How do you send an InMail on LinkedIn?
On a computer, open the person's profile, click More in their introduction section, select Message followed by their name, then write and click Send. These are the steps on LinkedIn's Send an InMail Message help page, shown as last updated seven months before our check on 4 November 2026. You need a Premium plan with credits left: on a free account, LinkedIn's InMail page says you can only message your connections directly.
Open their profile
Go to the profile of the member you want to write to. You can also start from the Messaging page or a conversation window and search for the member there.
Click More, then Message [name]
Click the More button in their introduction section and select Message followed by their name from the dropdown. A New message window opens.
Write and send
Type a subject in the Subject field if you want one (it's optional), type your message in the text box and click Send. The compose window shows how many credits you have left.
In the LinkedIn app
Go to their profile and tap Message in the introduction section. Add a subject if you want one, type the message and tap Send. LinkedIn gives one Mobile version of these steps, with no separate iOS or Android instructions.
Check first whether you need a credit at all. A 1st-degree connection gets a normal message, and a Premium member with Open Profile turned on can be messaged free, though LinkedIn's Open Profile help says it limits how many of those you can send in a given period. Our guide to every way to message someone on LinkedIn covers those free routes.
How do you send InMail in Sales Navigator?
From inside Sales Navigator. LinkedIn's Sales Navigator InMail page, shown as last updated 11 months before our check, says that if you have a Sales Navigator subscription, InMails can only be sent from Sales Navigator, not LinkedIn.com. You can start one from a lead's Sales Navigator profile, from Sales Navigator search results or from your Sales Navigator inbox, according to InMail messages in Sales Navigator.
Start a message
Sign in to Sales Navigator, click Messaging in the top menu, then the Edit icon in the top left. Or open the lead's Sales Navigator profile and click Message.
Open a locked profile in full
If the lead's profile is locked, LinkedIn says you have to click its full-profile button before you can message them. A separate, older page on out-of-network profile searches, shown as last updated five years ago, gives each seat 25 out-of-network search openings a month, which don't roll over; it doesn't say whether the full-profile button draws on that allowance (checked 4 Nov 2026).
Write within the limits
Add a subject line (200 characters) and your message (1,900 characters). Your signature can be up to 150 characters and counts towards the message total. Use the Attach icon for a file of up to 200 MB.
Send, and save the lead
Click Send. The Save button in the pane on the right saves the person as a lead at the same time.
In the Sales Navigator app
Tap Messages at the bottom of the screen, then the Edit icon in the upper-right corner. Type the recipient's name in the To: box and pick them from the list; if their profile is locked, open the full profile first. Add the subject and message, tap the Plus icon to attach a file, and send.
Two limits apply: you can't send InMail to several leads at once, and InMail templates aren't available in Sales Navigator, according to the Sales Navigator InMail page. Messages to 1st-degree connections or Open Profile members go out as free InMail, which uses no credit but still counts in your InMail response rate, according to LinkedIn's page on message types. Replies to InMail you send from Sales Navigator arrive in your Sales Navigator inbox, while LinkedIn's inbox help page says replies to InMail sent from your LinkedIn account go to your LinkedIn inbox.
How long can an InMail be, and what other limits apply?
Up to 200 characters for the subject and 2,000 for the body on LinkedIn.com, or 1,900 for the body in Sales Navigator. The other differences between the two are in this table, from LinkedIn's help pages checked 4 November 2026.
| Limit | LinkedIn.com (Premium) | Sales Navigator |
|---|---|---|
| Subject line | Up to 200 characters, optional | Up to 200 characters |
| Message body | Up to 2,000 characters | Up to 1,900 characters, including a signature of up to 150 |
| Attachments | Not mentioned on the Send an InMail page | Up to 200 MB |
| A second InMail before they reply | Not possible until they respond to the first | Possible, and uses another credit; not possible on a thread they declined |
| Editing or deleting a sent InMail | Can't delete; edit only before it's accepted or within 60 minutes | Edit or delete within 60 minutes; deleting one with no response means no credit back |
| When credits renew | First day of your billing cycle | First day of each month, UTC |
| Where to see your balance | My Premium page, or the compose window | The compose window, or Sales Navigator Settings |
Sources: Send an InMail Message, the Sales Navigator InMail page, LinkedIn's Premium credits page and InMail FAQ, the Sales Navigator credits page, Edit or delete a sent message and InMail response types in Sales Navigator.
Our arithmetic on the Sales Navigator budget: with a full 150-character signature, 1,750 characters are left for the message itself (1,900 minus 150). A 2,000-character draft written on LinkedIn.com needs at least 100 characters cut before it fits in Sales Navigator, plus whatever your signature uses.
Credits come back when someone accepts, declines or replies within 90 days. Our explainer on InMail credits and refund rules covers each case. How many credits each plan gives, and how much you can hold, is in our comparison of Premium and Sales Navigator.
