Quick Answer
No, a blocked person on LinkedIn cannot see your profile. When you block someone on LinkedIn, you completely remove yourself from their view. They will no longer be able to view your profile, see your connections, message you, or interact with you in any way on the platform. Blocking on LinkedIn is mutual, so you will also be unable to view the profile of someone you’ve blocked.
Explaining How Blocking Works on LinkedIn
When you block someone on LinkedIn, it severs the connection between you and that person on the platform. Here’s an overview of what blocking does:
Removes You From Their View
Blocking someone prevents them from being able to access your profile or any information about you on LinkedIn. They will no longer see your profile show up in searches, People You May Know recommendations, or anywhere else on LinkedIn.
Stops Notifications About You
The blocked person will stop receiving notifications or updates about any of your activity on LinkedIn. This includes things like you posting updates, getting new connections, or changing jobs.
Prevents Any Type of Contact
Blocking stops all communication between you and the blocked person on LinkedIn. They can no longer message you directly or interact with any of your posts or activity. Any pending connection requests will also be removed.
Makes Your Connection Disappear
If you already have a connection established with someone on LinkedIn and then block them, it will remove the connection. To them, it will seem like you deleted your account entirely.
Is Mutual
Blocking works both ways. When you block someone, they are also blocked from viewing your profile or interacting with you. You will no longer see their profile or any of their activity either.
Reasons You May Want to Block Someone
Here are some common reasons why you may want to block another user on LinkedIn:
They are Harassing You
If someone is continually sending you unwanted messages or making inappropriate posts on your profile, you can block them to stop this disruptive behavior.
They are Spamming You
Some users try to take advantage of LinkedIn messaging to spam people with promotional emails. Blocking them removes their ability to keep messaging you.
They are Making False Connections
Sometimes people will try to connect with you on LinkedIn by pretending to be someone they are not. If you realize the connection is fake, blocking prevents further deception.
They are a Toxic Connection
If you have a real-life connection with someone who has turned toxic, blocking on LinkedIn can help sever online ties.
They are a Competitor
You may wish to block a close business competitor from viewing sensitive information about you or your company on your profile.
How to Block Someone on LinkedIn
Blocking another user on LinkedIn is a simple process:
From a Profile
1. Go to the profile page of the person you wish to block.
2. Click the “More” dropdown menu in the top right.
3. Select “Block” from the dropdown options.
4. Confirm you wish to block the user when prompted.
From a Message
1. Go to your LinkedIn Messages section.
2. Click on a message from the person you want to block.
3. In the upper right corner, click the “More” button.
4. Choose “Block” from the menu.
5. Confirm the block when prompted.
From Search
1. Type the name of the person you wish to block into LinkedIn’s search bar.
2. Go to their profile from search results.
3. Follow the “From a Profile” instructions above.
Once you block someone, it takes immediate effect. You will no longer see or hear from that user again unless you choose to unblock them later on.
What a Blocked Person Can and Can’t See
When you block someone on LinkedIn, what exactly can they still see and what becomes hidden about you? Here is an overview:
Can’t See
– Your profile page
– Your list of connections
– Your contact info
– Your posts and activity updates
– Groups you belong to
– Companies you work for
– Educational history
– Recommendations
– Anything you share publicly
Can See
– Your name in search dropdowns and People You May Know
– Any content you share fully publicly
– Company/profile pages if you are listed there
– Google search results about you
– News mentions
So in summary, anything strictly within LinkedIn becomes inaccessible when blocked. Some very limited basic information and widely available public content may still show up externally.
Limitations of Blocking on LinkedIn
While blocking is effective, keep in mind a few limitations:
Not Retroactive
Blocking only prevents future viewing and contact. It does not erase any past interactions or connections.
Not Visible to Others
Your connections and network will not be notified if you block someone. It occurs privately without anyone knowing.
Doesn’t Prevent Other Contact
Blocking is limited to LinkedIn. The person can still contact you through other methods like phone, email, other social media, etc.
Not Permanent
You can choose to unblock the person later on, which would give them access to your profile again. Blocking is reversible.
Not Reciprocal on Shared Content
If you interact with fully public content the blocked person has posted, they may still see your engagement.
So blocking is very useful on LinkedIn, but should be paired with caution in other communication channels if needed.
Can You Tell if You’ve Been Blocked?
Wondering if someone has blocked you on LinkedIn? There are a few clues that can indicate if someone has blocked you:
Profile Disappears
If you previously were connected on LinkedIn but can suddenly no longer find or view someone’s profile, there is a good chance they blocked you.
Loss of Connection
If your connection on LinkedIn disappears without you removing it, it is likely they blocked you which severed the connection.
No Response to Messages
If someone normally responds to your messages but suddenly stops with no warning, a block could be the reason.
Removed From Groups
A person who blocked you may also remove you from LinkedIn groups they manage to cut off contact.
Inability to Add as Connection
You may be unable to send a connection request to someone who preemptively blocked you.
So while the blocking itself is invisible, the aftereffects often make it reasonably clear that you can no longer interact with that person on LinkedIn.
Mistakenly Blocking the Wrong Person
In some cases, you may accidentally block the wrong individual on LinkedIn, cutting them off unfairly. Here are some tips if you mistakenly block someone:
Realize Quickly
The faster you realize the mistake, the better. If you catch it within a few days, you can usually smooth things over more easily.
Send a Direct Message
If you still share another private communication channel, reach out directly and explain it was a mistake.
