LinkedIn is a popular professional networking platform used by millions of people worldwide to connect with colleagues, find jobs, share content, and more. When you view someone’s profile on LinkedIn, they receive a notification that you searched for them by default. However, many LinkedIn users want to browse profiles discreetly without the other person knowing. So can you hide that you searched someone on LinkedIn?
The short answer is yes, it is possible to search LinkedIn profiles anonymously. LinkedIn offers a “Private Mode” that prevents the other user from seeing that you viewed their profile. There are also some simple settings you can adjust on your account to stop LinkedIn from notifying others when you look at their profiles.
In this article, we’ll explore the different ways to search LinkedIn without the other person knowing, including:
- Using LinkedIn’s Private Mode
- Turning off profile viewing notifications
- Adjusting your viewer settings
- Viewing profiles in an incognito or private browser window
- Using a LinkedIn Sales Navigator account
Understanding these options will allow you to browse LinkedIn more privately and avoid any awkward notifications about who viewed your profile.
Using LinkedIn’s Private Mode
The easiest way to search LinkedIn anonymously is to use Private Mode. LinkedIn launched this feature in 2020 to enable more private browsing and searching.
To use Private Mode:
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner of LinkedIn and select “View profile anonymously” from the dropdown menu.
- This will open a new private browsing window where you are signed out of LinkedIn. You can browse in this mode without others receiving notifications.
- To return to your regular browsing session, close the private browsing window and you will be signed back into your account.
The key benefit of Private Mode is that it’s very quick and easy to toggle on and off as needed. Just a couple clicks and you can anonymously view profiles.
One thing to note is that if you send connection requests or messages while in Private Mode, the receiving user will still see them and know it came from you. Private Mode only hides your identity while viewing profiles passively.
Pros
- Simple and fast to use
- Completely hides your activity and identity
- Built directly into LinkedIn for convenience
Cons
- Need to sign back into your account after using
- Doesn’t work for sending messages or connecting
- Browsing limited to one private window
Overall, LinkedIn’s Private Mode provides a quick and painless way to search anonymously on occasion. It’s not a complete solution, but very handy for discreetly viewing profiles when needed.
Turning Off Profile Viewing Notifications
Another option is to simply turn off the setting that alerts others when you look at their profile. Even when signed into your account, you can prevent LinkedIn from notifying connections about your search activity.
Here’s how to disable profile viewing notices:
- Go to your account Preferences (click Me icon > Settings & Privacy > Preferences)
- Under Communications, toggle off “Tell others when you view their profile”
- Save Changes at the bottom
With this setting disabled, you can search for people normally while signed in and they won’t receive any notifications about it. This gives you more privacy without having to use Private Mode.
The tradeoff is that you also won’t see notifications when others view your own profile. But for many users, avoiding awkward “You searched me” notifications is more important.
Pros
- Stays in your normal browsing session
- Ongoing privacy, doesn’t require Private Mode each time
- Saves a click to toggle settings on and off
Cons
- You also won’t get notifications when people view your profile
- Connections can turn this back on to see your searches
- Not as hidden as fully private browsing
Disabling profile viewing alerts gives you more low key, ongoing privacy without the hassle of Private Mode. For quick, occasional anonymous searching though, Private Mode still has some advantages.
Adjusting Your Viewer Settings
Beyond overall notifications, LinkedIn actually gives you granular control over who can see when you view their profile specifically. You can choose to exclude certain connections or segments from being notified when you search for them.
To adjust these viewer settings:
- Go to your Privacy Settings (click Me icon > Settings & Privacy > Privacy)
- Under Profile Viewing Options, click Customize your viewer settings
- Here you can uncheck viewers you want to be anonymous towards like connections, coworkers, etc.
- Save changes
Now those viewers will not know if you look at their profile while signed into your account. You get more precision over who can see your LinkedIn search activity.
Pros
- Very granular control over who gets notifications
- Can stay completely anonymous to specific connections
- Still get notifications from people you want
Cons
- More complex to manage settings for all viewers
- Need to remember which people can’t see your searches
- Some viewers may notice they don’t get notifications from you
Customizing your viewer settings takes more work but offers the flexibility to hide your viewing activity from precisely who you want. This works well if you only need to anonymously view a handful of profiles.
Using an Incognito or Private Browser Window
If you don’t want to adjust any LinkedIn settings, another simple option is to view profiles in an incognito or private browser window. All major web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari offer this mode that doesn’t save your browsing history or cookies.
To search LinkedIn anonymously this way:
- Open a new incognito/private window in your browser
- Go to LinkedIn.com and search for any profiles normally
- Close the incognito window when finished
Without cookies linked to your account, LinkedIn won’t register that you viewed specific profiles. It will be completely anonymous.
