When someone sends you a connection invitation on LinkedIn, they have the option to include a note or message with the request. This message allows the sender to briefly introduce themselves or explain why they want to connect with you. As the recipient, being able to view this invitation message can help provide context around the connection request and determine if it’s someone you want to accept.
Unfortunately LinkedIn does not make it easy to see the invitation message on the platform itself. The message is only displayed during the initial notification and once you’ve navigated away, the only way to view it again is through email. Here are a few methods to see LinkedIn connection invitation messages:
View the Invitation Email
Whenever someone sends you an invitation to connect on LinkedIn, you will receive an email notification to the email associated with your LinkedIn account. This email will contain the full invitation message that the sender included.
To view the message:
- Open the email notification from LinkedIn with subject line “X has invited you to connect on LinkedIn”
- Scroll down and look for the section that says “X sent you this note”
- Read the message from the sender explaining why they want to connect.
This is the easiest way to see the full invitation message again, even if you accidentally dismissed the LinkedIn notification earlier. The email also contains handy buttons to Accept or Ignore the invitation without needing to log in to LinkedIn.
Check Notification Email Settings
In some cases, you may not be receiving the LinkedIn connection invitation emails. This could happen if you have disabled notification emails in your LinkedIn account settings or if the messages are going to your spam folder.
To make sure you get invitation emails:
- Go to your LinkedIn account Settings
- Select Communications on the left sidebar
- Make sure the toggle for “Someone invites you to connect” is switched ON
- Check that emails from LinkedIn are not going to your spam folder
Enabling this email notification will ensure you get a record of all connection invitation messages sent to you.
Look Up Past Invitations
If you previously ignored a connection invitation and now want to see what the message said, you can still look up past invitations and their associated messages:
- In the LinkedIn app or desktop site, click My Network at the top
- Select Manage next to the Invites number
- Go to the Past tab to see previous invitations
- Click on any past invitation to open it and view the message
The invitation message will be displayed at the bottom of the invitation window. You can refer back months or years later to refresh your memory on who the person was and why they added you.
Ask Sender to Resend Invitation
If all else fails and you can’t find the original invitation message anywhere, you can always ask the sender to resend the invitation. Here are a few ways to request they share it again:
- If you remember who the sender is, message them directly on LinkedIn asking them to resend the invitation with the original note
- If you don’t recall who sent it, make a post asking your connections to resend any outstanding invitations
- Change your LinkedIn settings to get email notifications for all new messages. Then when the sender resends, you’ll have the invitation message in your email
Most people will happily oblige and resend the invitation if needed. Just explain that you can no longer see the original message and want to review before connecting.
Auto-Archive Important Messages
To make sure you have a permanent record of all connection invitation messages moving forward, you can set up auto-archiving for your emails.
Here are some options:
- Use LinkedIn’s Save Invites feature to automatically archive all connection invitations and messages in your account. You can view them later under Manage > Past.
- Set up inbox rules to auto-forward LinkedIn emails to an archive folder or another email account for backup.
- Use an email extension like Mixmax or Streak to automatically save LinkedIn outreach as searchable records.
Archiving incoming LinkedIn invitations takes just a few minutes to set up. Then you’ll always have quick access to those messages when needed.
Check Mobile Notifications
If you primarily use the LinkedIn mobile app, you may get mobile push notifications when receiving new connection invitations. These notifications will often include a preview of the message text.
To quickly see invitation messages:
- Open notification when received or check notification history
- Look for previews of new invitation messages
- Click notification to open invite and view full message
The mobile LinkedIn app provides an easy way to preview messages on-the-go before deciding whether to accept invitations or dig into your email to review the full notes.
Why Viewing the Message Matters
It may seem like extra effort to hunt down LinkedIn invitation messages, but viewing this context can be valuable for several reasons:
- Lets you vet new connections and only accept relevant requests
- Jogs your memory on how you know the person if it’s been awhile
- Gives insights into their intentions and goals for connecting
- Surfaces opportunities for networking, partnerships, or collaboration
- Builds rapport when you can reference their message after connecting
Taking a few seconds to look up and read the invitation message helps inform your decision to accept or ignore requests. It also makes it easier to follow up with new connections in a personalized way.
How to Politely Decline an Invitation
If after viewing the invitation message, you decide that you do not wish to connect, you can politely decline the request. Here are some tips for saying “no” gracefully:
- Thank them for the thoughtful invitation and note
- Briefly explain why you are unable to connect at this time
- Wish them the best and say you hope to cross paths in the future
- Consider recommending someone in your network who may be a better fit
Turning down invitations can feel awkward, but when handled courteously can preserve your reputation. Being direct but positive keeps the door open for potentially connecting down the road.
Troubleshooting Issues with Invitation Messages
In some cases, you may run into problems accessing LinkedIn invitation messages due to platform bugs or glitches. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
- If invitation emails are going to spam, mark them as “not spam” to train your email filters
- Make sure you have the latest version of the LinkedIn mobile app installed
- Clear LinkedIn app cache and data to fix notification issues
- Check for any disabled permissions for LinkedIn that could affect notifications
- Report problems accessing invitations to LinkedIn customer support
With LinkedIn being updated frequently, occasional bugs are inevitable. But a few quick troubleshooting steps can typically get your invitation messages viewable again.
Tools to Manage LinkedIn Invitations
If you receive a high volume of connection invitations, manually tracking them down can be a hassle. Luckily, there are some tools to help:
- LinkedIn Assistant: This Google Chrome extension lets you manage invites right from your browser.
- Mixmax: Popular email extension that enhances LinkedIn (and other) messages with tracking and auto-archiving.
- Streak: CRM for Gmail that captures LinkedIn messages for easy organization and management.
- Join.me: Productivity platform with LinkedIn integration that surfaces profile insights and lead intelligence.
The right tools can save you time organizing and tracking down important connection invitations and messages. Find one that suits your needs and makes it easier to connect with the right people.
In Summary
LinkedIn invitation messages often provide useful context around new connections. But they can be tricky to find if you don’t view them promptly. By enabling notifications, checking your email, and viewing past invitations, you can access these notes whenever needed.
Taking the time to look up messages shows respect for those reaching out and helps you selectively grow your network. Decline invites politely if needed and troubleshoot any issues accessing messages. And consider tools to help manage a high volume of invitations.
With a proactive approach, you can ensure you have the full story behind every new LinkedIn connection!