Many LinkedIn users wonder if they can see who has viewed their profile or searched for them on the platform without paying for a premium account. Unfortunately, LinkedIn does not allow users to see who has searched for them or viewed their profile with a free account.
What data can you see with a free LinkedIn account?
With a free or basic LinkedIn account, users can see limited analytics about their own profile. This includes:
- How many times their profile was viewed in the past 90 days
- Where their profile views are coming from (by country and industry)
- Which companies have viewed their profile
However, this data is presented in aggregate only. You cannot see the names or profiles of individual people who have searched for or viewed your profile.
What additional data is available with LinkedIn Premium?
Upgrading to a premium LinkedIn account unlocks additional analytics features, such as:
- Seeing how your profile ranks for specific keywords
- Seeing more demographics about who has viewed your profile
- Seeing exactly when your profile was viewed
- Seeing how your profile views compare to others in your industry
However, even with a premium account you still cannot see the names or profiles of individuals who have searched for or viewed you on LinkedIn.
Why doesn’t LinkedIn show who viewed your profile?
LinkedIn intentionally limits profile view data to protect their members’ privacy. Specific individuals are not shown for a few key reasons:
- To prevent stalking or harassment based on profile views.
- To encourage genuine networking by limiting reciprocity pressures.
- To maintain a professional environment without unwanted solicitation.
Showing individual profiles could undermine these goals and create a less welcoming environment on the platform.
Are there any workarounds to see who viewed you?
Some third-party browser extensions and apps claim they can show you exactly who has viewed your LinkedIn profile. However, LinkedIn expressly prohibits these types of extensions in their user agreement. The LinkedIn API does not allow access to individual viewer data, so any service claiming to provide it is likely scamming users.
What are some examples of LinkedIn profile tracking scams?
Here are some common scams that falsely claim to show you who viewed your LinkedIn profile:
- Third party apps – Downloadable apps that ask for your LinkedIn login info to access your viewer data. This is always a scam.
- Chrome extensions – Browser extensions that overlay viewer data on your LinkedIn feed. These violate LinkedIn’s terms.
- “Upgrade” offers – Ads or emails claiming you need to upgrade your account to see viewer data. LinkedIn never shows this info.
- Membership offers – Sites that charge a fee to supposed show your LinkedIn viewer data. They cannot access this data.
Any service that asks for payment or your LinkedIn login to view your profile visitors should be avoided. Use caution and do not enter any sensitive information.
Are there any legitimate ways to see who viewed you?
Currently, there are no legitimate methods to see exactly who has searched for or viewed your LinkedIn profile. Premium accounts only provide aggregated data, not individual profiles. Third party services are scams and violate LinkedIn’s policies. The only way to truly know who has viewed your profile is if they choose to connect or message you directly.
Conclusion
Viewing individual profiles of people who search for or view your LinkedIn profile is not possible with either free or premium accounts. LinkedIn intentionally limits this data to user privacy. Any service claiming to show your profile visitors is likely a scam. Focus instead on improving your profile and making authentic connections on the platform.
| Account Type | Free Account | Premium Account |
|---|---|---|
| See individual profiles of viewers | No | No |
| See aggregate viewer data | Limited data | More detailed data |
| See exactly when profile was viewed | No | Yes |
| See viewer industry and location | Yes | Yes, more in-depth |
Key Takeaways
- LinkedIn never shows individual profiles of those who view yours, even with premium.
- Third party services claiming to show your viewers are scams.
- Focus on improving your profile instead of tracking viewers.
- Premium accounts provide more analytics but no individual names.
LinkedIn limits profile view data to maintain user privacy and prevent unwanted solicitation. While you cannot see exactly who searched for you, premium accounts provide valuable aggregate analytics to inform your networking strategy.
Remember that profile views are just a metric and developing authentic connections is ultimately more important for career success on LinkedIn. Rather than obsessing over who looked at your profile, concentrate on sharing your skills, knowledge and experiences with your network.
Quality content, recommendations and engagement with connections will organically attract more profile views over time. But the emphasis should be on networking opportunities, not vanity metrics. Focus on expanding your meaningful connections and the profile searches will follow.
With over 722 million users, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform. But size brings challenges, including privacy concerns and unhealthy obsession over metrics like profile views. While premium accounts offer more analytics, neither free or paid members can see individual viewers.
This limitation allows LinkedIn to foster genuine interactions, prevent harassment, and maintain a professional environment. Third party services claiming otherwise are simply scams. So be wary of any offers to finally reveal “who viewed your profile.”
Instead, dedicate your energy to building your brand, contributing unique insights, and helping others in your network. That is what will take your LinkedIn presence to the next level, not vanity metrics.
LinkedIn is designed for networking and career advancement, not fueling personal obsessions. Focus on the big picture of your professional goals. Be patient, post engaging content, and make authentic connections.
While you may be curious who has searched for you, ultimately it does not matter. The right connections will find you over time. And that is the LinkedIn mindset that will lead to long-term success.
So use LinkedIn’s privacy limitations to your advantage. Embrace the opportunity to make a name for yourself based on merit, not artificial views. And let go of any obsession over short-term metrics like profile searches. Adopt a mindset of generosity, not vanity, to grow your network.
Then you will stop worrying about who looked at your profile. And LinkedIn will become what it was meant to be – a powerful platform to achieve your career aspirations through meaningful connections.
