How to send a connection request on LinkedIn
To connect with someone on LinkedIn, find their profile, click the "Connect" button, and optionally add a personal message before sending. The person receives a notification and can accept, decline, or ignore your request. If they accept, you become connected and can message each other directly.
The "Connect" button appears in the top right of someone's profile on desktop, or near the top on mobile. You do not need to know the person already — LinkedIn lets you send requests to anyone whose profile you can view. However, if you have no mutual connections with someone, LinkedIn may ask you to include a message explaining why you want to connect, or it may limit how many requests you can send per week.
A personal message makes acceptance more likely, especially with people you do not know. Keep it brief — two or three sentences explaining how you found them or why you want to connect. Avoid generic messages like "Let's connect" or "I'd like to add you to my network." People respond better to something specific: "I saw your post about remote work in tech and would like to discuss your experience" works far better than a blank request.
Key Takeaways
- Click the "Connect" button on someone's profile to send a connection request, and include a personal message if you do not have mutual connections.
- LinkedIn limits how many requests you can send per week if you have no mutual connections with the person, so focus on people relevant to your goals.
- Accepted connections can message you directly, and you can see their full profile and activity even if they do not follow you back.
- If someone declines your request, you cannot send another request for one year, so choose carefully when connecting with people you do not know.
Finding people to connect with on LinkedIn
Use the search bar at the top of LinkedIn to find people by name, job title, company, or industry. Type what you are looking for — "product manager at Google," "marketing director in Austin," or a person's full name — and LinkedIn shows matching profiles. You can also search by school, skills, or location to find people in your field or area.
LinkedIn also suggests people to connect with on your home feed and in the "My Network" tab. The suggestions are based on people who work at your company, went to your school, or share your skills and interests. These suggestions are often easier to connect with because you already have something in common, which makes your request more likely to be accepted.
Another way to find people is through groups or posts. If you comment on someone's post or join a LinkedIn group related to your industry, you can see other members and connect with them. People who engage in the same conversations are often more open to connecting because you have already shown shared interests.
What happens when someone accepts your connection request
Once someone accepts your connection request, they appear in your "Connections" list, and you can see their full profile at any time. You can also send them direct messages through LinkedIn's messaging feature, and they can message you. Your connection will see your activity on the platform — when you like posts, comment, or share content — unless you turn off activity broadcasts in your settings.
Accepted connections do not automatically follow you or see all your posts. Following and connecting are separate actions on LinkedIn. Someone can be your connection without following your posts, or follow you without being connected. If you want someone to see your posts regularly, ask them to follow you, or follow them so their posts appear in your feed.
Your connections also appear on your profile, visible to anyone who views it. Other people can see how many connections you have and, if they are also connected to you, they can see your mutual connections. This is how LinkedIn shows you have a real network — the more connections you have, the more credible your profile appears to recruiters and potential collaborators.
When someone declines or ignores your request
If someone declines your connection request, LinkedIn does not notify you, but you will notice the "Connect" button reappears on their profile. You cannot send another request to that person for one year. This is why it matters to include a thoughtful message — a blank request is easier to decline than one that shows you took time to write something personal.
If someone ignores your request (neither accepts nor declines), it sits in their notifications until they delete it or it expires. LinkedIn does not say how long ignored requests stay active, but most people clean up old notifications periodically. After several months, an ignored request will likely disappear from their inbox.
If your request is declined or ignored, do not take it personally. People decline requests for many reasons: they may not recognize your name, they may not use LinkedIn actively, or they may have a policy of only connecting with people they know in person. Focus your efforts on people more likely to accept, such as those in your industry or with mutual connections.
Using LinkedIn to stay in touch with your network
Once you have connections, use LinkedIn to maintain those relationships without relying on email or phone calls. You can send a message to check in, congratulate someone on a job change or promotion, or ask for information. LinkedIn makes it straightforward to see when someone changes jobs or reaches a work anniversary, which gives you a natural reason to reach out.
Engaging with your connections' posts — liking, commenting, or sharing — keeps you visible in their feed and strengthens the relationship. You do not need to comment on everything, but occasionally engaging with posts from people you want to stay close to shows you are paying attention and interested in their work.
LinkedIn also has a feature to send a message to multiple connections at once, though use this sparingly. Mass messages feel impersonal and are less likely to get responses. Direct, individual messages to specific people are far more effective for building real professional relationships.
Privacy and visibility when connecting
When you send a connection request, the other person can see your profile, including your photo, headline, and work history. They cannot see your email address, phone number, or any information you have marked as private unless you are already connected. After you connect, they can see everything on your profile that is set to "Public" or "Connections Only."
You can control who sees your connections by adjusting your privacy settings. Go to Settings, then "Visibility," and choose whether your connections are visible to everyone, only to your connections, or hidden entirely. Hiding your connections means people cannot see who you are connected to, which can be useful if you want to keep your network private.
LinkedIn also tracks your activity — when you view someone's profile, they may see that you looked at them, depending on your settings. If you do not want people to know you viewed their profile, you can turn off "Profile viewing notifications" in your privacy settings. This means you can browse profiles without alerting the person, though you will also not see when others view your profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I connect with someone I do not know at all?
Yes, but include a personal message explaining why you want to connect. If you have no mutual connections, LinkedIn may require a message or limit how many requests you can send. People are more likely to accept requests from strangers when you explain the connection — shared industry, mutual interest, or a specific reason you want to know them.
What should I write in a connection request message?
Keep it short and specific. Mention how you found them or what you have in common: "I saw your article on AI in marketing and would like to connect" or "We both work in nonprofit fundraising and I admire your approach." Avoid generic messages like "Let's connect" — those feel like spam and get declined more often.
How many connection requests can I send per week?
LinkedIn does not publish exact limits, but if you have few mutual connections with someone, you may be limited to 100 requests per week. If you have mutual connections, the limit is higher. Sending too many requests too quickly can also trigger a temporary restriction. Focus on quality over quantity — connecting with relevant people is more valuable than connecting with everyone.
What is the difference between connecting and following on LinkedIn?
Connecting means you are in each other's networks and can message directly. Following means you see someone's posts in your feed, but you are not necessarily connected. You can follow anyone without sending a connection request, and people can follow you without being connected to you.
Can I message someone on LinkedIn before connecting?
Not directly. You can only send direct messages to people you are connected with. However, you can send a connection request with a message, and if they accept, you can then message them. Some people also list their email or other contact information on their profile, which you can use to reach out outside LinkedIn.