Archiving a message on LinkedIn removes the message from your inbox and saves it in the Archive folder. Archived messages are still accessible in your account but are removed from view in the main inbox. When you archive a message, the following happens:
The message is removed from the inbox
When you archive a message, it is immediately removed from your LinkedIn inbox and no longer appears in the list of messages there. Archiving gets the message out of your inbox but doesn’t delete it entirely.
The message goes to the Archive folder
After archiving a message, you can access it again in the Archive folder. This is a separate folder that contains all your archived messages. To view it, click on the “Archive” link in the left sidebar of your LinkedIn inbox. The archived message will be stored here indefinitely so you can refer back to it.
You can still search for archived messages
Even though archived messages no longer appear in your main inbox, you can still search for them using LinkedIn’s search function. When you search your inbox on LinkedIn, it will also look through your archived messages. So archiving doesn’t completely remove the message from your account.
The message remains accessible on LinkedIn mobile
If you archive a message on the LinkedIn website, it will also be archived and moved to the Archive folder in the LinkedIn mobile app. Archived messages remain accessible and can be searched on mobile as well.
It keeps your inbox uncluttered
One of the main reasons to archive messages on LinkedIn is to clean up your inbox and keep it focused on current conversations. Sending unimportant messages to the Archive folder removes them from view so your inbox only contains messages you need to follow up on.
The message sender is not notified
Archiving a message does not notify or alert the sender in any way. It simply removes the message from your main inbox. The sender has no indication if you have archived their message on LinkedIn.
You remain connected to the sender
Archiving a message does not remove a connection with the sender or affect your relationship in any way. You can still view their profile, connect with them, and exchange messages as normal.
You can unarchive messages
If you change your mind after archiving a message, you can easily unarchive it to move it back to your inbox. Just go to your Archive folder, find the message, and click “Unarchive.” This will return it to your main inbox.
It helps prioritize important conversations
Archiving outdated messages or conversations you no longer need to follow makes the most important messages stand out in your inbox. This helps ensure you focus on messages requiring action or follow up.
It keeps message history intact
Even though a message is archived, your message history with that contact remains intact in LinkedIn. Previous messages exchanged with that person stay visible in your inbox and Archive.
Archived messages don’t expire
There is no expiration date on archived messages in LinkedIn. They will remain saved in your Archive folder indefinitely unless you choose to delete them manually.
You remain in control of the message
Archiving a message simply moves its location in your account but the message still belongs to you. You control whether it is archived or not and for how long. LinkedIn does not archive or delete messages without your action.
It’s a better option than deleting
For messages you may need to reference later, archiving is better than deleting. Deleted messages are permanently removed from your account and can’t be recovered. Archiving keeps the messages accessible.
It’s easy to archive multiple messages
You can archive a single message or multiple messages at once on LinkedIn for quick inbox cleaning. Simply check the boxes beside messages and then click “Archive.”
You can automate archiving
To save time, you can set up LinkedIn to automatically archive messages once you’ve read them or after a certain number of days. Just adjust your notification settings.
Archived messages don’t clutter search
When you search your LinkedIn inbox, archived messages don’t clutter the results because they aren’t shown by default. You need to specifically search the Archive folder to see them.
It’s reversible if done accidentally
If you accidentally archive a message you wanted to keep in your inbox, you can simply go to your Archive folder and unarchive it. Archiving can easily be undone.
In summary, archiving a message on LinkedIn removes it from your main inbox and saves it in your Archive folder. It keeps the message accessible but unclutters your inbox and prioritizes current conversations. The message sender is unaffected. Overall, archiving is a useful LinkedIn tool to organize your inbox.
I hope this overview helps explain what happens when you archive LinkedIn messages! Let me know if you have any other questions.