Too many pending (unanswered) LinkedIn invitations can raise red flags. For LinkedIn’s automation detection system, a high number of unanswered invites may signal mass outreach to unknown profiles.
To reduce that risk, lemlist includes a Withdraw invitation feature. It lets you cancel pending invites as part of your workflow, helping you keep your pending queue clean and avoid stacking up “waiting” requests.
Learning objective
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know how to add a Withdraw invitation step to your LinkedIn sequence and how to set safe daily limits for withdrawals.
Why this matters
Pending invitations are a hidden risk in LinkedIn outreach: even if you send within daily limits, a growing backlog of unanswered invites can look suspicious. Withdrawing older pending invites helps you maintain a healthier invite queue, especially when you’re running always-on campaigns or testing new audiences.
Prerequisites
You have a campaign with LinkedIn steps enabled.
Your LinkedIn account is connected and selected as the sender for the LinkedIn steps in the sequence.
You understand the basics of building a sequence (adding steps and wait times).
Core lesson — Step-by-step workflow
Phase 1: Decide where “Withdraw invitation” fits in your sequence
Identify the point where invites may be “stuck.”
A common pattern is: Send invitation → Wait → Accepted invite within X days?.
Why: This gives prospects time to accept. If they don’t, you can withdraw to reduce pending invitations before moving on.Add a step on the “No” branch (not accepted).
Click the + on the branch where the invite wasn’t accepted, then add the withdrawal action.
Why: You typically only want to withdraw when the invite remains pending after a reasonable waiting period.
Phase 2: Add the “Withdraw invitation” step
Open the step library.
In your sequence, click + where you want to insert the step.Select “Withdraw invitation.”
Choose Withdraw invitation (LinkedIn).
Why: This step cancels pending connection requests so you don’t accumulate unanswered invites over time.Use a realistic waiting window before withdrawing.
Best practice is to add a wait period (for example, several days) between the initial invite and the withdrawal step.
Why: Withdrawing too quickly can reduce acceptance rates and may frustrate prospects who planned to accept later.
Phase 3: Set safe daily limits for Withdraw Invitation
Go to your Settings.
From the bottom-left profile menu, click Settings.
Open “Sending limits.”
In Settings, select Sending limits.Adjust your daily “Withdraw invitation” limit.
Find Maximum number of LinkedIn withdraw invitations made by lemlist in 24h and set a conservative value that matches your overall LinkedIn activity.
Why: Like other LinkedIn actions, withdrawals are still automated actions and should stay in a safe daily range.
Practical application (example workflow)
Here’s a common, safety-focused structure you can copy:
Step 1: Send LinkedIn invitation
Step 2: Wait 5–10 days
Step 3: Condition: “Accepted invite within 5–10 days?”
If Yes: Continue with a LinkedIn message or multichannel follow-up
If No: Withdraw invitation → (optional) continue via email or end sequence
Tip: If you plan to follow up by email, make sure you’re adding value—otherwise you may simply shift the risk from LinkedIn to email deliverability.
Troubleshooting & common pitfalls
Issue: The “Withdraw invitation” step doesn’t run for some leads
Root cause: There may be no pending invite to withdraw (e.g., already accepted, already withdrawn, or never sent).
Fix:
Confirm the lead actually received an invite earlier in the same sequence.
Place the withdraw step only on the No branch after an acceptance check.
Include an appropriate wait window so the invite has time to remain in “pending” status.
Issue: You’re still accumulating a high number of pending invitations
Root cause: You’re sending invites faster than you withdraw them, or your wait time is too long for your volume.
Fix:
Reduce daily invite volume (LinkedIn invite sending limits).
Increase your daily withdraw limit cautiously (stay conservative).
Shorten the wait time before withdrawing (without making it unrealistically short).
Issue: You’re worried withdrawals will harm performance
Root cause: Withdrawing too early can reduce acceptances from slow responders.
Fix:
Test a longer wait period (e.g., 7–14 days) for warmer audiences.
Use segmentation: withdraw sooner for cold lists, later for higher-intent lists.