LinkedIn has transformed the way professionals connect, network, and do business. From job hunting and recruitment to sales outreach and brand building, it’s become the go-to platform for professional communication. But in this world of hyper-connectivity, many users wonder: Does LinkedIn show read receipts? And if it does, what does that mean for outreach performance, response tracking, and privacy?
In this blog, we’ll answer that question and explore how LinkedIn read receipts work, how to control them, and how to use them to improve your messaging strategy, whether you're managing LinkedIn Sales Automation,sending a LinkedIn Cold Message, or reviewing your LinkedIn Analytics.
Understanding What Read Receipts Mean on LinkedIn
Before diving into how to enable or disable this feature, it’s important to understand what read receipts actually are and how they differ from similar features on other platforms.
What is a Read Receipt?
A read receipt is a small visual cue that indicates whether a recipient has viewed your message. On LinkedIn, this usually appears as a double-check mark icon underneath the message you sent.
Read Receipts vs. Message Check Marks
On LinkedIn:
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A single check means the message has been sent.
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A double check means the message has been seen (if read receipts are enabled).
This is often referred to as the LinkedIn message check mark system.
Comparison with WhatsApp/Email Confirmations
Similar to WhatsApp's blue ticks and email read receipts, LinkedIn’s system offers a way to see when your message has reached its recipient's attention—but only if both parties have the feature enabled. This confirms that LinkedIn does send read receipts, but with a privacy-first approach.
Who Needs to Activate the Read Confirmation Feature on LinkedIn?
Professionals who rely on LinkedIn for high-stakes messaging, such as salespeople, recruiters, and marketers, often use LinkedIn read receipts to optimize follow-up strategies.
Use Case Examples:
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SDRs: To know when to follow up on a cold outreach message
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Recruiters: To track whether candidates have seen job offers
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B2B Marketers: To optimize their drip messaging
Explore more on LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Automation, and Recruiter Automation Tool to automate and personalize your outreach.
Try Automation Tool For Marketing Managers
How Can I Activate Read Receipts on LinkedIn?
To start seeing those read indicators, both you and your message recipient need to have read receipts turned on. Here's how to activate them.
On Desktop:
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Go to "Settings & Privacy"
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Click "Communications."
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Navigate to "Messaging experience"
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Toggle Read receipts and typing indicators to ON
On Mobile:
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Tap your profile picture > Settings
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Tap "Communications."
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Go to "Messaging experience"
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Turn ON "Read receipts and typing indicators."
How to Turn Off Read Receipts on LinkedIn?
There are strategic reasons to keep your messaging private. If you're wondering how to turn off read receipts on LinkedIn, the process is quick and easy. Disabling this ensures others can't track when you've read their messages, giving you control over your reply timing.
On Desktop:
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Go to "Settings"
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Click on "Communications."
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Select "Messaging experience."
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Toggle Read receipts and typing indicators to OFF
On Mobile:
Follow the same steps as enabling them, but switch the toggle OFF instead.
Many professionals prefer to turn off read receipts LinkedIn offers to manage conversations on their own schedule.
How to Know If Someone Read Your Message on LinkedIn?
Reading between the lines or icons is easy once you know what to look for.
What the Checkmark Icons Mean:
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Single check = Sent, not yet seen
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Double check = Seen (if the feature is enabled on both ends)
This LinkedIn message check mark system makes it easy to track engagement.
Is It Possible to Read a LinkedIn Message Without Letting the Sender Know?
Yes. If you turn off read receipts on LinkedIn, others can’t see when you read their messages. But this also disables your ability to see theirs.
Workarounds:
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Desktop preview: Hover over a message to read the first line
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Notifications tray: Read messages from notification previews
Note: LinkedIn read receipts are reciprocal. If turned off, you won’t see others' read receipts either.
What Are the Pros of Turning On Read Receipts on LinkedIn?
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Transparency: Builds trust with connections
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Timely follow-ups: Know when to follow up after a message is seen
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Sales efficiency: Understand which leads are more engaged
Related tools: LinkedIn Automation Tool, Sales Navigator, LinkedIn Premium Accounts
Manage Your LinkedIn Inbox Better with Liprospect
Liprospect is a powerful LinkedIn Automation Tool that helps automate linkedin messaging and prospecting. It can:
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Send personalized sequences
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Track message views (with read receipts)
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Integrate with LinkedIn Messaging Templates and LinkedIn Campaign Manager for better inbox control
Try Smart Inbox for LinkedIn Message management
Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Prospecting Message on LinkedIn
Once you know whether someone’s seen your message, you can tailor your outreach better. But your message still needs to land well.
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Limit Yourself to One ‘Ask’ Per Message
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Follow Up: Send a follow-up 2–3 days after a read receipt is shown
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Be Brief and Get to the Point
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Consider using LinkedIn message management check mark signals as part of your messaging prospecting sequence
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Tie into: Tag Company on LinkedIn
Conclusion
So, does LinkedIn show read receipts? Yes, but with caveats. These indicators only appear if both you and your recipient have the feature enabled. While this might limit full visibility, LinkedIn read receipts still offer valuable insights when used smartly.
For professionals in sales, recruitment, or marketing, this small icon can make a big difference. It helps tailor follow-up timing, prioritize hot leads, and refine outreach strategy.
Pairing read receipts with tools like Liprospect, Sales Navigator, and LinkedIn Campaign Manager can supercharge your performance. Want to elevate your LinkedIn messaging game? Try using LinkedIn Messaging Templates, or explore LinkedIn Automation Tool and LinkedIn Sales Automation for better conversions.
Whether you're tracking engagement or respecting your own privacy, the key is to align your messaging setup with your professional goals.
