If you’ve ever tried to grow your LinkedIn network for sales, recruiting, or just to meet interesting people, you know how tedious it is to send connection requests one by one. Nobody has time for that. This guide is for people who want to automate that grind, but don’t want to get their LinkedIn account restricted in the process.
We’ll walk through how to use Texau—a popular automation tool—to send out LinkedIn connection requests automatically. You’ll get all the steps, plus a reality check on what works, what to watch out for, and what’s just hype.
Before You Start: The Honest Truth About LinkedIn Automation
Let’s get this out of the way: LinkedIn does not like automation. Their rules say you shouldn’t use bots or scripts. If you’re too aggressive, you might get warnings, restrictions, or even banned. The safest approach is to keep it slow and human-like, and don’t be greedy.
Some other things to keep in mind:
- Don’t go overboard. If you’re thinking 200 connections a day is smart, it’s not. Keep it to 20–50 per day, max, and even less if your account is new.
- Quality > quantity. Sending a bunch of generic invites won’t help you build a useful network. Personalize where you can.
- No automation tool is bulletproof. Texau is good, but nothing is invisible to LinkedIn if you act like a robot.
If you’re still in, let’s get into it.
Step 1: Create a Texau Account and Get Set Up
First, you’ll need a Texau account. There’s a free trial, but you’ll hit limits fast. Pick a plan based on how many actions you need per month.
What you need:
- A Texau account (duh).
- A LinkedIn account (preferably not brand new).
- Google Chrome (Texau works best with their Chrome extension).
Pro tip: Use a LinkedIn account with a real profile picture, some activity, and a decent number of connections. Brand new, empty accounts are far more likely to get flagged.
Step 2: Connect Your LinkedIn Account to Texau
Texau doesn’t ask for your password. Instead, it uses your LinkedIn session cookie to run actions as if you’re clicking yourself.
How to do it:
- Install the Texau Chrome extension.
- Log into both LinkedIn and Texau in Chrome.
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Click the Texau extension and follow the prompts. It grabs your LinkedIn session cookie automatically.
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Double-check your connection.
- In Texau, go to “Profiles” or “Connections.”
- You should see your LinkedIn account listed as “Connected.”
If you’re switching between multiple LinkedIn accounts, repeat this process with each one, but be careful. LinkedIn gets suspicious if you log in and out from different locations or devices.
Step 3: Build or Upload Your List of Targets
You need a list of people to connect with. Texau doesn’t magically find the right people for you—you have to tell it who to contact.
You’ve got options:
- Export from LinkedIn Search: Run a search (e.g., “Product Managers in New York”). Copy the URL of the search results.
- Upload a CSV: If you already have a list of LinkedIn profile URLs, save it as a CSV file.
How to get profile URLs without third-party tools:
- Use LinkedIn search filters.
- Scroll through results (the more you load, the more Texau can grab).
- Copy the URL from the address bar.
Pro tip: Don’t scrape thousands at once. Start with a small, focused list (like 50–100 profiles). LinkedIn is touchy about mass scraping.
Step 4: Set Up the Texau LinkedIn Connector Recipe
Texau calls their automations “recipes.” For this job, you want the “LinkedIn Connection Request Sender” recipe.
Here’s how to set it up:
- Choose the recipe: In Texau, search for “LinkedIn Connection Request Sender.”
- Input your data:
- Paste your LinkedIn search URL, or
- Upload your CSV of profile URLs.
- Customize your connection note: You can add a short message (recommended). Keep it under 300 characters and don’t sound like a bot.
- Bad: “Hi, I’d like to add you to my professional network.”
- Better: “Hi {{FirstName}}, saw your work in [industry/topic] and would love to connect.”
- Texau supports simple personalization with variables like
{{FirstName}}if you have them in your CSV. - Set the limits: This is important. Set a low daily limit (20–30 requests per day). Increase slowly if you don’t get warnings.
What to ignore: Don’t mess with advanced delay/randomization settings unless you know what you’re doing. Texau’s defaults are usually fine for basic use.
Step 5: Run the Automation and Watch Closely
Once everything’s set, hit “Run.” Texau will start sending connection requests in the background.
What to look out for:
- Monitor for warnings: If LinkedIn starts showing you “You’re sending invitations too quickly” messages, stop immediately. Wait a few days and lower your limits.
- Check your Sent folder: On LinkedIn, click “My Network” > “Manage” > “Sent.” If you see a ton of pending requests, consider withdrawing some—LinkedIn doesn’t like too many unanswered invites.
- Avoid running automations while you’re active on LinkedIn: This reduces the risk of LinkedIn spotting two sessions doing different things at once.
Pro tip: Don’t set and forget. Run small batches, monitor results, and tweak as needed.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Watch Out For
What works:
- Personalized messages get more accepts. Even a first name and a relevant detail helps.
- Gradual increases in daily limits are safer than starting big.
- Targeted lists (e.g., people in the same industry) have higher acceptance rates.
What doesn’t:
- Spray and pray: Sending hundreds of generic requests will get your account flagged. Don’t do it.
- Ignoring LinkedIn warnings: If you blow through the limits, you’ll get restricted fast.
- Automating from a blank/new LinkedIn account: You look like a bot, and LinkedIn will treat you like one.
Watch out for:
- Weekly/monthly limits: LinkedIn sometimes limits you to 100–150 requests per week. If you hit this, Texau can’t get around it.
- Third-party “scraper” recipes: These are riskier. Stick to Texau’s built-in LinkedIn automations, not random community scripts.
Troubleshooting and Common Pitfalls
- Texau says “success” but no requests go out: Double-check your input list—are the profile URLs correct? Is your LinkedIn session still active?
- Too many failed requests: LinkedIn might be blocking you temporarily. Stop all automation for a week.
- Connection requests get ignored: Tweak your message. Try referencing something specific in their profile or a shared group.
If you hit a wall, it’s usually because you’re moving too fast, or your account looks suspicious. Slow down, improve your profile, and try again.
Wrapping Up: Keep it Simple and Don’t Get Greedy
Automating LinkedIn connection requests with Texau can save you hours, but it’s not set-and-forget magic. Start small, personalize your outreach, and always pay attention to LinkedIn’s signals. If you get a warning, take it seriously.
Most importantly, don’t get swept up in the hype about “unlimited leads.” The best results come from treating automation as a helper, not a replacement for real networking. Iterate, adjust, and keep it human. Your LinkedIn account—and your reputation—will thank you.