Why can't I send an InMail on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn's troubleshooting page starts with two causes: the person has chosen not to receive InMail, or you don't have enough credits. The table matches what you see to its cause, from LinkedIn's help pages checked 4 November 2026.
| What you see | What LinkedIn's help says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| You're on a free account and they aren't a connection | On a Basic (free) account you can only message connections directly, and you must upgrade to Premium to use InMail (InMail page) | Add a note to a connection request, or upgrade |
| No InMail option on the profile | You can't message a member who has chosen not to receive InMail; in Sales Navigator the option doesn't appear for them (InMail in Sales Navigator) | Use a free route or email |
| A credit count of zero | You can't buy credits beyond the monthly allotment (Send an InMail page) | Wait for the renewal date, or use a free route |
| A locked profile in Sales Navigator | A locked lead's profile has to be opened in full before you can message them | Click the full-profile button on their Sales Navigator profile, then write |
| You can't write to them a second time | Premium: no new InMail until they respond to the first. Sales Navigator: no new InMail on a thread they declined | Wait for the automatic reminder, then try another channel |
| You have Sales Navigator and are writing on LinkedIn.com | With a Sales Navigator subscription, InMails can only be sent from Sales Navigator | Open Sales Navigator and send it there |
| An Open Profile message won't send from your Premium account | If your card on file has expired, you must update your payment information first (Open Profile help) | Update your payment details |
| Sending fails for every recipient | Try another browser or a private window, turn off extensions and any VPN, and clear your cache and cookies (troubleshooting page) | If it still fails, contact support with a HAR file and a screenshot of the error |
What should an InMail say? A checklist and a sample
Something short that can be answered in a word, because any response within 90 days, even a decline, returns the credit. LinkedIn's InMail best practices page, shown as last updated five years ago, says LinkedIn doesn't provide InMail templates, and suggests sharing any mutual experiences, interests or connections. Run this checklist before each send:
That leaves more than 1,500 characters spare under either limit. For more starting points, our 15 InMail templates with subject lines are grouped by situation, from senior buyers to trigger events such as a new role.
Finding the first-line fact is usually the slow part. Siela's Lead Finder can track keywords and competitors on LinkedIn and X, so people engaging with them become leads, and it saves each one to its CRM with the reason it was picked.
What happens after you send an InMail?
The recipient gets an automatic reminder within three days, according to LinkedIn's credits page. Until they answer, the InMail is pending, which counts as neither accepted nor declined.
To track Sales Navigator InMail on desktop, click the Messaging tab, then All messages, and choose Sent, InMail - Awaiting response, InMail - Accepted or InMail - Declined, per LinkedIn's sent and pending messages page. In the Sales Navigator app, tap Messages, then Filter. The auto replies Interested, Maybe later and Not interested all count as responses in Sales Navigator, and the credit comes back as soon as the recipient responds, according to the Sales Navigator credits page.
A routine for this week: every Friday, open the awaiting-response view and list anyone who has had your InMail for seven days or more. Rather than spend a second credit on them, switch to a connection request with a note, or an email that refers to the same reason. Our guide to InMail vs connection requests covers which to send next.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send InMail from the LinkedIn mobile app?
Yes. With Premium, open the person's profile in the LinkedIn app, tap Message in their introduction section, add a subject if you want one, write the message and tap Send. With Sales Navigator, use the separate Sales Navigator app instead: tap Messages, then the Edit icon, and pick the recipient in the To: box.
Can you send one InMail to several people at once?
Not in Sales Navigator. LinkedIn's Sales Navigator help says bulk messaging isn't available and InMails must be sent individually to each recipient. LinkedIn's Premium page on sending InMail gives steps for writing to one member and doesn't mention sending to several (checked 4 Nov 2026). Write each one for one person; a response of any kind within 90 days gives that credit back.
Can I attach a file to an InMail?
In Sales Navigator, yes: use the Attach icon on desktop or the Plus icon in the app, for files of up to 200 MB, though LinkedIn warns that operating systems and internet speeds can stop large files attaching. LinkedIn's Premium page on sending InMail doesn't mention attachments, so check the compose window before you plan around one.
What does a pending InMail mean?
It means the person hasn't accepted, declined or replied yet. LinkedIn doesn't count a pending InMail either way, sends the recipient one automatic reminder within three days, and on Premium won't let you send them a second InMail until they respond. If they answer within 90 days, even with a decline, the credit comes back.
Can I unsend an InMail on LinkedIn?
Not on LinkedIn.com. LinkedIn says you can't delete a sent InMail there, and you can edit it only before it's accepted or within 60 minutes of sending. Sales Navigator lets you edit or delete one within 60 minutes, but if you delete an InMail that hasn't had a response, you don't get the credit back.
Sources
- LinkedIn Help: Send an InMail Message (shown as updated 7 months ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: InMail Messages (shown as updated 4 weeks ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Send an Open Profile message on LinkedIn (shown as updated 1 year ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Send an InMail message in Sales Navigator (shown as updated 11 months ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: InMail messages in Sales Navigator (shown as updated 11 months ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Out-of-Network Search Unlocks in Sales Navigator (shown as updated 5 years ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Types of messages in Sales Navigator (shown as updated 11 months ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Messages in Sales Navigator Inbox or LinkedIn Inbox (shown as updated 1 year ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: InMail message credits and renewal process (shown as updated 3 months ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: InMail Messages FAQ (shown as updated 2 months ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Understand InMail credits in Sales Navigator (shown as updated 11 months ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Edit or delete a sent message within a conversation (shown as updated 1 year ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: InMail message response types in Sales Navigator (shown as updated 2 years ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Troubleshoot message sending issues on LinkedIn (shown as updated 2 years ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Writing InMail Messages - Best Practices (shown as updated 5 years ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: View sent and pending messages in Sales Navigator (shown as updated 1 year ago) (checked 4 Nov 2026)