Quick answer
Invitation limit: wait it out (typically one week); withdrawing invitations won’t lift it. Messages: check InMail credits, try another browser or private window, disable extensions, clear cookies, turn off any VPN. Emails: check spam, junk and promotions tabs, then Me > Settings & Privacy > Notifications, and confirm your primary email.
Does this match what you see?
- LinkedIn says you’ve reached the weekly invitation limit.
- You can’t add a note to a connection request.
- Your message to someone won’t send.
- Password reset or notification emails aren’t arriving.
iPhone & iPadAndroidComputer (browser)
Based on four LinkedIn Help articles supplied by the site owner.
Why this happens: the possible causes
The usual causes.
| Problem | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Can’t send invitations | You reached the invitation limit (restriction typically lasts a week) |
| Can’t accept or send any invitations | You have 30,000 connections |
| Message won’t send | They’ve turned off InMail, no InMail credits, or a browser problem |
| No emails from LinkedIn | Spam folder, notification settings, or an unconfirmed primary email |
- Too many invitations sentCheck this first
LinkedIn says all members, Basic and Premium, are subject to invitation limits.
- Emails filtered by your providerCheck this first
LinkedIn says email providers sometimes route emails from new sources to spam, junk, social or promotions folders.
Try these 60-second checks first
- Check your spam, junk, social and promotions folders for LinkedIn emails.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.
Fix 1: Fix messages that won’t send
LinkedIn suggests trying each step, then sending the message again, to find the cause.
- Messaging someone who isn’t a connection? Check you have enough InMail credits.
- Try a different browser or a private/incognito window.
- Disable browser extensions, then clear your cache and cookies.
- If you use a VPN, turn it off.
- On a work device, try another device; if it only fails on the work device or work VPN, contact your IT department.
LinkedIn says you can’t message someone who has chosen not to receive InMail. Still failing? LinkedIn asks you to contact it with a HAR file (a browser recording), a screenshot of the error, the recipient’s profile URL, the message text, and permission to test-send it.
Did it work? The message sends.
Did Fix 1 solve it?
Great, you fixed it with Fix 1. Tell us it worked, or bookmark this page in case it happens again.
Fix 2: Get LinkedIn emails arriving again
LinkedIn says emails are often filtered by your provider or turned off in your notification settings.
- Check spam, junk, and your social and promotions tabs.
- Desktop: Me > Settings & Privacy > Notifications: open each category and make sure email is On. App: tap your profile picture > Settings & Privacy > Notifications, turn on Allow messaging notifications, tap a category to choose items, and pick how often (Individually, Weekly or LinkedIn recommended); changes save automatically.
- Me > Settings & Privacy > Sign in & security > Email addresses: make sure your primary email is right (Make primary to change it; you may need your password).
- Add LinkedIn as a trusted sender in your email, and check your provider isn’t blocking LinkedIn.
- Waiting for a password reset or security email? Request it again after these changes.
LinkedIn says to use a personal email, not a shared or role address like admin@ or webmaster@. With LinkedIn recommended email settings, emails may be grouped together, and you won’t get an email for something you’ve already seen in the app. Invitation emails: Notifications > Connecting with others > Invitations to connect, then turn on Allow connections related notifications and Email.
Did it work? LinkedIn emails start arriving in your inbox.
Did Fix 2 solve it?
Great, you fixed it with Fix 2. Tell us it worked, or bookmark this page in case it happens again.
Invitation limit reached
LinkedIn says invitation limits apply to everyone, Basic and Premium, to prevent misuse. If you hit the limit, you may be blocked from sending invitations, typically for one week.
- Withdrawing pending invitations won’t lift the restriction.
- You can’t buy more invitations while restricted.
- LinkedIn can’t remove or shorten the wait, and Support can’t tell you the type or reason for the restriction.
- Personal notes: LinkedIn says free members can add a personalized message to five connection requests a month; Premium members have unlimited.
LinkedIn recommends only inviting people you know and trust, in line with its User Agreement (external site, opens in a new tab) and Professional Community Policies (external site, opens in a new tab).
The 30,000 connection limit
LinkedIn says you can have up to 30,000 first-degree connections. At that point, Follow becomes the default button on your profile, and you can’t accept or send new invitations unless you remove connections. Followers are unlimited, so people can still follow your public posts.
Connection or follower count went down
LinkedIn says it doesn’t count inactive accounts in the connections and followers shown on your profile, or in followers for LinkedIn Pages, and it regularly updates these counts to remove them. So your number can drop without anyone removing you.
- Restricted accounts: accounts removed for breaking LinkedIn’s Professional Community Policies (external site, opens in a new tab) or User Agreement (external site, opens in a new tab).
- Hibernated accounts: accounts their owners chose to deactivate instead of closing.
LinkedIn says some accounts are affected more than others, depending on things like how long the account has been active, how many connections and followers it has, and where its owner has worked or studied.
How to know it worked
- Invitations, messages and emails work as expected.
Still not working? Your next steps
- Account restricted? See LinkedIn account restricted. Can’t get a verification code? See LinkedIn password reset and codes.
Official help routes
SocialAppFix can’t see or change your account. For account decisions, recovery and appeals, only the platform’s own tools can help. These links go to the official sites.
- LinkedIn Help: Invitation limit reachedLinkedIn Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- LinkedIn Help: Network size limitLinkedIn Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- LinkedIn Help: Troubleshoot message sending issues on LinkedInLinkedIn Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- LinkedIn Help: Troubleshoot LinkedIn emails not receivedLinkedIn Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- LinkedIn Help: Inactive account filteringLinkedIn Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
How long does the LinkedIn invitation restriction last?
LinkedIn says it typically lasts one week, and it can’t remove or shorten it.
Will withdrawing invitations lift the LinkedIn limit?
No. LinkedIn says withdrawing pending invitations won’t remove the restriction.
How many connections can I have on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn says up to 30,000 first-degree connections. Followers are unlimited.
Why did my LinkedIn follower count go down?
LinkedIn says it regularly removes inactive accounts, including restricted and hibernated ones, from connection and follower counts.
Why can’t I message someone on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn says you can’t message someone who has turned off InMail. Otherwise, check InMail credits, try another browser, disable extensions, clear cookies, and turn off any VPN.
Why am I not getting LinkedIn emails?
LinkedIn says to check spam and promotions folders, your Notifications settings and your primary email, and to request reset or security emails again afterwards.
Did this solve your problem?
Your answer stays in your browser — nothing is sent or stored. The “tell us” link opens your own email app.
Out of date or didn’t work? Email us — never include passwords or codes.
Sources and how we checked this guide
We base steps on the platforms’ own help pages and the phone makers’ official guides. Menu names change often and can differ by device, app version and region. Where a platform page could not be independently read, we link it so you can check the current wording yourself.
- Invitation limit reached (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Network size limit (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Troubleshoot message sending issues on LinkedIn (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Troubleshoot LinkedIn emails not received (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Inactive account filtering (external site, opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed 6 November 2026 by the SocialAppFix editorial team against the sources above. Next scheduled review: 6 May 2027. How we write and review guides.
What changed
- 6 November 2026: First published.
- 6 November 2026: Added why connection or follower counts drop.
SocialAppFix is an independent guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn or Microsoft. We never ask for passwords, login codes or payment to fix an account.