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LinkedIn InMail: how credits work, and why nobody replies

By Tirth Shah, founder of Bub · Updated

Short answer

InMail lets you message people you're not connected to. Each InMail uses a credit, and you get the credit back if the person accepts, declines or replies within 90 days. Premium Career includes 5 credits a month, Premium Business 15, Sales Navigator 50 and Recruiter Lite 30. InMails usually go unanswered because they read like mass outreach: too long, too generic, or a pitch to a stranger. Short, specific InMails to well-chosen people get answered, and those answers refund the credit.

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How InMail credits work

PlanInMail credits a monthMost you can bank
Premium Career515
Premium Business1545
Sales Navigator50150
Recruiter Lite30120
  • You get a credit back for every InMail that's accepted, declined or replied to within 90 days.
  • Unused credits roll over up to the cap above; they don't expire.
  • Cancel your Premium subscription and your InMail balance goes to zero.
  • InMails can have a 200 character subject and a 1,900 character body.

Why your InMails get ignored

  • It's long. Nobody reads 1,900 characters from a stranger.
  • It's generic. If the first line could go to anyone, they assume it did.
  • It pitches before it earns attention.
  • The subject line looks like marketing.
  • It's the wrong person: no reason to care right now.

How to write an InMail that gets a reply

  1. Pick a reason. Message people with a trigger: a post, a job change, a hiring push, a shared connection.
  2. Write a plain subject. Like a note from a person: their topic, not your product.
  3. Keep it under 500 characters. One line on why them, one line on why you, one easy question.
  4. Make declining easy. A polite no still refunds your credit, so invite one.
  5. Move to voice once connected. If they reply and connect, a short voice note keeps the conversation human. LinkedIn allows voice messages to 1st-degree connections.

Questions

Do InMail credits come back if someone replies?

Yes. Every InMail that's accepted, declined or replied to within 90 days is credited back.

How many InMail credits do I get?

Premium Career 5 a month, Premium Business 15, Sales Navigator 50 and Recruiter Lite 30.

Do unused InMail credits expire?

No, they roll over up to a cap (15, 45, 150 and 120 for those plans), but your balance goes to zero if you cancel Premium.

What's the InMail character limit?

Up to 200 characters in the subject and 1,900 in the body.

Can I send a voice note by InMail?

LinkedIn voice messages are for 1st-degree connections and group chats. Use text for InMail, then voice once you're connected.

Sources

Checked October 9, 2026. LinkedIn changes its features and limits from time to time.