How to Delete LinkedIn Account Permanently?
LinkedIn stands out as one of the world’s most popular professional networking platforms boasting over 700 million users. It helps professionals maintain connections, advance their careers, and expand their networks. However, you might decide to **delete your LinkedIn account ** at some point. This decision could stem from a career change, worries about privacy, or an attempt to cut down on social media distractions. Deleting your LinkedIn account is a big step.
This guide will show you how to delete your LinkedIn account on both desktop and mobile. We’ll also discuss what you should think about before you do it, and what happens after you delete your account.
Things to Think About Before You Delete Your LinkedIn Account
Before you delete your LinkedIn account, you need to keep a few key things in mind. This will help you avoid losing important info or making a choice you can’t take back without thinking it through.
1. Save Your LinkedIn Data
When you delete your account, you lose all your data. This includes your contacts, messages, endorsements, and job suggestions. To keep your important information, it’s smart to save your LinkedIn data first.
How to Save Your LinkedIn Data:
Sign into your LinkedIn account.
Click your profile picture and navigate to Settings & Privacy.
In the Data privacy section, scroll down to Get a copy of your data.
Choose the information you want to export (messages, contacts, etc.).
Hit Request archive, and LinkedIn will email you a link to download.
2. End Any Active LinkedIn Subscriptions
If you use LinkedIn Premium or LinkedIn Learning be sure to end these subscriptions. Removing your LinkedIn account doesn’t stop these services.
3. Effect on Your Professional Network
LinkedIn helps you build professional connections. Think twice before you cut ties with your work contacts. Remember, if you delete your profile, headhunters won’t find you, and you might miss out on new job chances.
4. Deleting Your LinkedIn Business Page
Getting rid of your personal account doesn’t mean your business page goes away too. You’ll need to delete it or give someone else control of it .
Steps to Delete Your LinkedIn Account on Desktop
If you’re set on leaving here’s how to delete your LinkedIn account using a computer:
1. Sign in to Your LinkedIn Account
Enter your login details to access LinkedIn on your web browser.
2. Go to "Settings & Privacy"
Hit your profile picture in the top right then pick Settings & Privacy from the options that pop up.
3. Find Account Preferences
In the Account Preferences section, scroll until you see the Account management area.
4. Shut Down Your LinkedIn Account
Select the Close Account option. LinkedIn will ask you to choose a reason to close your account.
5. Verify Your Decision to Delete
Once you pick the reason, LinkedIn will ask you to type your password again to make sure you want to shut down your account for good.
6. Account Closure Complete
After you confirm, LinkedIn will delete your account. You won’t be able to get to your profile, contacts, or messages anymore.
Steps to Delete Your LinkedIn Account on Mobile App
You can remove your LinkedIn account using the mobile app. Here’s what you need to do:
Here’s how to close your LinkedIn account using the mobile app:
1. Open the LinkedIn App
Start the LinkedIn app on your phone and sign in.
2. Tap on Your Profile Icon
Look for your profile picture in the top left and tap it.
3. Go to Settings
Scroll down the list and pick Settings.
4. Access Account Preferences
Find the Account Preferences area and scroll until you see Close Account.
5. Select Close Account
Tap Close Account, choose why you’re leaving, and follow the steps on your screen.
6. Confirm Deletion
Just like on a computer, you’ll need to type in your password to confirm. After that, LinkedIn will delete your account for good.
What Happens After Deleting Your LinkedIn Account?
You should know the consequences of deleting your account. Here are some key points:
1. Your Profile Becomes Inaccessible
After you delete your account, nobody on LinkedIn will see your profile. LinkedIn will erase your name, endorsements, recommendations, and other information.
2. Data Persistence in Search Engines
Even though LinkedIn deletes your account, search engines like Google might still show cached versions of your profile for a while. These cached profiles will go away once search engines update their databases.
3. Recovery Options
LinkedIn gives you a 14-day grace period to get your account back after you delete it. You can log in again and turn your account back on if you change your mind during this time. But keep in mind, you might lose some things for good, like endorsements and group memberships.
Other Options Instead of Deleting Your LinkedIn Account
Think about these less extreme choices before you decide to delete your account for good:
1. Take Your LinkedIn Account Offline
LinkedIn doesn’t have an official way to “deactivate” like Facebook does, but you can pretty much take your profile offline by changing your visibility settings.
2. Reduce Your Profile's Visibility
If you want to keep your LinkedIn account but lower your online presence, you can adjust your privacy settings to make your profile harder to find. This keeps your profile active but hides it from searches or public view.
How to Restrict Profile Visibility:
Head to Settings & Privacy.
Under the Visibility tab, adjust settings like who can see your profile, your activity, and connections.
3. Disable Email and Notifications
If LinkedIn notifications overwhelm you, you can disable email alerts or tweak your notification settings.
Head to Settings & Privacy.
Go to Communications and customize your notifications and email preferences.
4. Update Your Profile Details
If you’re switching industries or taking a break from work, you might not need to get rid of your account. Instead, think about changing your profile to show what you’re doing now career-wise.
How to Bring Back a Removed LinkedIn Account
As we said before, LinkedIn gives you 14 days to bring back your account if you have second thoughts. To do this:
Sign in with your LinkedIn login info within 14 days.
Do what the screen tells you to restore your profile.
Remember, some info might not come back, like waiting invites, skill approvals, and group memberships.
Conclusion
Choosing to delete your LinkedIn account is a personal call, but it’s one that needs some thinking through. If you’re certain it’s the right step just follow the instructions above to get rid of your LinkedIn account on your computer or phone. Don’t forget to save any key info, end any paid plans, and think about what it means for your career to lose your LinkedIn presence.
If you’re on the fence about deleting, look into other options like cutting back on who can see your profile or turning off alerts. In the end, whether you’re stepping back from career networking or moving in a new direction, make sure your choice fits with what you want down the road.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I recover my LinkedIn account after deleting it?
You can recover your LinkedIn account within 14 days of deletion. Just log back in with your credentials to reactivate it. Keep in mind that some data might not come back. This includes endorsements pending invitations, and group memberships.
2. What happens to my data when I delete my LinkedIn account?
When you delete your LinkedIn account, LinkedIn erases your profile and all related data for good. This covers your connections, messages, endorsements, and recommendations. After the 14-day recovery period ends, you can’t get any of this data back.
3. Will my profile still show up in search engine results after deletion?
For a brief time, search engines might display your LinkedIn profile in their results because of cached versions. Google and other search engines will remove these cached profiles as they refresh their data within a few days to several weeks.
4. How do I download my LinkedIn data before deleting my account?
To get a copy of your LinkedIn data:
Head to Settings & Privacy.
Click Data privacy.
Under Get a copy of your data, pick the info you want to download (like messages contacts).
LinkedIn will email you a link to download your data.
5. Can I shut down my LinkedIn account for a while?
LinkedIn doesn’t have an official way to put your account on hold like some other social media sites do. But you can make your account pretty much invisible by playing with your privacy settings and putting limits on who can check out your profile or shoot you messages.