Marking a message as unread on LinkedIn allows you to come back to it later as if you haven’t opened it yet. This can be useful if you want to leave yourself a reminder to follow up on something but don’t want the message to get lost in your inbox.
When you mark a LinkedIn message as unread, here’s what happens:
The message moves back to the top of your inbox
Marking a message as unread will return it to the top of your LinkedIn inbox, just as if it had newly arrived. This helps ensure you don’t forget about it or lose track of it in the inbox.
The unread icon reappears
In your inbox on LinkedIn, unread messages have a little blue dot next to them. Once you open a message, this dot disappears. Marking it as unread will make the blue unread notification dot reappear.
The preview text is visible again
In your inbox, LinkedIn shows a preview of each message. Once opened, the preview text is no longer displayed. Marking the message as unread makes the preview text visible again.
The sender is not notified
Importantly, marking a LinkedIn message as unread does not notify the sender or indicate to them that you reopened the message. It is solely a way for you to flag messages for follow up.
When to use the unread feature
Marking LinkedIn messages as unread can be helpful in several situations:
To remind yourself to follow up
If someone sends you a message that you don’t have time to respond to right away, you can mark it as unread. This puts it back at the top of your inbox so you remember to follow up later when you have more time.
To indicate messages needing action
You can use the unread flag on messages that you need to take some action on, like replying, connecting to the sender, or checking out their profile.
To re-review messages
Maybe you skimmed a message quickly the first time and want to go back and read it more carefully. Marking it unread lets you re-review the message with fresh eyes.
To follow up on old messages
If you come across an old message that you never responded to but now want to revisit, marking it unread can give it visibility in your inbox again.
To keep conversations active
In an ongoing conversation over multiple messages, marking the thread as unread can help ensure you stay engaged and don’t lose track of the discussion.
How to mark a message as unread on LinkedIn
Marking a LinkedIn message as unread is easy to do through the LinkedIn website or mobile app:
On the LinkedIn website:
1. Open the message thread you want to mark as unread.
2. Click on the three dots “more” icon at the top right of the message.
3. Select “Mark as Unread” from the dropdown menu.
4. The message will now appear unread in your inbox.
On the LinkedIn mobile app:
1. Open the message you want to mark as unread.
2. Tap the three dots icon at the top right of the message.
3. Choose “Mark Unread” from the menu.
4. The message will show as unread in your inbox again.
Limitations of the unread feature
While being able to mark LinkedIn messages as unread is useful, there are some limitations to be aware of:
It only works on individual messages
You can only mark a single message within a thread as unread, not an entire conversation thread.
It doesn’t work on group messages
Marking as unread is not possible for messages sent within LinkedIn Groups.
The sender can still see the message as read
Even if you mark a message as unread on your end, the sender will still see the message marked as read on their end. They won’t know you reopened the message.
It’s easy to forget to follow up
While marking a message as unread gives it visibility, you still need to remember to actually follow up on it later. Use it in combination with other reminders.
It can become confusing
If you overuse the unread function, it can become confusing which messages actually need follow up versus just got marked as unread. Use it sparingly for key messages.
Best practices for using unread
To get the most out of LinkedIn’s message unread feature, keep these best practices in mind:
Use unread marking judiciously
Don’t overdo it. Mark only your most important messages as unread so you can spot them easily.
Also set reminders
In addition to marking a message as unread, set a reminder on your calendar to follow up on key messages.
Check your unread inbox section frequently
Get in the habit of regularly scanning your LinkedIn unread message section so you catch important messages.
Use unread to prioritize requests
Mark messages as unread from your best connections and clients to signify their message should get prioritized.
Clean up your unread inbox periodically
Every so often, go through and mark messages that you’ve followed up on as read again to keep your unread inbox focused.
Use unread marking to prepare replies
Mark messages as unread that you want to craft thoughtful responses to so they stay visible while you draft your reply.
Combine unread and reminders
For maximum visibility, both mark a message as unread and set a calendar reminder so you are doubly prompted to follow up.
Test if unread improves response rate
Try marking messages as unread versus not marking them and see if it improves how quickly you respond and your overall response rate.
Categorize messages with labels
Use inbox labels like “Follow Up” on messages you’ve marked as unread to further categorize your priorities.
Unread messages vs other tools
Marking LinkedIn messages as unread shares some similarities with other platforms and tools but also has differences:
Email unread messages
Email also allows you to mark messages as unread to flag them for follow up. But email doesn’t have some of LinkedIn’s collaboration and relationship-building features.
Task management apps
You could create tasks in a tool like Asana or Trello to remind you to follow up on LinkedIn messages. But these lack the seamless integration of LinkedIn’s unread capability.
CRM systems
CRM tools let you flag contact records as needing follow up. But they may not have instant access to ongoing conversations like LinkedIn messages provide.
Note taking apps
You could use notes in an app like Evernote or OneNote to remind yourself on LinkedIn messages. But these notes won’t be connected to your actual LinkedIn inbox.
Calendar apps
Calendar apps like Google Calendar allow you to set reminders. But you have to manually create each reminder, while LinkedIn unread is one-click.
