How to Send a Direct Message on LinkedIn

Sending a direct message on LinkedIn is your digital handshake, your foot in the door, and your first step toward building a meaningful professional relationship. This guide breaks down exactly how to send DMs - both on desktop and mobile - and, more importantly, how to write messages that get replies and build your network the right way.

How to Send a Direct Message on LinkedIn: A Step-by-Step Guide

The mechanics of sending a message are straightforward, whether you're at your desk or on the go. Here’s how to do it on both platforms.

On a Desktop Computer

You can start a new message directly from someone's profile or from your dedicated messaging page.

From a User's Profile:

1. Navigate to the profile of the person you want to message.
2. Look for the "Message" button, located directly below their name and headline. If you're not a 1st-degree connection, this button might say "InMail," depending on your LinkedIn plan and their settings.
3. Click the "Message" button. A chat window will appear at the bottom right corner of your screen.
4. Type your message in the composition box. You can attach files, images, or GIFs using the icons at the bottom.
5. Hit the "Send" button or press enter. Your message is on its way.

Pro-Tip: This method is excellent when you're actively browsing profiles and want to reach out in the moment.

From the Messaging Page:

1. Click the "Messaging" icon in the navigation bar at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
2. On the messaging page, click the new message icon (it looks like a square with a pencil in it) located at the top of your message list.
3. A "New message" window will pop up. In the "Type a name..." field, start typing the name of the person you want to contact. Select them from the list that appears. You can add multiple people to start a group chat.
4. Compose your message in the box at the bottom and click "Send."

On the LinkedIn Mobile App (iOS and Android)

The process on mobile is just as simple and follows a similar logic.

From a User's Profile:

1. Open the LinkedIn app and navigate to the person's profile.
2. Tap the "Message" button found below their profile picture and headline.
3. This will open a chat screen. Type your message in the field at the bottom.
4. Tap the paper airplane icon to send your message.

From the Messaging Tab:

1. Tap the "Messaging" tab, located in the navigation bar at the top of your screen.
2. Tap the blue message-composition icon in the bottom right corner.
3. In the "To:" field, search for the person you want to message by name. Tap their name to add them to the conversation.
4. Write your message in the composing area and tap the send icon.

Can You Message Someone You're Not Connected With?

This is where LinkedIn’s networking rules come into play. Your ability to message someone depends on your relationship to them on the platform and their privacy settings. Understanding these dynamics is crucial if you're looking to grow your connections on LinkedIn effectively.

• 1st-Degree Connections: These are people you are directly connected with. You can send them a direct message at any time, free of charge.
• Fellow Group Members: This is a powerful workaround. If you are in the same LinkedIn Group as someone, you can typically message them directly for free, even if you aren't 1st-degree connections. Go to the group's "Members" list, find the person, and you should see a "Message" option next to their name.
• 2nd &, 3rd-Degree Connections (Using InMail): For most people who aren't in your immediate network or a shared group, you'll need to use InMail. InMail messages are a premium feature that comes with LinkedIn Premium, Sales Navigator, or Recruiter plans. They allow you to send a message directly to someone's inbox. Free members sometimes receive a small number of InMail credits, but it's not a reliable feature for outreach.
• Open Profiles: Some premium users enable "Open Profile," which allows anyone on LinkedIn to send them a message for free, regardless of connection degree. You'll see this noted on their profile.

Beyond the 'How': Best Practices for Effective LinkedIn Messaging

Knowing how to click the "send" button is half the battle. Knowing what to say is what separates networking pros from spammers. Your goal is to start a conversation, not just broadcast a request. For more comprehensive advice, see how to write effective LinkedIn messages.

1. Personalize, Personalize, Personalize

Generic, copy-pasted messages have an extremely low success rate. Show you've done your homework. A little personalization goes a long way.

• Mention a recent post they shared or an article they wrote.
• Reference a shared connection and how you know them.
• Point out something specific you admire about their company or career path.

