LinkedIn allows you to archive messages in your inbox to help keep it organized and decluttered. Archiving messages removes them from your main inbox view while still keeping them accessible should you need to refer back to them later. Here are the steps to archive all messages on LinkedIn:
Archiving All Messages on Desktop
If you are accessing LinkedIn on a desktop, here are the steps to archive all messages at once:
- Go to the LinkedIn website and log into your account.
- Click on the “Messaging” icon at the top of the page (shaped like a speech bubble).
- This will open up your messages inbox. Click on the settings gear icon at the top right of the messages window.
- A menu will drop down. Click on “Archive all conversations.”
- A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm if you want to archive all conversations. Click “Archive.”
- All messages and conversations will now be archived and removed from your main inbox view.
Archiving messages on desktop moves them out of your inbox but keeps them accessible in the “Archived conversations” section. To view your archived messages:
- Click on the settings gear icon again in your messages inbox.
- Select “Archived conversations” from the dropdown menu.
- You will now see a list of all your archived message conversations which you can click on to view.
Archiving All Messages on Mobile
If you are accessing LinkedIn through the mobile app, here are the steps to archive all messages:
- Open the LinkedIn app on your device.
- Tap on the “My Network” icon at the bottom.
- This will open up your connections page. Tap on the “Messages” tab at the top.
- Tap on the three dots icon in the top right corner to open the menu.
- Select “Archive all conversations” from the menu.
- Confirm that you want to archive all conversations when prompted.
- This will archive all messages and remove them from your main inbox view.
On mobile, your archived messages can be accessed by:
- Tapping the three dots menu icon again from your messages inbox.
- Choosing “Archived conversations” to see a list of all archived messages.
Unarchiving Conversations
If you need to retrieve an archived conversation, you can easily unarchive it to move it back to your inbox. On desktop:
- Go to “Archived conversations” from the messages inbox menu.
- Click on the conversation you want to unarchive.
- Click on the settings gear icon in that conversation thread.
- Select “Move to inbox” to unarchive.
On mobile:
- Go to “Archived conversations” from the messages menu.
- Tap on the conversation you want to unarchive.
- Tap the three dots icon in the conversation.
- Choose “Move to inbox.”
The conversation will now be moved back to your main messages inbox.
Permanently Deleting Archived Messages
If you no longer need to keep an archived conversation, you can permanently delete it from LinkedIn. This will remove it entirely from your account. On desktop:
- Go to “Archived conversations” and click the conversation you want to delete.
- Click the settings gear icon in the conversation.
- Select “Delete conversation.”
- Confirm deletion when prompted.
On mobile:
- Go to “Archived conversations” and tap the conversation.
- Tap the three dots menu icon.
- Tap “Delete conversation.”
- Confirm deletion.
The conversation will now be permanently removed from your LinkedIn account.
Archiving vs. Deleting Messages
Archiving and deleting conversations on LinkedIn work a bit differently:
- Archiving – Removes conversations from your inbox but keeps them accessible in your archived folder. You can unarchive conversations anytime.
- Deleting – Permanently removes conversations from your account. Deleted messages cannot be recovered.
So archiving is useful for decluttering your inbox while still retaining access to old messages if needed. Deleting permanently erases conversations you no longer need to keep for good.
Bulk Archiving Strategies
Here are some tips for effectively using bulk archiving to keep your LinkedIn inbox organized:
- Archive older conversations in batches to clear out inactive messages.
- Archive conversations after resolving or completing the purpose of the message exchange.
- Periodically archive all messages to start fresh and maintain a clean inbox.
- Archive conversations you need to follow up on later so they do not clutter your inbox.
- Archive messages from infrequent connections to focus on more important conversations.
The archive feature is especially useful for LinkedIn users who receive a high volume of messages. Bulk archiving helps you quickly clear out your inbox while still being able to access the conversations if needed.
Limits and Considerations
There are a couple limitations and things to keep in mind when archiving LinkedIn messages:
- You can only archive conversations (message threads), not individual messages.
- Archived conversations remain in your account storage and continue counting against your storage limit.
- The other person will not be notified when you archive a conversation.
- You cannot archive conversations in the mobile app InMail view, only in the main Messages view.
So archiving conversations simply removes them from your immediate inbox view for organizational purposes. The conversations remain stored in your account until you choose to delete them.
Conclusion
Archiving conversations is an easy way to clear out your LinkedIn messages inbox and keep it organized. The bulk archiving options allow you to archive all conversations in just a few clicks. Just navigate to the archive all conversations menu from the settings gear icon in your messages inbox on desktop or mobile.
Remember that archiving simply removes conversations from the inbox view but keeps them accessible if needed later. Actually deleting a conversation permanently erases it from your account storage. So leverage archiving to declutter your inbox, while reserving deletion for messages you never need to see again.
With the archiving features, you can effectively stay on top of your LinkedIn messages and keep your inbox clean. Periodically utilizing bulk archiving is a simple organizational habit that can make a big difference in taming your inbox.