LinkedIn allows you to delete messages without opening them first. This can be useful if you want to clear out your inbox or delete messages from certain senders without having to open each one individually. Here are the steps to delete LinkedIn messages without opening them:
On Desktop
If you are using the LinkedIn website on a desktop computer, you can delete messages without opening them by:
- Go to the LinkedIn website and log into your account.
- Click on the “Messages” icon at the top navigation bar.
- In your messages inbox, hover over the message you want to delete. A trash can icon will appear to the right of the message.
- Click on the trash can icon to delete the message.
The message will be deleted without having to open it. You can repeat this process to delete multiple LinkedIn messages without opening them.
On Mobile App
If you are using the LinkedIn mobile app on your phone or tablet, you can delete messages without opening them by:
- Open the LinkedIn app and log into your account.
- Tap on the “My Network” icon at the bottom.
- Tap on the “Messages” tab at the top.
- In your messages list, swipe left on the message you want to delete.
- Tap on the red trash can icon to delete the message.
The message will be immediately deleted without having to open it first. Repeat this process for any other messages you want to remove from your inbox.
Delete Multiple Messages at Once
You can also delete multiple LinkedIn messages at the same time without opening them. Here’s how:
On Desktop
- Go to your LinkedIn Messages inbox.
- Check the box next to each message you want to delete to select it.
- Click on the “Delete” button at the top.
- Confirm that you want to delete the selected messages.
This will delete all the selected messages at once without opening them.
On Mobile App
- Go to your LinkedIn Messages inbox.
- Tap on the “Select” icon at the top right.
- Tap on each message you want to delete to select it. A checkmark will appear.
- Tap on the trash can icon at the bottom to delete all selected messages.
- Confirm that you want to delete the messages.
This provides a quick way to mass delete LinkedIn messages on mobile without opening them individually.
Delete Messages by Sender or Date
In addition to deleting individual messages, you can also mass delete LinkedIn messages based on the sender or date received. Here are the steps:
Delete by Sender
- Go to your LinkedIn Messages inbox.
- Click on the sender’s name of the messages you want to delete.
- This will filter your inbox to only show messages from that sender.
- Select all the messages and click “Delete.”
This will allow you to delete all messages received from a particular LinkedIn member without opening them.
Delete by Date
- Go to your LinkedIn Messages inbox.
- Click on the date filter dropdown at the top.
- Select a date range for messages you want to delete.
- All messages received in that date range will be shown.
- Select all and click “Delete.”
Using this date filter makes it easy to mass delete older LinkedIn messages you no longer need.
Delete Message Requests Without Opening
In addition to regular messages, you may also receive LinkedIn message requests from people who are not your connections. Here is how to delete these without accepting them first:
- Go to your LinkedIn inbox and click on the “Message Requests” tab.
- Hover over any message request and click on the trash can icon to delete it.
- Alternatively, check the box to select multiple requests and click “Delete.”
This removes any pending message requests without having to open or accept them.
Delete Messages From Your Sent Folder
Messages you have sent to others are stored in your Sent folder. To delete these without opening:
- Go to your Sent folder in LinkedIn Messages.
- Hover over any sent message and click the trash can icon.
- You can also select multiple sent messages to delete at once.
This will remove messages from your Sent folder without re-opening them.
Permanently Deleting Messages
When you delete LinkedIn messages normally, they get moved to your Deleted folder for 30 days before being permanently removed. If you want messages gone immediately:
- Go to your Deleted folder in Messages.
- Select the messages you want to permanently delete.
- Click on the “Permanently Delete” button at the top.
- Confirm that you want to permanently delete the messages.
This will cause the selected messages to be permanently deleted right away instead of waiting 30 days.
Recovering Accidentally Deleted Messages
If you accidentally deleted a LinkedIn message you wanted to keep, you may be able to recover it from your Deleted folder for up to 30 days:
- Go to your Deleted folder in Messages.
- Find the deleted message you want to recover.
- Click on the “Recover” button to move it back to your inbox.
However, once a message has been permanently deleted or more than 30 days have passed, it cannot be recovered.
Alternative Option: Archiving Messages
Instead of deleting LinkedIn messages, you can also archive them to clear your inbox. Archived messages are removed from the inbox but stored in your Archive folder. To archive a message without opening it:
- Hover over the message and click on the archive icon.
- Alternatively, select multiple messages and click “Archive.”
Archiving can serve as a useful alternative to deleting for messages you want to keep but remove from your inbox.
Summary
Here are some key tips to recap on deleting LinkedIn messages without opening them:
- Hover over a message and click the trash can icon to delete.
- On mobile, swipe left and tap delete.
- Select multiple messages to delete at once.
- Filter by sender or date range to mass delete.
- Delete message requests and messages from your Sent folder.
- Permanently delete if you don’t want to wait 30 days.
- Try archiving as an alternative to deleting messages.
Using these steps, you can easily clear and organize your LinkedIn inbox without having to open every message.