ticks on LinkedIn messages depends on your account settings:
- Public profiles – Ticks are visible to anyone who can see your profile and messages.
- Private profiles – Only your connections can see your ticks and messaging activity.
For private accounts, your messaging activity is only exposed to your accepted connections, and you can only message people you are connected with. However, anyone interacting with you can see ticks on both sent and received messages once a connection is established.
Pro tips for using LinkedIn message ticks
Here are some suggested best practices for making use of LinkedIn’s tick indicator when messaging professional contacts:
- Check ticks to confirm important messages were received, but allow ample time for responses.
- Follow up on key messages if no second tick appears after 3-5 days.
- Avoid bombarding contacts if you see they have read but not responded.
- Remember ticks do not indicate they fully read and absorbed the message.
- Ticks help gauge engagement and interest levels of your connections.
- Balance utilizing ticks while respecting contacts’ availability and preferences.
Conclusion
LinkedIn’s messaging ticks provide quick visual cues to better understand how your messages are being received. A single tick means the message was delivered, while two ticks indicate it was opened and read by the recipient. However, ticks do not show exact read times, guarantee thorough reading, or predict response rates. Use them as helpful indicators, but be mindful in how you interpret their meaning.
With thoughtful usage, the simple but useful one and two tick system can improve your LinkedIn messaging experience and reciprocity.