Ask a Shared Connection
You can also have a mutual connection explain to the person it was accidental.
Unblock
Unblocking reopens access to your profile. Follow up to apologize for the confusion.
Learn from It
Be more careful in the future when blocking and double check it is the right person. Mistakes happen but can damage relationships.
With the right follow up, accidentally blocking the wrong person does not have to be the end of a professional connection. A little communication goes a long way.
Alternatives to Blocking
For less severe situations, you may want to consider alternatives to completely blocking someone on LinkedIn like:
Restrict Their Profile Viewing
Use LinkedIn privacy settings to exclude specific people from seeing parts of your profile.
Remove Them as a Connection
Deleting them as a contact cuts the direct tie without fully blocking.
Turn Off Notifications
Disable notifications just from that person to avoid constant updates.
Organize into a Limited Group
Place them in a separate group with limited profile access.
Unfollow Their Activity
You can unfollow someone’s posts without fully disconnecting.
Mute Conversations
Choose to mute comment threads instead of blocking the whole profile.
So consider if a more tailored approach may work better than completely removing access in certain scenarios.
Can You Unblock Someone on LinkedIn?
Yes, LinkedIn does allow you to unblock people and reverse a block. Here is how:
1. Go to your LinkedIn Settings.
2. Select “Blocked Accounts” under the Privacy & Settings menu.
3. Locate the person you want to unblock and click “Unblock”.
4. Confirm you wish to restore their access.
Unblocking immediately gives that person access to your profile again. Keep in mind it does not send a notification or indication you unblocked them, so you may wish to let them know directly.
Some Key Things to Know About Unblocking
– Unblocking restores all access the user previously had.
– You can unblock and reblock the same person multiple times.
– Unblocking does not automatically re-add them as a connection.
– You may wish to increase privacy settings after unblocking someone.
So proceed cautiously when removing blocks, and customize their level of access through your settings.
Best Practices For Blocking on LinkedIn
If you do need to block someone on LinkedIn, here are some best practices to follow:
Use Sparingly
Avoid blocking people unnecessarily or impulsively. Only use it for true harassment, spam, deception etc.
Document Reasons
Keep a written record of exactly why you chose to block the person for future reference.
Check Settings After
Review your privacy configurations again after blocking and adjust as needed.
Diversify Blocks
Also block the person on other social media channels if needed – don’t rely only on LinkedIn.
Inform Close Connections
Let trusted connections know you blocked the person and why so they understand.
Monitor After Effects
Check if the block effectively stopped unwanted behavior as intended.
Following these tips helps ensure blocking is handled carefully, intentionally, and strategically.
LinkedIn Blocking and Privacy Settings
Along with blocking, it is also important to leverage LinkedIn’s privacy configurations properly. Here are key settings to check:
Profile Viewing Options
Restrict which members can view your full profile like connections only.
Activity Broadcasts
Limit notifications when you make profile changes.
Sharing Profile Edits
Disable notifications when you update your profile.
Search Engine Visibility
Opt out of search engines indexing your profile.
Profile Photo Visibility
Control who can see your profile and cover photos.
Who Can Follow You
Limit who can follow your account and see your posts.
Viewers of This Post
For individual posts, customize who can see it.
Using all these privacy controls in conjunction with targeted blocks gives you maximum control over your LinkedIn presence and connections.
FAQs About Blocking on LinkedIn
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about blocking on LinkedIn:
Can someone tell if you block them?
They cannot receive a notification. But signs like losing connection, disappearing profile, and lack of responses indicate they were likely blocked.
What happens when you block someone you’re connected to?
Blocking removes the connection, so it will seem like you deleted your account to them.
Do blocks expire on LinkedIn?
No, blocks do not expire on their own. You have to manually unblock someone to remove the block.
Can you get in trouble for blocking LinkedIn members?
Generally no, you can block any members you want for any personal reason without issue.
Should you let someone know before you block them?
No, there is no obligation to inform them. But in certain cases like an accidental block, transparency helps.
Can someone on my limited profile list still see me?
No, “limited profile” means you are completely blocked from their viewpoint on LinkedIn.
Do blocks prevent incoming connection requests?
Yes, if someone is blocked they cannot send you a new connection request on LinkedIn.
So in summary, blocks are invisible, permanent, and prevent any access between you and the blocked member on LinkedIn. Use them prudently when needed.
The Bottom Line
Blocking another user on LinkedIn completely removes them from interacting with you or accessing your profile in any way. It is a clean severing of the connection between you and that member. They will be unable to view your profile or send you messages after being blocked. However, blocking is limited to LinkedIn only, so you may need to block them elsewhere too. Check your privacy configurations, use blocking judiciously when required, and be very cautious about reversing blocks.
Key Takeaways
– Blocking on LinkedIn makes your entire profile invisible to the other person.
– It prevents any future contact or interaction between you and them.
– Blocks are mutual – you also lose access to their profile when blocking.
– Blocking removes existing connections between users.
– You can reverse a block at any time by unblocking the person.
– Blocking is limited to LinkedIn only – other contact channels remain open.
– Be very thoughtful and strategic before blocking someone given the effects.
Conclusion
Blocking can be an effective way to handle harassment, spam, deception, and other issues on LinkedIn. It completely cuts off contact between you and another member. However, use blocking judiciously, as it also limits your visibility into their activity. Check your privacy settings, document reasons for blocking, and leverage other communication restrictions when appropriate. With the right approach, blocking can help control your LinkedIn connections and presence.