How to send a connection request on LinkedIn

To connect with someone on LinkedIn, find their profile, click the "Connect" button (usually near their name or photo), and optionally add a personal message before sending. The person receives a notification and can accept, decline, or ignore your request. If they accept, you can then message them directly. On desktop, the Connect button appears on the right side of their profile header. On the mobile app, it's typically below their name and headline.

You don't need to know someone personally to send a connection request — LinkedIn is designed for professional networking across industries and experience levels. However, the person you're connecting with can see your profile before they decide whether to accept, so they'll make their choice based on what you've shared publicly: your photo, headline, current role, and work history.

LinkedIn limits how many connection requests you can send per week if you're not already connected to the person through email or phone. If you send too many requests to people who don't accept them, LinkedIn may temporarily restrict your ability to send more. This is a spam-prevention measure. Requests typically expire after six months if the person neither accepts nor declines.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the Connect button on someone's profile, optionally add a short personal message, and send — they'll see your request as a notification.
  • The person can see your full profile before deciding to accept, so a complete profile with a professional photo increases your chances.
  • Once someone accepts your connection request, you can message them directly through LinkedIn's messaging feature.
  • Sending connection requests to many people who reject them may trigger LinkedIn's rate limits, so focus on people relevant to your goals.
  • A personal message explaining why you want to connect — mentioning a shared interest, mutual contact, or reason for reaching out — makes acceptance more likely than a blank request.

Adding a personal message to your connection request

When you click Connect, LinkedIn gives you the option to add a message before sending the request. This message appears to the recipient alongside your connection request and is your chance to explain who you are and why you're reaching out. A message as short as one or two sentences — "I saw your work on data privacy at TechCorp and would like to stay connected" or "We both attended the UX Design Summit last month" — significantly increases the chance someone will accept.

Without a message, your request is generic and the person has no context for why you're connecting. With a message, you're showing you've looked at their profile and have a reason for the connection. People are far more likely to accept requests from people they recognize or who have a clear professional reason to connect.

Keep the message brief and genuine. Avoid generic templates like "I'd like to add you to my professional network" — the person receives dozens of these. Instead, reference something specific: a post they wrote, a company they work for, a mutual connection, or an event you both attended. If you have no genuine connection point, it's better to send a blank request than a forced one.

When someone accepts or declines your request

If the person accepts your connection request, they appear in your connections list and you can now send them direct messages through LinkedIn's messaging feature. You can also see their full profile (depending on their privacy settings) and they can see yours. Accepted connections show up in both of your networks, which means mutual connections can see that you're connected to each other.

If the person declines your request, they won't appear in your connections and you won't be notified that they declined. You can send another request to the same person, but LinkedIn discourages repeated requests to people who have already declined. If someone ignores your request for six months, it expires automatically and you can send a new one.

If you want to message someone before connecting, you can do that too — LinkedIn allows you to send a direct message to people you're not connected to, though they may not see it immediately if it goes to their filtered inbox. Some people set their messaging to only show messages from connections, in which case your message won't appear until they accept your connection request.

Building a complete profile to increase acceptance rates

Before you start sending connection requests, spend time on your own profile. People decide whether to accept your request in seconds, usually based on your photo, headline, and current role. A profile with a professional headshot, a clear headline (like "Marketing Manager at Acme Corp" or "UX Designer | Accessibility Advocate"), and a summary of your work history looks credible and trustworthy.

A profile with no photo, a vague headline, or no work history listed looks incomplete or inactive, and people are less likely to accept requests from it. You don't need a formal studio photo — a clear, well-lit headshot taken on your phone works fine. Your headline should describe what you do now, not what you want to do. Your summary (the "About" section) should be a few sentences about your professional background and what you're interested in.

LinkedIn also shows mutual connections on your profile. If you and the person you're connecting with have mutual connections, mention that in your message: "I see we both know Sarah Chen from TechCorp" makes the connection feel less random and more legitimate.

Connection requests from people you don't know

You'll receive connection requests from people you've never met. You can accept, decline, or ignore them. There's no penalty for declining requests — the person won't be notified that you declined, and you can still message them later if you want to. If you're unsure about someone, you can click on their profile to see their work history and connections before deciding.

Some connection requests come from recruiters, salespeople, or people trying to build their network broadly. These are normal parts of LinkedIn. You're not obligated to accept every request. If someone's profile looks suspicious — no photo, no work history, or a headline that looks like spam — it's safe to decline.

If you receive repeated requests from the same person after declining, you can report them to LinkedIn. Most people respect a decline and move on.

Connecting through mutual contacts or email

If you know someone who already knows the person you want to connect with, you can ask for an introduction. On someone's profile, you can see your mutual connections listed. If you click on a mutual connection's name, you can ask them to introduce you to the person you're trying to reach. The mutual contact receives a message asking if they're willing to make the introduction, and if they agree, they can send a message to both of you together.

You can also connect with someone if you have their email address in your contacts. LinkedIn's "Find Friends" or "Contacts" feature can scan your email contacts and show you who on LinkedIn has an account. If you find someone that way, connecting is often faster because LinkedIn recognizes the shared contact information.

Messaging after you're connected

Once someone accepts your connection request, you can send them direct messages through LinkedIn's messaging feature. Click on the message icon (usually a speech bubble) at the top of the page, search for their name, and start a conversation. Messages appear in their inbox, and they'll get a notification depending on their settings.

LinkedIn messages work like email or text — you can send links, documents, or just text. Keep your first message professional and relevant to why you connected. If you connected because you wanted to discuss a job opportunity, ask about it. If you connected because you admire their work, say so. Don't immediately ask for something large (like a job, a favor, or a sale) from someone you just connected with — build the relationship first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone see that I viewed their profile?

LinkedIn shows profile viewers to some users, depending on their privacy settings. If you have a free account, your name appears as "Someone" to protect your privacy. If you have a paid account, your name may appear. To view a profile without being seen, you can turn off activity status in your privacy settings, though this also hides your activity from your connections.

What's the difference between connecting and following on LinkedIn?

Connecting sends a request that the person must accept or decline. Following lets you see someone's posts in your feed without them accepting anything — you can follow anyone without their permission. You can follow someone without being connected to them, and vice versa.

How many connection requests can I send per week?

LinkedIn doesn't publish an exact limit, but if you send many requests to people who don't accept them, LinkedIn may temporarily restrict your ability to send more. The limit is higher if you're connecting to people who have your email address or phone number. Sending 10 to 20 targeted requests per week to people you have a genuine reason to connect with is generally safe.

Can I take back a connection request I already sent?

Yes. Go to your notifications or to the person's profile, find the pending connection request, and click "Withdraw" or "Cancel Request." The person won't be notified that you withdrew it. You can send a new request later if you want to.

What should I do if someone keeps sending me connection requests after I declined?

You can report the person to LinkedIn if the requests feel harassing or spam-like. Click the three dots on their profile or in the notification and select "Report." Most people respect a single decline and don't send repeated requests.