Soft inquiry
A credit check that does not affect your score, like checking your own credit or a lender sending you a preapproved offer.
Soft inquiries happen when you check your own report or score, when a company you already have an account with reviews it, or when lenders screen you for offers. Some employers and landlords also use them.
Soft inquiries may show on the copy of your report that you see, but lenders do not see them and they never change your score. Many prequalification tools use a soft inquiry.