InMail is LinkedIn’s internal messaging system that allows you to contact anyone on LinkedIn, even if you’re not connected. InMail messages go directly to the recipient’s LinkedIn inbox. But who else besides the recipient can see your InMail messages? Can your connections or other LinkedIn members see the InMails you send?
The short answer is no – InMail messages are private between the sender and recipient. Others cannot see the content of InMail messages you send or receive. However, there are a few exceptions, which we’ll cover in detail below.
InMail Privacy Settings
InMail messages are private by default. Only you as the sender and the recipient you specify can view the content of InMail messages.
When you send an InMail, it goes directly to the recipient’s LinkedIn inbox. Your 1st-degree connections will not see or be notified about the InMail. The message will not appear in any feeds and is not visible to other LinkedIn members.
Similarly, when you receive an InMail, the message is only visible to you in your inbox. Others, including your connections, cannot see or access your incoming InMails.
So in most cases, you can be assured that InMail content remains private between you and the recipient.
Exceptions Where Others Can See Your InMails
While InMail is largely private, there are some exceptions where others may see your messages:
LinkedIn Employees
LinkedIn employees and moderators may review InMail content in rare cases to ensure proper use of the platform and prevent abuse. This is similar to how email providers may scan emails sent through their systems.
Legal Requests
LinkedIn may share InMail content in response to legal requests from law enforcement agencies or as part of litigation procedures. The company’s user agreement notes they may disclose your data when required under applicable laws.
Shared Accounts
If you allow others to access your LinkedIn account, they may be able to view your InMail messages. For example, if you gave your social media manager access to your profile. Be mindful about sharing login details.
Recipient Sharing
While rare, the recipient of your InMail could take a screenshot or forward the message to share with others. You lose control once they receive your message.
Data Breaches
In the unlikely event LinkedIn experiences a data breach, it’s possible InMail content could be leaked. However, LinkedIn has strong data security in place to prevent this.
Tips to Keep Your InMail Private
While InMail is generally private, here are some tips to keep your messages more secure:
– Be cautious with sensitive information. Avoid sending confidential data like passwords.
– Review recipient profiles. Make sure you’re messaging the right person, especially for sensitive InMails.
– Use standard business language. Keep wording professional in case messages are seen internally.
– Don’t forward InMails. Respect privacy and avoid forwarding an InMail you received to others without permission.
– Change passwords periodically. This reduces the chance of account misuse.
– Use 2-factor authentication. Adds another layer of login security to your account.
– Report data misuse. Contact LinkedIn if you suspect a breach of your InMail privacy.
Visibility of InMail in Your LinkedIn Account
While the content of your InMail messages is private, there are some places within your LinkedIn account where InMail activity may be visible.
InMail Count on Your Profile
The number of InMails you have sent and received is publicly viewable on your profile by other LinkedIn members. However, they cannot see who the messages are from/to or view the content.
InMail Conversations List
Your InMail conversations, including the subject lines and names of senders/recipients, can be seen in your LinkedIn inbox. This allows you to easily find and track your message threads. But message content remains hidden.
LinkedIn Search History
If you search for a LinkedIn member from the platform, it’s recorded in your account’s search history. Others cannot see your search history, but it could indicate you looked up a person before messaging them via InMail.
Notifications Preview
When you receive a new InMail message, you may get a preview of the sender’s name and part of the message via email or push notification. But only you, as the recipient, will receive these previews.
Legal Holds and eDiscovery
Your employer may be able to preserve or access your InMails as part of legal holds or eDiscovery procedures for internal investigations.
So in summary, just the metadata related to your InMail activity may be visible in parts of your account, but not the actual content of messages.
Conclusion
InMail content on LinkedIn is designed to be private between the sender and recipient. Your connections and other LinkedIn members cannot see or access the InMails you send or receive.
However, there are some rare exceptions where LinkedIn employees, law enforcement, recipients sharing content, or data breaches may expose your messages. Plus, parts of your account like InMail counts and previews give away some activity.
To keep your InMail more secure, avoid sensitive info, review recipients carefully, use professional language, don’t forward content, and enable security features. While not 100% bulletproof, InMail still offers a relatively private way to send direct messages to LinkedIn members outside your network.
Who can see your InMail messages? | Level of Access |
---|---|
You (the sender) | Full message content |
Direct recipient | Full message content |
Your LinkedIn connections | No access to content |
Other LinkedIn members | No access to content |
LinkedIn employees | May review content in rare cases |
Law enforcement | Access with legal request |
Here are some additional frequently asked questions about InMail privacy:
Can LinkedIn admins see my InMails?
No, LinkedIn admins and employees do not routinely access or view your InMail content. They may review messages in rare cases to investigate suspected abuse. But otherwise, your InMails are private.
Do InMail messages expire?
InMail content remains in your LinkedIn account inbox like regular emails. LinkedIn does not delete or expire old InMail messages automatically. You must manually delete InMails to remove them from your inbox.
Can I delete an InMail after sending it?
Unfortunately no, there is no way to delete or recall an InMail message after you’ve sent it. The content cannot be revoked, so be cautious when writing InMails.
Can I export my InMails?
LinkedIn does not have a native tool to export your InMail content. You would need to manually screenshot or copy/paste InMail messages to save them externally.
Are InMail messages encrypted?
LinkedIn uses HTTPS encryption for all communication on their platform, including InMail messaging. So content is encrypted in transit for security.
Can I report inappropriate InMail?
Yes, you can report concerning InMail content or harassment to LinkedIn by flagging the message. LinkedIn reviews reported messages for violations of policies.
I hope this overview explains who can see your InMail messages on LinkedIn. Let me know if you have any other questions!