LinkedIn messaging allows you to have conversations with other LinkedIn members to build relationships, explore career opportunities, and more. Over time, your message inbox can fill up with old conversations that you may no longer need quick access to. Archiving messages is a way to tidy up your inbox while still saving the conversations.
What is archiving a message on LinkedIn?
Archiving a LinkedIn message removes the message thread from your main messaging inbox and saves it in your archive. Archived messages are still accessible, but they are moved out of the way to declutter your active inbox.
When you archive a message thread:
- The thread disappears from your inbox
- It is stored in your archive
- You can still find and view archived messages in your archive
- The other person is not notified when you archive a message
Archiving is different than deleting, which permanently removes the message thread. With archiving, the conversation is still retained in your archive but is simply no longer taking up space in your inbox.
Why should you archive LinkedIn messages?
Here are some of the main reasons to use LinkedIn’s archiving feature for messages:
- Declutter your inbox – Archiving old or irrelevant conversations removes clutter so you can focus on current messages.
- Save without deleting – If you want to keep a conversation but don’t need it in your main inbox, archiving lets you move it out of the way while still retaining it.
- Organize ongoing conversations – You can archive longer conversations that you are still engaged in to clear space but still participate in the thread through your archive.
- Manage recruiters and hiring managers – If you are job seeking, archiving old message threads from recruiters or hiring managers keeps your inbox focused on active prospects.
Overall, archiving gives you more control over organizing your LinkedIn messages for a less cluttered, easier to navigate inbox.
How to archive conversations on LinkedIn
Archiving messages on LinkedIn can be done through the website or mobile app. Here are the steps:
On the LinkedIn website:
- Go to your Messages page.
- Open the conversation thread you want to archive.
- Click the “More” icon (3 dots icon) at the top of the message window.
- Select “Archive” from the drop down menu.
- The thread will now be removed from your inbox and archived.
On the LinkedIn mobile app:
- Open the LinkedIn app and tap “My Network” at the bottom.
- Go to “Messages” at the top.
- Tap into the conversation thread you want to archive.
- Tap the “More” icon (3 dots) at the top right.
- Select “Archive” to archive the conversation.
Where do archived LinkedIn messages go?
Archived LinkedIn messages are stored in your archive. Here’s how to view your archive on both desktop and mobile:
On the LinkedIn website:
- Go to your Messages page.
- Click on “Archived” in the left sidebar.
- This will open your archive where you can view and search archived conversations.
On the LinkedIn mobile app:
- Open the app and tap on “My Network.”
- Go to “Messages” at the top.
- At the top, tap on “Archived” to view your archived messages.
You can also search for specific archived conversations by using the search bar at the top of your archive. This lets you easily find archived messages when needed.
How to unarchive a LinkedIn message
If you want to restore an archived LinkedIn conversation back to your inbox, you can unarchive it:
On the LinkedIn website:
- Go to your archived messages.
- Open the conversation you want to unarchive.
- Click the “More” icon (3 dots).
- Select “Unarchive” from the dropdown menu.
- The conversation will now appear again in your inbox.
On the LinkedIn mobile app:
- Open your archive and tap the conversation you want to unarchive.
- Tap the “More” icon (3 dots) at the top right.
- Tap “Unarchive” to move the conversation back to your inbox.
Once unarchived, the message thread will again show up in your main message inbox just like a regular active conversation.
Do archived LinkedIn messages expire?
No, archived LinkedIn messages do not have an expiration date. When you archive a conversation thread, it will stay in your archive indefinitely unless you manually delete it.
There is no limit on how many archived messages you can store. Your archive allows you to retain conversations for reference or records as needed. Archived LinkedIn messages will remain there going forward unless you choose to delete a thread.
Can you recover a deleted LinkedIn message?
Unfortunately, deleting a LinkedIn message permanently erases the message thread and it cannot be recovered. However, there are a couple things to keep in mind:
- If you have deleted a message by accident, closing the LinkedIn tab or app before reopening may allow you to restore it as a draft prior to permanent deletion.
- Archiving messages rather than deleting lets you retain old conversations that you can still access when needed in your archive.
- If the other person in the conversation still has the message thread, they could forward you a copy.
While unrecoverable once permanently deleted, archiving messages instead provides a way to safely store old threads without cluttering your main inbox.
Does the other person know if you archive a LinkedIn message?
Archiving a message thread on LinkedIn is only visible on your account – the other person is not notified. When you archive a conversation:
- The other LinkedIn member will not receive any notification that you archived the thread.
- It does not send them any message or indicator that you have done so.
- Your conversation will still show normally in their message inbox as it did before archiving.
- Archiving is solely for organizing your own inbox and messages.
So you can archive message threads without worry that it will send alerts or signals to the other people involved in the conversations. It will be seamless without any visible change from their end.
Pro tips for managing LinkedIn messages
Here are some helpful tips for proactively managing your LinkedIn messages and keeping your inbox organized:
- Archive conversations once they are resolved or inactive. Don’t let old threads clutter your inbox.
- Remember to unarchive if you need to return to a conversation later.
- Create LinkedIn folders to categorize ongoing conversations (e.g. jobs, business leads).
- Search your archive to find conversations quickly instead of scrolling.
- Turn on LinkedIn notifications so you don’t miss important new messages.
- Use LinkedIn’s mobile app to manage messages on the go.
Using LinkedIn’s archiving features along with folders and smart organizing habits will let you keep your messages neat, accessible, and focused.
Conclusion
Archiving on LinkedIn provides a useful inbox organization tool to improve your messaging workflow. Key takeaways include:
- Archiving removes conversations from the inbox but retains them in a storage archive.
- It declutters your inbox while still saving the message history.
- Archived LinkedIn messages remain accessible in your archive indefinitely.
- The other person is not notified or alerted when you archive a thread.
- Use archiving along with LinkedIn folders, notifications and mobile to stay organized.
Learning how to archive and unarchive threads for cleaning up your LinkedIn inbox can help optimize your messaging system. Just remember archiving is preferable to deleting if you want to preserve a record of your conversations.