LinkedIn Guide · 7 min read · Updated 2026

LinkedIn InMail: How to Message Anyone (Templates & Best Practices)

A normal LinkedIn message only reaches people already in your network. InMail breaks that wall — it lets you reach anyone on the platform, including recruiters and hiring managers you have never spoken to. Used well, it is one of the most direct ways to land an interview or start a conversation that leads to an offer.

This guide covers how InMail works, how many credits you get, and the templates and best practices that consistently earn replies. For lighter outreach to people you can connect with for free, pair this with our guide to connection request templates and networking messages.

What LinkedIn InMail is and how it works

InMail is LinkedIn's paid messaging feature that lets you send a private message to any member, whether or not you are connected. You do not need their email address, and you do not need to send a connection request first. Each InMail costs one credit, which is consumed only if the recipient replies within 90 days — if they never respond, LinkedIn refunds the credit.

InMail is included with LinkedIn Premium subscriptions and Sales Navigator. Free accounts cannot send InMail directly, but a free user can still message a 1st-degree connection or anyone they share a LinkedIn group with. The key difference is reach: InMail gets you in front of people you could not otherwise contact.

How many InMail credits you get per month

The number of credits depends on your subscription tier:

• Premium Career — 5 InMail credits per month
• Premium Business — 15 InMail credits per month
• Sales Navigator Core — 50 InMail credits per month
• Recruiter Lite — 30 InMail credits per month

Unused credits roll over and accumulate up to a plan-specific cap, so you do not lose them at the end of the month — you just stop earning new ones until you spend some down. If you are weighing whether a Premium plan is worth it for job search, see our breakdown of LinkedIn Premium and our review of Sales Navigator for job seekers.

InMail vs connection requests

Before you spend a credit, decide whether an InMail is the right tool. A connection request is free and adds the person to your network, but you only get 300 characters and many people ignore requests from strangers. InMail gives you a full subject line plus body, looks more intentional, and lands in the recipient's main message inbox rather than the connection-request queue.

• Use a connection request when the person is likely to accept and you just want to join their network — our follow vs connect guide explains when this is the better move.
• Use InMail when you have a specific ask — a referral, an informational interview, or a direct pitch for an open role — and you want the message to stand out.

Best practices that get replies

• Write a specific subject line. “Question about the Senior PM role at Acme” beats “Hello” every time. The subject line determines whether the message gets opened.
• Keep it under 200 words.LinkedIn's own data shows shorter InMails get higher response rates. Get to the point in the first two sentences.
• Personalize the opening. Reference something real — a recent post they wrote, a role they are hiring for, or a mutual connection. Generic templates get ignored.
• Make one clear ask.A single, low-friction request (a 15-minute call, a quick question) gets more replies than a vague “let's connect.”
• Send on weekday mornings. InMails sent between 9 AM and 11 AM local time tend to get the best response rates.

InMail templates you can copy

Adapt the placeholders to your situation. Each template is short, personalized, and ends with a single clear ask.

Template 1 — Reaching a recruiter about a posted role

Subject: Senior Product Manager role — quick question

Hi [Name],

I saw the Senior PM opening at [Company] and wanted to reach out directly. I've spent the last 4 years leading product at [Current Company], shipping [one concrete outcome — e.g., a checkout redesign that lifted conversion 18%].

Would you be open to a 15-minute call this week or next to see if it's a fit? Happy to send my LinkedIn profile ahead of time.

Thanks,
[Your name]

Template 2 — Informational interview request

Subject: Big fan of your work at [Company] — 15 min?

Hi [Name],

I'm a [your role] transitioning into [target field] and I've been following your posts about [topic]. Your take on [specific thing they wrote about] really resonated with me.

I'd love to ask you 2–3 quick questions about how you got into [field] and what you wish you'd known earlier. Would a 15-minute call sometime next week work? I'm happy to work around your schedule.

Best,
[Your name]

Template 3 — Following up after no reply

Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hi [Name],

Just floating this back to the top of your inbox in case it got buried. I know things get busy — no pressure at all. If the timing isn't right, I completely understand.

Either way, thanks for the work you share on LinkedIn.

[Your name]

InMail is a powerful tool, but it only pays off when the profile it points to is worth a recruiter's time. Before you send your next message, get your free LinkedIn visibility score to make sure your headline, About, and experience bullets are working for you. For more outreach tactics, see our guide on informational interviews or browse the full blog.

Frequently asked questions