Why is my message pending on LinkedIn?

Having a message stuck with a “pending” status on LinkedIn can be frustrating. There are a few potential reasons why this might happen.

You are not connected to the recipient

On LinkedIn, you can only directly message other members that you are connected with. If you try to message someone you are not connected to, the message will remain in a “pending” state until either you connect with the recipient, or the recipient accepts your connection request.

To check if this is the reason your message is pending:

• Go to the LinkedIn profile of the person you messaged
• See if there is a “Connect” button – this means you are not currently connected
• Send a connection request and wait for them to accept before messaging again

The recipient’s settings are limiting messages

LinkedIn members can adjust their messaging settings to limit who can message them. For example, they may limit messages to only 1st degree connections, or to people in their industry or zipcode. If the recipient has their settings limited, your message will remain pending until they adjust their settings or accept your message.

To check if this is the reason your message is pending:

• Go to the LinkedIn profile of the person you messaged
• Look for any disclaimers on their profile about limiting messages
• You can also try tweaking your own profile to match their criteria better

LinkedIn’s spam filters flagged your message

LinkedIn has advanced spam filters in place to prevent unwanted solicitations through messaging. Sometimes these automated filters can incorrectly flag a legitimate message as spam.

Some things that may cause LinkedIn to flag your message:

• Messaging someone you don’t know well or are not connected to
• Including links or keywords that are commonly used in spam messages
• Sending the same message to a lot of people
• Using a new LinkedIn account without many connections

If you think LinkedIn’s spam filter is incorrectly flagging your message:

• Try removing any links or unnecessary keywords
• Add a personalized note explaining why you are reaching out
• Connect with the recipient first before messaging

The recipient hasn’t seen or acted on your message

It’s important to remember that just because you sent a message, doesn’t mean the recipient has seen it yet. Your message may be stuck in “pending” simply because the other person hasn’t logged in to LinkedIn to see it and respond.

Be patient and give them some time to respond. You can also try reaching out through another channel like email if it’s time sensitive.

There’s an issue on LinkedIn’s end

In rare cases, a pending message may be caused by a technical issue on LinkedIn’s side, and not any settings of the individual users. LinkedIn has millions of members sending countless messages per day, so small glitches can occur.

If a message remains pending for an extended time for no clear reason, it may be an internal issue. Try the following:

• Re-send the message – this may re-trigger it to send
• Try messaging from a different device or web browser
• Contact LinkedIn customer support

What to do when your LinkedIn message is stuck in pending

Here are the key steps to take when your LinkedIn message is stuck with a pending status:

1. Confirm you are connected to the recipient – if not, send a connection request
2. Check the recipient’s profile for any messaging restrictions
3. Remove any unnecessary links or keywords that could trigger spam filters
4. Personalize the message so it doesn’t look automated or generic
5. Be patient and allow time for the recipient to see and respond to your message
6. Try re-sending the message or contacting LinkedIn support

How long does a LinkedIn message stay pending?

There is no definitive timeframe for how long a LinkedIn message may remain stuck with a pending status. Here are some general timelines to be aware of:

• 1 hour – If still pending after 1 hour, recipient likely has restrictions limiting your message
• 24 hours – If pending after 24 hours, the recipient probably just hasn’t seen it yet
• 1 week – If pending for over 1 week, may be flagged by spam filters or a technical issue
• 1 month – If pending for over 1 month, the message likely needs to be re-sent or LinkedIn support contacted

Can a pending LinkedIn message be deleted or canceled?

Yes, you can delete or cancel a LinkedIn message that is stuck with a pending status if needed:

1. Go to your “Sent” folder in LinkedIn messages
2. Locate the pending message and click the “More” icon
3. Select “Delete” or “Cancel request” to remove the message

The pending message will then be deleted from your sent folder. However, many people recommend just leaving a pending message, as the recipient may eventually see and respond to it if given enough time.

Conclusion

Having a pending LinkedIn message can be annoying, but is usually fixable. The most common solutions include connecting with the recipient, adjusting spam filter triggered words, allowing more time for a response, or re-sending the message. With the right troubleshooting, you can get your important professional messages through with minimal frustration.