So while other tools have similar functions, LinkedIn’s unread capability provides an integrated way to easily flag messages right within your main messaging platform.
Is the unread feature useful?
Overall, having the option to mark LinkedIn messages as unread can be very useful:
Pros of the unread feature:
- Lets you flag important messages for follow up
- Keeps conversations visible that need ongoing engagement
- Allows re-reviewing messages easily
- Prioritizes messages from key connections
- Integrated seamlessly within LinkedIn
Cons of the unread feature:
- Can be overused and create confusion
- Only works on individual messages, not full threads
- The sender isn’t notified of the unread status change
- You may forget to actually follow up despite unread flag
So while not a perfect system, the unread capability can, when used properly, be a handy tool for staying on top of your key LinkedIn messages and conversations. Approach it thoughtfully and strategically to get the most value.
The future of the unread feature
Looking ahead, here are some ways LinkedIn could potentially enhance and expand the unread capability in the future:
Unread for entire threads
Allow marking a whole message thread as unread, rather than just individual messages.
Unread folder organization
Add folder labels or categories to the unread message section for better organization.
Unread conversation tracking
Have tracking to show how many days a conversation has been in unread status, flagging extra old unreads.
Unread reminders
Option to set reminders when marking messages as unread to get notified to follow up.
Enhanced unread inbox
More controls like sorting, filters, senders list, etc. specifically for the unread message section.
Unread analytics
Show data on how often you mark messages as unread, follow up rate, and optimal unread volume.
Unread priority levels
Ability to mark messages with different unread priority levels like low, medium, high.
Unread notifications
Notifications when certain senders mark a message as unread or it has been unread for X days.
Integration with other tools
Connecting the unread capability with third-party tools like calendar, email, CRM, etc.
So in the future, expect to potentially see expanded unread capabilities that provide even more sophisticated options and integrations for managing your LinkedIn messages.
Conclusion
Marking messages as unread on LinkedIn provides a handy way to come back to key messages and conversations that need follow up. It helps keep these visible in your inbox rather than getting lost and forgotten.
While the unread function has some limitations, like only working on individual messages, it can still be a valuable tool if used intentionally. Approach unread strategically, combining it with other reminders and inbox organization tactics.
As LinkedIn continues improving its messaging capabilities, look for the unread feature to become even more robust over time. Integrating it into third-party tools could make it truly transformative for managing your important connections.
But even now, tactically utilizing unread where appropriate can help you stay on top of priority LinkedIn outreach and build stronger relationships through thoughtful, prompt follow up. With good unread inbox hygiene, you can ensure key messages get the attention they deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does marking a message as unread notify the sender?
No, marking a LinkedIn message as unread does not notify the original sender or indicate in any way that you reopened the message. It is solely for your inbox management purposes.
Can I mark an entire message thread as unread?
Unfortunately, no. LinkedIn currently only allows marking individual messages within a thread as unread, not the entire conversation.
Where do my unread LinkedIn messages show up?
Unread messages appear at the top of your LinkedIn inbox marked with a blue dot. There will also be an “Unread” section that houses all messages you have marked as unread.
Is there a limit to how long a message stays unread?
No, there is no limit. A LinkedIn message will stay marked as unread indefinitely until you manually mark it as read again.
Can I mark a LinkedIn message as unread using the mobile app?
Yes, you can mark messages as unread using both the LinkedIn mobile app and website. The functionality works the same on both platforms.
Will my unread messages sync across devices?
Yes. If you mark a message as unread on your phone, it will show as unread on your computer too and vice versa. The unread status syncs across devices.
If I delete a message, can I still mark it as unread?
No. You can only mark as unread messages that are currently in your inbox. Once deleted, the message can no longer be marked unread.
Can I filter my inbox by unread messages only?
Unfortunately, LinkedIn does not currently offer a way to filter your whole inbox to only show unread messages. You have to view them in the designated unread section.
What happens if I mark all messages as unread?
If you mark every message as unread, it essentially defeats the purpose of the feature. The goal is to only mark selective important messages as unread so they stand out for follow up. Marking all messages makes them indistinguishable.
How do I know which unread messages I still need to follow up on?
It can get confusing if you don’t stay on top of your unread inbox. Try sorting messages by sender and occasionally marking messages you’ve followed up on as read again. Also use calendar reminders on urgent unread messages.
Is there a way to prioritize my unread messages?
Beyond just marking certain messages as unread in the first place, there is currently no way to prioritize messages within the unread section itself. You have to manually determine priority.
If I mark a message as unread again, will it appear at the top once more?
Yes, LinkedIn treats a message marked as unread again the same as if it is newly received. It will jump back to the top of both your overall inbox and unread section.
Can I mark a message as unread that I archived?
Unfortunately no. Once a LinkedIn message is archived, it is no longer accessible to be marked as unread. Only messages still visible in your inbox can be marked unread.
Is there a limit to how many times I can mark a message as unread?
No, there is no limit to how many times you can toggle a message between read and unread status. You can mark a message as unread repeatedly as needed.
