LinkedIn has become a daily communication platform for professionals, recruiters, founders, freelancers, and businesses. One small but powerful feature that improves communication on LinkedIn is Active Status. This feature helps users understand whether a connection is online, available, or recently active, making conversations more timely and effective.
When you know someone is active, you can send messages at the right moment. This increases the chances of faster replies, better engagement, and more meaningful professional interactions. For recruiters, sales teams, and consultants, this feature is especially useful because timing matters. A well-timed message can lead to interviews, deals, or partnerships.
LinkedIn Active Status is shown using simple green indicators next to profile photos inside LinkedIn messages. These indicators quietly tell you if someone is online or can receive notifications. However, many users misunderstand what these symbols mean or worry about privacy. LinkedIn allows you to control who can see your activity, giving you flexibility between visibility and privacy. Tools like a LinkedIn age checker are often used alongside Active Status to better understand profile authenticity and activity patterns.
Despite its usefulness, Active Status does not always work perfectly. Some users notice the green dot missing, not updating, or completely invisible. This can be confusing and may lead people to think the feature is broken. In reality, the issue is often caused by disabled settings, app glitches, outdated versions, or privacy restrictions.
The good news is that most problems can be fixed in minutes by adjusting settings on the desktop or mobile. In this guide, we will clearly explain what LinkedIn Active Status is, how it works, what the symbols mean, and how to fix it step by step if it is not showing.
What Is LinkedIn Active Status?
LinkedIn Active Status is a visibility feature that shows whether a user is currently online or recently available. It appears as a small green indicator next to a person’s profile photo in LinkedIn messages. This feature helps users understand when a connection is active so they can message at the right time. Active Status works on both desktop and mobile apps. Users can also choose who is allowed to see their activity or turn it off completely for privacy reasons.
Can You See When Someone Was Last Active?
LinkedIn does not show an exact “last active time” like some messaging apps. Instead, it shows availability through green status indicators. If a person is currently online, you will see a solid green dot. If they are offline but can receive notifications, you may see a different indicator. You can only see this for your connections, and only if both sides have Active Status enabled.
How does LinkedIn display the Active Status?
LinkedIn uses simple visual symbols to show activity status inside its messaging section. These symbols appear near profile photos and help users quickly understand availability without opening profiles or sending messages blindly.
1. Solid Green Dot Meaning
A solid green dot means the user is currently active on LinkedIn. This indicates that the person is online using LinkedIn on desktop or mobile at that moment. When you see this symbol, your message is likely to be seen quickly. This is ideal for urgent communication, quick questions, or real-time discussions.
The solid green dot appears only when the user is actively using LinkedIn. Once the user becomes inactive, the dot usually disappears after some time. This indicator helps professionals message with better timing, increasing response rates, and reducing follow-ups.
However, the dot only appears if both users allow Active Status visibility. If either person has disabled it, the solid green dot will not be visible. This protects user privacy while still offering useful communication signals.
2. Green Circle with White Dot Meaning
A green circle with a white center means the user is not actively online but has push notifications enabled. This tells you that although they are not using LinkedIn at the moment, they can still receive instant alerts on their phone or device.
This status is useful when messaging people who may be busy or away from their computers. Your message can still reach them through notifications, increasing the chance of a faster reply. It does not guarantee an immediate response, but it confirms message delivery awareness.
This indicator helps bridge the gap between online and offline communication. It reassures senders that their message will not be missed. Like other status indicators, this symbol depends on privacy settings and notification permissions.
How to Fix LinkedIn Active Status If Not Showing?
If your LinkedIn Active Status is missing or not updating, it is usually caused by disabled settings, outdated apps, or visibility restrictions. Fixing it is simple and can be done in just a few steps.
Adjusting Active Status on Desktop:
On desktop, LinkedIn allows you to manage Active Status through privacy settings. If it is turned off, neither you nor others can see activity indicators. Checking these settings often fixes the issue instantly.
Step 1: First of all, click your profile icon and open Settings & Privacy from the LinkedIn homepage menu.
Step 2: Go to the Visibility section and locate Active Status management options.
Step 3: Click Change next to Active Status visibility settings.
Step 4: Choose who can see your activity: connections, everyone, or no one.
Step 5: Refresh the page and reopen messages to confirm the fix.
Adjusting Active Status on Mobile App:
On mobile, Active Status depends on app permissions and notification settings. If notifications are disabled or the app is outdated, the status may not appear correctly.
Step 1: Open the LinkedIn app and tap your profile icon.
Step 2: Select Settings, then open Visibility options.
Step 3: Tap Active Status and enable visibility preferences.
Step 4: Ensure push notifications are allowed in phone settings.
Step 5: Update the app and restart it to apply changes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
No, turning off LinkedIn Active Status does not stop messages from being delivered. You will still receive all messages normally. The only difference is that others will not see whether you are online or recently available. Likewise, you also won’t be able to see the activity status of your connections.
This happens because Active Status works only when both users have it enabled. If a connection has turned off their Active Status, you won’t see any green indicator next to their profile. Privacy settings, restricted accounts, or limited connection levels can also affect visibility. This is normal behavior and does not mean the feature is broken.
No, Active Status only shows availability, not message activity. A solid green dot means the person is online, but it does not confirm they have opened or read your message. LinkedIn does not directly show read confirmations unless message read receipts are enabled. Active Status should be used only as a timing signal, not proof of engagement.
