On this page 5 sections
How long can a LinkedIn connection note be?
A note sent with an invitation is widely reported at up to 300 characters; CNBC gave that figure in November 2023. More recent reports put it at 200 characters: MakeUseOf in July 2024, for an account without Premium, and HubSpot's blog, updated in September 2026, which also reports that a free account can add a note to three invitations a month and Premium members unlimited ones.
So the checker shows both. If your account has no Premium, write to 200.
What the checker looks for
| It flags | Why it matters | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| A link | A link in a first note reads as a pitch before you've said why you're writing. | Send it later, once they've accepted and replied. |
| A long dash | Long dashes, and hyphens with a space each side, have come to read as machine-written to many people. | Use a comma, a full stop, or two short sentences. |
| An exclamation mark | In a note to a stranger it reads as excited selling. | End on a full stop. Plain sounds like a person. |
| A generic opener | "I came across your profile" or "I hope this finds you well" could go to anyone, so it tells them nothing. | Open with why this person: something they posted, a role they just started, news about their company. |
| A blank left in | "Hi [FirstName]" reaching a real person shows them a machine filled in a template. | Fill every field, or take it out. |
| Saying you watched them | "I saw you liked my post" or "I saw you viewed my profile" admits to watching them. | Build on the interest instead: what they care about, not how you know. |
Characters are counted the way most text boxes count them: every letter, space, line break and punctuation mark is one, and an emoji can be two.
What makes a note worth accepting?
- Why them, in one specific line. Something they posted, a role they just started, news about their company.
- Who you are, in a few words. Enough for them to place you, no more.
- No ask yet. No call, no link, no price. Accepting is the only step you want.
Two notes that pass every check, both under 200 characters:
Hi Priya, your post about onboarding drop-off in month two matched what we keep hearing from other ops leads. I work on that problem and would like to follow along.
Hi Tom, congratulations on the new role at Northwind. I help sales leaders rebuild outbound in their first 90 days, and would be glad to be connected.
Each one starts from a reason, which is what a buying signal gives you.
When FOUND writes the note
On a Premium account, FOUND adds a short personal note to each invitation, written from what that person did. Without Premium, the invitation goes out with no note. It says why they are interesting without ever saying "I saw you liked my post", and a message with a blank it could not fill is held back, never sent.
How the steps are written is in campaigns and sequences. To plan how many invitations to send, use the invitation planner.
Questions
Does the checker send my note anywhere?
No. It runs in your browser, and nothing you type leaves this page.
How does it count characters?
Every letter, space, line break and punctuation mark counts as one. An emoji can count as two, and the checker counts it that way, so a note it passes stays inside the limit.
Should I add a note at all?
Add one when you have a specific reason to write to that person, and keep it to that reason. A note anyone could send adds little.
Does FOUND write connection notes?
Yes, on a Premium account: a short note written from why that person was found. Without Premium, FOUND sends the invitation with no note.
Read next