Example:
"Hi Sarah, I just finished reading your article on the future of AI in marketing and found your point about predictive analytics fascinating. The way you broke down the customer journey was incredibly clear. Great work!"

2. Be Clear and Concise

Busy professionals appreciate brevity. Get to the point quickly and respectfully. State who you are and why you're reaching out in the first couple of sentences.

Treat their attention like the valuable resource it is. A solid paragraph is usually enough to introduce yourself and establish context. Long, rambling messages often get archived before they're fully read.

3. Provide Value First

The best networking outreach leads with value, not an ask. Before you request someone’s time or expertise, offer them something useful. This flips the dynamic from taking to giving and makes people much more likely to respond positively.

• Share a resource you think they'd find helpful - an article, a report, or a tool.
• Offer a genuine, specific compliment on their work.
• Introduce them to someone in your network who could be a valuable connection for them.

4. End With a Clear (and Easy) Question

Make it easy for them to reply. Asking a specific, easy-to-answer question is much more effective than leaving the conversation open-ended. Avoid a demanding call to action like "When can you get on a call?" in your first message. This approach is key when learning how to connect on LinkedIn with a message that genuinely opens a dialogue.

Good Example: "If you're interested, I can send over the report I mentioned. Would that be helpful?"

Less Effective: "Let me know what you think."

5. Proofread Before Sending

It sounds simple, but spelling and grammar mistakes can undermine your professionalism. Take five extra seconds to reread your message before you send it. Simple typos can make a well-intentioned outreach look sloppy. Additionally, considering how to optimize your LinkedIn profile can significantly enhance your professional image.

The Unspoken Rules: Common Mistakes to Avoid When Sending DMs

Just as important as knowing what to do is knowing what not to do. Avoid these common missteps to protect your professional reputation.

• The Immediate Sales Pitch: This is the biggest mistake on LinkedIn. Never connect with someone and immediately bombard them with a pitch for your product or service. You haven't earned their trust or attention yet. Build a relationship first.
• Using a Vague Subject Line (in InMail): An InMail with a subject line like "Quick Question" or "Checking In" is easy to ignore. Be specific. "Question about your recent AI marketing article" is much more compelling.
• The Mass Template Blast: Sending the same exact message to 50 people is transparently lazy. People can tell when they receive a generic template, especially if it doesn't align with their role or industry.
• The Overly Casual Tone: While you can be friendly, remember that LinkedIn is a professional network. Avoid overly familiar language, slang, or emojis until you've established a rapport with the person.
• The Impatient Follow-Up: Don't send a follow-up message 24 hours after your initial outreach. People are busy and may not check LinkedIn every day. Give it at least a business week before sending a gentle, polite nudge if you haven't heard back.

Staying Organized: Managing Your LinkedIn Inbox

As you send and receive more messages, your LinkedIn inbox can become cluttered. Use LinkedIn’s built-in features to maintain control, especially if you're also navigating how to manage multiple LinkedIn accounts.

• Filters: You can filter your inbox to see messages from "My Connections," "InMail," "Unread," and more. This helps you prioritize which messages to respond to first.
• Search functionality: Need to find a past conversation? Use the search bar at the top of your messaging page to search for keywords or a contact's name.
• Archive and Delete: For conversations that are resolved or no longer relevant, you can archive or delete them to keep your main inbox focused on active discussions.

Final Thoughts

Mastering the LinkedIn DM is a powerful skill. It’s not just about knowing which buttons to click, but about approaching professional communication with respect, personalization, and a value-first mindset. When done thoughtfully, it can unlock opportunities, build relationships, and become one of the most effective tools in your professional toolkit.

Managing direct messages and comments across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and all your other platforms can quickly become a challenge. At Postbase, we designed a unified inbox to bring all those conversations into one place, so you never miss an important message again. By centralizing your engagement, we make it easier to stay on top of community management without having to jump between five different apps.