LinkedIn shows read receipts, but only in direct messages and only to the sender

When you send a direct message on LinkedIn, you can see whether the other person has read it. A small checkmark appears under your message once they open the conversation. However, LinkedIn does not let the other person know that you have read their messages — the feature is one-way only.

This means if someone sends you a message, they cannot tell whether you have opened it, read it, or ignored it. You will not see any indicator on their end, and they will not see one on yours. The read receipt only works for the person who sent the original message.

Key Takeaways

  • Read receipts on LinkedIn appear as a checkmark under your message and show only to you, not to the recipient.
  • The other person cannot see whether you have read their messages, even if you have opened the conversation.
  • Read receipts work only in direct messages, not in connection requests, comments, or other LinkedIn features.
  • There is no way to turn off read receipts or hide the fact that you have read a message.
  • If someone does not respond, you cannot use read receipts to determine whether they saw your message.

What the checkmark actually means

The checkmark that appears under your message means the recipient has opened the direct message thread, not necessarily that they have read every word you wrote. If you send a long message and they open the conversation but scroll past it without reading, the checkmark will still appear.

LinkedIn also shows a timestamp next to the checkmark in some cases, indicating when the person last viewed the conversation. This can help you understand whether they opened your message recently or days ago, but it does not tell you whether they actually read what you wrote or simply opened the app.

Where read receipts do and do not work

Read receipts appear only in LinkedIn's direct messaging feature. They do not work in connection requests, profile comments, post comments, or any other part of the platform. If you send someone a connection request or comment on their post, you will have no way to know whether they have seen it.

This limitation matters because many LinkedIn interactions happen outside of direct messages. A recruiter might comment on your post, a colleague might react to your update, or someone might send you a connection request — and in all of those cases, you will not see a read receipt, even if the person has viewed your profile or seen the notification.

Why someone might read your message but not respond

Seeing a checkmark under your message does not mean the person will respond. They may have opened the conversation and decided not to reply, they may have intended to respond later and forgotten, or they may have read it while busy and not had time to compose an answer. A read receipt only confirms that the message was opened, nothing more.

On LinkedIn, many people receive dozens of messages per day. Someone might read your message, find it interesting, and still not respond because they are overwhelmed or because responding requires more thought than they have time for at that moment. Do not interpret a read receipt as a promise of a reply.

How to check if someone has read your message

Open the direct message conversation with the person you messaged. Scroll to the message you sent and look directly underneath it. If a checkmark appears, they have opened the conversation. If no checkmark appears, they have not yet opened it.

On mobile, the checkmark appears in the same location — directly below your message. On desktop, it is in the same spot. The checkmark is small and easy to miss if you are scrolling quickly, so look carefully at the space just below the last message you sent.

What you cannot do with read receipts

You cannot turn off read receipts, hide them, or prevent others from seeing that you have read their messages — because read receipts do not work that way. Since only the sender can see whether you have read a message, there is nothing for you to hide or disable on your end.

If you are worried about someone knowing you read their message, you should know that they cannot see that information. The only person who knows you opened the conversation is you. This is different from some other messaging platforms, where both people can see read receipts and where you can sometimes disable the feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see if someone read my message if they do not respond?

Yes. The checkmark under your message shows that they opened the conversation, regardless of whether they responded. However, opening the conversation does not may provide they read your entire message — they may have scrolled past it or opened the app without fully reading what you wrote.

Does the other person know I read their message?

No. LinkedIn's read receipts are one-way only. The person who sent you a message cannot see whether you have read it, opened it, or ignored it. You have complete privacy on your end of the conversation.

What if the checkmark does not appear under my message?

If no checkmark appears, the recipient has not yet opened the direct message conversation. They may not have seen the notification, or they may have seen it but not opened the app to read it. The checkmark will appear once they open the conversation, even if it takes days.

Do read receipts work on LinkedIn mobile and desktop?

Yes. Read receipts work the same way on both the LinkedIn mobile app and the desktop website. The checkmark appears in the same location on both platforms, and the functionality is identical.

Can I use read receipts to know if someone is ignoring me?

Not really. A read receipt shows that someone opened the conversation, but it does not tell you why they have not responded. They may be busy, may need time to think of a reply, or may have simply forgotten. A lack of response does not mean they are ignoring you — it usually just means they have not gotten around to replying.