You record a LinkedIn voice message by tapping the microphone icon inside a messaging conversation, holding it to record, and releasing to send. Two limits shape the whole workflow: voice messages can be up to one minute long, and LinkedIn's Send voice messages (opens in a new tab) page states the feature is only available on the LinkedIn mobile app.
You cannot record one from the desktop site, and you can send a voice message to first-degree connections or in group chats, not to members you are not connected to.
The limits, up front
- Device: mobile app only. There is no desktop voice-note recorder.
- Length: one minute maximum.
- Recipients: your 1st-degree connections, or group chats.
Because the cap is a minute, the practical skill is brevity. A voice note that needs longer is a signal that it should be a normal message instead.
How to send a voice message
LinkedIn's steps, in order:
- Tap the Messaging icon in the upper right.
- Open a conversation.
- Tap the Microphone icon.
- If prompted, allow LinkedIn access to your device microphone.
- Tap and hold the large microphone icon to record.
- Release to send.
Two extras from the same page are useful: to delete a recording before it is sent, swipe away from the large microphone icon, and to listen to a voice message you receive, tap the Play icon.
An illustrative audio script
This is a 45-word sample for a first voice note, not a template anyone measured. At a conversational pace that is roughly 20 seconds — well inside the one-minute cap.
"Hi Jamie, it's Sam from the logistics meetup in March. I saw your note about cutting warehouse overtime and thought of a short idea: batching your pick lists by zone. If it helps, I can send a one-page example. Either way, good to reconnect."
The structure is deliberate: identify yourself and the shared context, name one specific thing you noticed, offer one small next step, and stop. A voice note works because it sounds like a person; padding it with a pitch undoes that.
When text is the better choice
A voice note is not always the more considerate option. Choose text when:
- The recipient may be in a meeting or a shared space. Audio is harder to skim than text.
- There is anything they need to reference later. A date, a figure or a link is easier to act on in text.
- Language or accessibility matters. Text can be translated and read with a screen reader, which makes it easier to revisit and share.
- The message is a first contact with no prior relationship. A cold voice note can feel intrusive; a short written note is lower-pressure.
LinkedIn's messaging overview also sets the boundary: you can only message your 1st-degree connections for free, so a voice note is a follow-up tool, not a cold-outreach tool. If the person is not connected, the route is a message request or InMail, covered in connection degrees.
Recording tips
- Record in a quiet room, close to the phone, not on speaker.
- Start with your name and the connection — the reference that makes it a real person talking.
- Make one point. One idea fits a minute; three do not.
- End with one clear, small ask, or no ask at all.
- Rehearse the wording before you hold the record control. Releasing sends the note, so plan what you will say first.
The honest limitation: because recording happens only in the mobile app, a voice-first outreach routine forces you onto your phone, and the one-minute cap means you cannot send a detailed update this way. For anything longer or desktop-based, use a written message. Voice notes are a supplement to a messaging process, not the process. If you are comparing how vendors present messaging channels in their tooling, Clapa's overview is one example; the voice-note rules themselves are LinkedIn's.
FAQ
Can I send a voice message on LinkedIn desktop? No. LinkedIn states the voice-message feature is only available on the LinkedIn mobile app.
How long can a LinkedIn voice message be? Up to one minute.
Who can I send a voice message to? Your 1st-degree connections, or in group chats.
Can I delete a voice message before sending it? Yes. LinkedIn says to swipe away from the large microphone icon to delete a recording before it is sent.
Sources
- LinkedIn Help, Send voice messages in LinkedIn Messaging (opens in a new tab)
- LinkedIn Help, LinkedIn Messaging - FAQ (opens in a new tab)
- LinkedIn Help, LinkedIn Messaging - Overview (opens in a new tab)