Pros
- Easy to open a private window on any browser
- No account settings to adjust
- Fully anonymous and hidden browsing
Cons
- Need to sign into LinkedIn each time
- No browsing history saved across sessions
- More steps to close windows and re-open
Browser incognito/private windows provide a quick, self-contained way to anonymously search LinkedIn. However, it’s less convenient than built-in options on LinkedIn itself.
Using a LinkedIn Sales Navigator Account
The most powerful but expensive option is using a LinkedIn Sales Navigator paid account for anonymous searching. Sales Navigator is LinkedIn’s premium tool for sales professionals.
A key feature included with Sales Navigator is the ability to privately view up to 500 LinkedIn profiles per month. The other user will not receive any notification that you searched for them.
To anonymously search with Sales Navigator:
- Ensure you’re logged into Sales Navigator
- Search for profiles and click “View anonymously” instead of regular view
- You can now view up to 500 profiles per month this way
Sales Navigator essentially bakes private browsing directly into your LinkedIn account experience. As long as you stay under your monthly limit, all searches will be anonymous.
Pros
- Fully private browsing included in account
- No limits on how many profiles per session
- More robust LinkedIn search and analytics
Cons
- Sales Navigator has a paid monthly cost
- 500 profile monthly viewing limit
- Overkill if you just want occasional anonymous searching
For power LinkedIn users and sales teams, Sales Navigator is worth the cost for frequent private browsing coupled with LinkedIn’s best premium tools. More casual users likely only need the free options.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn’s default behavior is to notify users when you view their profile, there are several ways to get around this for anonymous and private browsing:
- Use LinkedIn’s Private Mode for quick, totally anonymous viewing
- Disable profile viewing notifications in your account settings for ongoing privacy
- Customize visibility settings to hide your views from specific connections
- Use a private/incognito browser window that logs you out of LinkedIn
- A Sales Navigator paid account includes robust private browsing features
The best solution depends on how often you need to search anonymously versus how much hassle you’re willing to tolerate. But with all these options, you can feel free to discreetly browse LinkedIn profiles without fear of awkward notifications. The ability is there if you want to hide that you searched someone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can LinkedIn see who views your profile?
Yes, LinkedIn does track who views your profile – and by default, will notify you whenever someone does. However, the viewer can use Private Mode, adjust settings, or use an incognito browser to view your profile anonymously without you being notified or seeing their identity.
Does turning off profile viewing notifications hide your views?
Yes, other users will not know if you viewed their profile if you turn off the “Tell others when you view their profile” notification setting under Communications in your account Preferences. This prevents profile view notices.
Can you tell if someone views your LinkedIn anonymously?
No, the point of anonymous/private profile viewing is that the user whose profile is being viewed has no indication it happened or knows the identity of the viewer. If you want to view a profile without the user knowing, use the options in this article.
Does Sales Navigator hide profile views from other users?
Yes, one of the main features of LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator premium account is the ability to privately view up to 500 profiles per month without any other user receiving a notification that you viewed them. Private browsing is built-in.
Can I get caught searching LinkedIn anonymously?
If you use the right methods in this article like Private Mode, disabling notifications, or viewing in an incognito browser, there is no way for other users to detect or prove you viewed their profile anonymously. You will not get “caught” searching privately.
Key Takeaways
– Use LinkedIn’s Private Mode for quick, on-demand anonymous profile viewing
– Turn off profile viewing notifications in Settings & Privacy to avoid notices when signed in
– Customize visibility settings to privately view specific connections and groups
– Open a private/incognito browser window to search without being logged into LinkedIn
– Sales Navigator accounts allow private browsing as a premium feature
– Multiple options available depending on your specific privacy needs
Table Comparing Anonymity Options
| Method | Privacy Level | Ease of Use | Ongoing? | Extra Cost? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Mode | Full anonymity | Very easy | No, single sessions | No cost |
| Disable Notifications | High anonymity | Easy | Yes, persistent setting | No cost |
| Customize Viewers | High selectivity | Moderate | Yes, persistent settings | No cost |
| Incognito Window | Full anonymity | Easy | No, single sessions | No cost |
| Sales Navigator | Full anonymity | Easy | Yes, with monthly limits | Paid subscription |
How Anonymity Options Compare to Normal LinkedIn Searching
| Action | Normal Searching | Anonymous Searching |
|---|---|---|
| View other user’s profile | Profile owner notified | No notification sent |
| Send InMail message | Recepient sees you as sender | Recepient sees you as sender |
| Save search history and activity | Saved in account | Not saved |
| Appear in other user’s visitor list | Yes, you appear | No, you don’t appear |
| Get notified when others view your profile | Yes, get notifications | No, don’t get notifications |
Conclusion
Searching LinkedIn anonymously takes a bit more effort than regular browsing, but gives you needed privacy and avoids awkward notifications. Understand the options and settings covered here, and you can comfortably search profiles without revealing your activity. Protect your privacy and hide your digital tracks on LinkedIn.
