LinkedIn shows read receipts, but only in direct messages and only if the other person has the feature turned on
When you send a direct message on LinkedIn, you can see whether the recipient has read it — but with a catch. The read receipt appears as a small icon next to your message, usually a checkmark or "Seen" indicator, but only if both people have the feature enabled. If someone has turned off read receipts in their settings, you won't know whether they've opened your message or simply haven't gotten to it yet.
LinkedIn does not show read receipts in group conversations, comments on posts, or connection requests. The feature works only in one-on-one direct messages. This means if you're messaging someone in a group chat or waiting to hear back on a connection request, you have no way to know if they've seen it.
Key Takeaways
- Read receipts on LinkedIn appear only in direct messages between two people, not in group chats or on posts.
- Both the sender and receiver must have read receipts enabled for you to see whether your message was opened.
- You can turn off read receipts in your LinkedIn settings if you don't want others to see when you've read their messages.
- A "Seen" indicator or checkmark next to your message means the recipient opened it, but says nothing about whether they've responded or plan to.
How to find the read receipt on a message you sent
Open LinkedIn and go to your direct messages. Find the conversation with the person you messaged. Look at the message you sent — if it has been read, you'll see a small icon next to it. On the desktop version, this is usually a checkmark or the word "Seen" with a timestamp showing when they opened it. On the mobile app, the indicator appears in roughly the same spot.
The read receipt only tells you that the message was opened on their device. It doesn't tell you if they read the entire message, understood it, or plan to respond. Someone might open a message and then get distracted, or open it by accident. A read receipt is not the same as engagement.
How to turn off read receipts so others can't see when you read messages
If you don't want people to know when you've read their messages, you can disable read receipts. On desktop, click your profile photo in the top right corner, then select "Settings and privacy." Go to "Privacy" and look for messaging settings. Find the option for read receipts or message read status and toggle it off.
On the LinkedIn mobile app, tap the "Me" icon at the bottom, then tap the settings gear icon. Go to "Privacy" and find the messaging or read receipt setting. Toggle it off. Once you've disabled read receipts, other people will no longer see when you open their messages — but you also won't see when they open yours.
Keep in mind that turning off read receipts is an all-or-nothing choice. You can't selectively hide your read status from some people while showing it to others. If you turn the feature off, it applies to everyone you message with on LinkedIn.
Why LinkedIn shows read receipts at all
Read receipts exist to reduce uncertainty in professional communication. When you're waiting to hear back from a recruiter, a potential client, or a colleague, knowing whether they've at least opened your message can ease some of the waiting. It signals that your message reached them and wasn't lost in spam or overlooked.
For the person receiving the message, read receipts can create pressure. Some people feel obligated to respond immediately once they've opened a message, or they worry that a delayed response looks careless. This is why LinkedIn gives you the option to turn read receipts off — to let you manage your own communication pace without broadcasting it.
What read receipts don't tell you
A read receipt means someone opened the message, but it doesn't mean they understood it, agreed with it, or plan to act on it. Someone might read your message in a notification preview without actually opening the full conversation. On some devices, opening a message might happen automatically without the person actively choosing to read it.
Read receipts also don't account for time zones or work schedules. If someone reads your message at 2 a.m. but doesn't respond until the next day, the read receipt only shows the opening time, not when they actually had time to think about it or compose a reply.
Read receipts in group messages and other LinkedIn features
LinkedIn's group direct messages do not include read receipts. If you're in a conversation with three or more people, you won't see any indicator of who has opened the message or when. This is different from one-on-one messaging, where read receipts are available if both people have them enabled.
Comments on posts, connection requests, and messages sent through LinkedIn's messaging feature on the web version all work the same way — no read receipts. The feature is limited to direct messages only. If you need to know whether someone has seen something you posted or a connection request you sent, you'll have to wait for them to respond or reach out directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see read receipts if I'm messaging someone on mobile and they're on desktop?
Yes, read receipts work across devices. If you send a message from your phone and the recipient opens it on their computer, you'll see the read receipt. The feature syncs across all LinkedIn platforms as long as both people have it enabled.
What if someone has read receipts turned off — will I see anything?
No. If the recipient has disabled read receipts in their settings, you won't see any indicator that they've opened your message. You'll only see the message you sent, with no "Seen" status or timestamp. There's no way to know if they've read it or not.
Does turning off read receipts mean people can't see my profile views?
No. Read receipts only control whether people see when you open their direct messages. Profile view privacy is a separate setting. You can turn off profile views independently in your privacy settings, and it won't affect your message read receipts or vice versa.
If I read someone's message but don't respond, will they know?
Yes, if you have read receipts enabled. They'll see that you opened the message, even if you don't reply. This is why some people turn off read receipts — to avoid the pressure of appearing to ignore someone after opening their message.