The green dot next to a LinkedIn member’s name indicates that they are currently active on the platform. When you see a green dot, it means that the member is available for messaging in real-time.
What does the green dot mean on LinkedIn?
The green dot signifies that the LinkedIn member is currently online and active on the platform. Some key things to know about the green dot:
- It appears next to a connection’s name and profile photo across LinkedIn, including the homepage, messaging section, notifications tab, search results, etc.
- It indicates the member is currently engaged on LinkedIn. This could mean they have the website or mobile app open at that moment.
- It shows they are available for instant messaging and responses.
- It remains next to the member’s name as long as they stay active on the platform with minimal inactivity.
- It grays out after 30 minutes of inactivity on LinkedIn.
So in summary, the bright green dot signals the member is currently online and using LinkedIn actively. It allows you to see who is live on the platform for instant communication.
Where does the green dot appear on LinkedIn?
When a connection is active on LinkedIn, the green dot will appear in the following locations next to their name and profile picture:
- Homepage – On your LinkedIn homepage feed next to connections who have recently posted, commented, etc.
- Messaging section – Next to the names in your messages list.
- Notifications tab – Beside the names of those who have recently interacted with your network.
- Groups pages – On a group’s members list, indicating who is currently online.
- Search results – Next to the names and profiles of connections who are active.
- Various other sections across LinkedIn – Anywhere a connection’s name appears, the green dot may display.
So essentially, the green dot follows your connections around LinkedIn whenever they are engaged on the platform. It serves as a visual cue flagging who is live for instant messaging or responses.
How long does the green dot stay active on LinkedIn?
The green dot remains visible for as long as the LinkedIn member maintains minimal platform activity and engagement. Specifically:
- It stays illuminated while the member has the LinkedIn website or mobile app open.
- It persists for about 30 minutes after the last interaction on LinkedIn.
- After 30 minutes of inactivity, the dot grays out and disappears.
So you can generally assume that if you see the bright green dot, that connection has been active within the last half hour. It’s a near real-time indicator of their availability.
Does the green dot signify someone is looking at your profile?
No, the green dot does not necessarily mean that connection is looking at or viewing your profile. It simply indicates they are active on some part of the LinkedIn platform. They could be engaged in any number of activities, such as:
- Scrolling through their homepage feed
- Reading posts in LinkedIn Groups
- Sending messages back and forth with others
- Looking at their own notifications
- Searching for jobs or people
- Updating their own profile
The green dot simply conveys their current online presence on LinkedIn in general. It does not reveal anything specific about what they are doing or looking at during that activity.
Who can see your green dot activity status?
Your real-time green dot activity indicator on LinkedIn is visible to others in your network, including:
- 1st-degree connections – Members who you are directly connected with can see your green dot.
- 2nd-degree connections – Connections of your connections may also see your status.
- Group members – Those who you share common LinkedIn groups with can see the green dot.
However, keep in mind that your visibility depends on your account and privacy settings. You can control who sees your activity indicator by adjusting it in your account preferences.
How to turn off the green dot on LinkedIn
If you prefer not to display your real-time activity status to others, you can disable it. Here is how to turn off the green dot in LinkedIn:
- Go to your LinkedIn account settings
- Click on “Privacy”
- Under “How others see your LinkedIn activity”, uncheck “Let others know you’re online”
- Save changes
This will prevent the green dot from appearing by your name when you are active on LinkedIn. Others will not see your online status, and it will display as offline.
Conclusion
The LinkedIn green dot is a simple yet useful feature that promotes open communication. It empowers networking by allowing you to instantly see who is available for messaging or interaction. While it can be disabled for privacy, many members enable it to facilitate seamless collaboration on the platform. Understanding the meaning behind the green dot allows you to better leverage LinkedIn for real-time conversation and relationship building.