The green and black circle that sometimes appears next to a person’s name or photo on LinkedIn indicates that they are available to network or chat. It is part of LinkedIn’s messaging and chat feature that allows members to communicate in real-time.
What Does the Green Dot Mean on LinkedIn?
The green dot on LinkedIn signifies that the person is currently active on the platform. When you see a green dot next to someone’s name or profile photo, it means they are online and available to message or chat at that moment.
Some key things to know about the LinkedIn green dot:
- It appears when a LinkedIn member is using the mobile app or has the browser tab open on their desktop.
- It indicates the member is actively viewing and engaging with content on LinkedIn.
- It means they are receptive to connecting and networking in real-time via messaging.
- The green dot appears next to a person’s name in search results, on their profile, and in your connections list.
- You will only see it if you also have messaging enabled in your LinkedIn settings.
Essentially, the green dot signals that the person is available and ready to chat if you wanted to reach out. It’s a way for LinkedIn members to see who is currently online and active on the platform.
What Does the Black Circle Mean?
While the green dot indicates someone is online and active, a black circle next to a LinkedIn profile photo simply means the messaging feature is turned off for that user. Some key things to know about the black circle:
- It shows up instead of the green dot when someone has messaging disabled.
- This may be because they are signed out of LinkedIn, have closed the tab, or have manually set their status to offline.
- It does not necessarily mean they will not respond – they just will not see and respond to messages in real-time.
- They may have messaging disabled to avoid distractions or unwanted contact.
- You can still send messages to people with a black circle, but they may take longer to respond.
Essentially, the black circle indicates someone has messaging turned off and they will not see chat notifications in real-time. It does not block you from contacting them, it simply means they are not actively available for a live chat.
When Does the Green Dot Appear?
There are a few scenarios in which you will see the green dot signaling a LinkedIn member is online and active:
- When someone is actively using LinkedIn: This could mean they have the homepage open, are browsing profiles, are reading or reacting to posts, or are messaging other contacts. Any activity on LinkedIn will trigger the green dot.
- When the LinkedIn mobile app is open: If someone has the iOS or Android app open, even just sitting in the background on their phone, the green dot will show they are “present” on LinkedIn.
- For the first 15 minutes after leaving LinkedIn: The green dot will linger for 15 minutes after someone stops actively using LinkedIn. This prevents it from turning on and off as they move between pages.
- When someone sets themselves as available: Within the LinkedIn messaging settings, members can manually change their dot color to appear online and active even when they aren’t using LinkedIn.
So in summary, the green dot provides real-time insight into when someone is available and receptive to messaging on LinkedIn.
Who Can See Your Green Dot?
Your LinkedIn connections will be able to see when you have the green dot actively appearing next to your name and are available to message. However, there are some limitations on who can see your status:
- 1st-degree connections: Your direct connections will see the green dot if you are online and active on LinkedIn. This includes when searching, browsing profiles, on the Feed page, etc.
- 2nd-degree connections: Connections of your connections will NOT be able to see your green dot indicating your availability.
- Profile visitors: If someone outside your network views your profile, they will not see the green dot activity status on your profile.
- Anonymous users: Anyone browsing LinkedIn when signed out or without a profile will not see green dot status indicators.
So in general, the green dot is only visible to your first-degree connections – people you are already networked with on LinkedIn. It is not public or searchable information to anyone outside of your existing network.
How to Turn the Green Dot On or Off
LinkedIn members have full control over their green dot visibility and messaging capabilities. Here is how to configure your settings:
- Desktop: On the LinkedIn homepage, click on “Me” > “Settings & Privacy” > “Notifications.” From here, you can turn messaging on/off and control notifications.
- Mobile app: Tap your profile photo > “Settings” > “Privacy.” Toggle “Messages” on or off.
You can also manually set your presence to “Appear Away” to turn off the green dot at any time, even while actively using LinkedIn. This prevents people from seeing when you’re online.
Some members choose to limit messaging availability to avoid constant notifications and unwanted messages. Others keep it on as a way to signal they are open to connecting.
Is the Green Dot Accurate?
For the most part, the green dot is an accurate, real-time indicator that someone is currently on LinkedIn and available to message or chat. However, there are some cases where it may not be completely precise:
- Mobile app running in background: The app may still show a green dot even if someone is not actively using it.
- 15 minute lag time: The green dot can remain for up to 15 mins after leaving LinkedIn before turning black.
- “Appear Away” setting: Members can forcibly show a black dot even while on LinkedIn.
- Push notifications: Messaging apps on someone’s phone may alert them even if LinkedIn is closed.
Overall though, you can rely on the green dot meaning that person is currently on LinkedIn in some capacity, whether viewing updates, browsing profiles, or sitting idle with the app open. It provides a helpful indicator of who is live and active on the platform.
Pro Tips for Using the Green Dot
Here are some suggested best practices for respectfully leveraging the green dot when networking and connecting on LinkedIn:
- Before messaging someone with a green dot, quickly review their profile and be sure they would welcome the outreach. Avoid contacting strangers out of the blue.
- Keep initial messages short and casual – “Hi [Name], I noticed you’re online and was hoping to connect about [purpose].”
- If they do not respond right away, follow up at another time. Do not repeatedly message them.
- Understand that even with a green dot, people may be multitasking and not immersed in LinkedIn.
- When introducing yourself, acknowledge you see they are active and ask if it is a good time to connect.
- Do not rely solely on the green dot. Relationship-building takes time and multiple touchpoints.
Following these tips and maintaining respect for others’ time and availability will ensure effective yet unobtrusive use of the LinkedIn messaging system.
Conclusion
The green and black circles next to LinkedIn profiles provide valuable visibility into when your connections are available and responsive. The green dot in particular gives real-time insight into who is presently active on the platform and receptive to networking in the moment. While sometimes imperfect, it can facilitate more meaningful and timely engagement between colleagues, prospects, and industry peers when used properly.