# What is LinkedIn InMail and when should I use it?
> InMail is LinkedIn's paid message to people you are not connected with. Use it for a few high-value names with a real trigger, not as a replacement for a bad invite list.
- HTML: https://omentir.com/help/what-is-linkedin-inmail
- Markdown: https://omentir.com/help/what-is-linkedin-inmail.md

InMail lets you message someone who is not a first-degree connection, using credits that come with Premium, Sales Navigator, or Recruiter. It has a subject line and a body. It is not a magic inbox. People still ignore weak ones, and they can mark them as spam.

Use InMail when the person is worth a credit: a target account, a clear trigger, and a title that can buy or champion. Do not use it because you hit the weekly invite cap and you are bored. That is how credits disappear.

A connection request is cheaper and, if they accept, opens a free DM thread. InMail is for people who will not accept, people you should not invite (executives who treat invites as noise), or people with Open Profile already handled as a free message.

Write it like a short email. Subject under a line. Body under a few sentences. One ask that is not "book 30 minutes." LinkedIn has published that shorter InMails get better response than long ones. Believe the UI: they gave you less room than a novel.

If they reply, you often get the credit back (plan rules differ slightly). If they do not, you paid to learn the message was skippable. Track InMail like paid media, not like unlimited DMs. The longer guide is [LinkedIn InMail best practices](/blogs/the-complete-guide-to-linkedin-inmail-best-practices).

## Related

- [How many InMail credits do I get with Sales Navigator?](https://omentir.com/help/how-many-inmail-credits-does-sales-navigator-give.md)
- [Do I get InMail credits back if someone replies?](https://omentir.com/help/do-inmail-credits-come-back-if-someone-replies.md)
- [How do I message someone on LinkedIn without connecting first?](https://omentir.com/help/how-to-message-someone-on-linkedin-without-connecting.md)

## Frequently asked questions

**Does InMail skip the weekly invite limit?**

It spends a different budget. It does not reset invitation limits. You can still get restricted for spammy InMail.

**Should the subject be all lowercase?**

Write a subject a human would write. Stunts are optional. Clarity is not. Name the trigger if it fits.

**Can I InMail a 1st-degree connection?**

You already have DM. Do not waste a credit there.

**Is Sponsored InMail the same thing?**

No. That is an ad product. Recipients can smell it. 1:1 InMail is a credit from your seat.

[Create an Omentir account](https://omentir.com/signup). Pro is $49/month.