Summary
Yes, it is possible to make your contacts private on LinkedIn so that other members cannot see who you are connected to. LinkedIn gives users the option to customize their settings for sharing contacts. You can choose to keep your connections hidden, allow only your connections to see your contacts, or make your contacts public.
Background on LinkedIn Contacts
LinkedIn is a social networking site designed specifically for professional networking and career development. Members create profiles summarizing their work history, skills, education, accomplishments, and interests. The main purpose of LinkedIn is to allow members to connect with other professionals in their industry or location.
When you connect with someone on LinkedIn, they become a contact or connection. Your list of connections displays on your profile so other members can see who you are networked with. LinkedIn also shows when you and another member have contacts in common based on your respective connections lists.
Viewing someone’s connections can be useful for:
- Discovering who you might know in common
- Assessing someone’s professional network
- Expanding your own connections in a particular industry or at a certain company
However, some LinkedIn members prefer to keep their contacts private rather than publicly visible.
LinkedIn’s Privacy Settings for Sharing Contacts
LinkedIn provides three different settings for sharing your contacts:
- Private mode – Your connections are visible only to you
- Your connections only – Your connections are visible to your 1st degree contacts
- Public – Everyone can see your connections
The default setting when you first join LinkedIn is “Your connections only.” You have to manually change the setting if you want your contacts to be fully private or public.
Here are additional details on each option:
Private Mode
This is the most private setting. None of your connections are visible to anyone else – it’s as if you have no connections at all. Your profile will not indicate connections, “People Also Viewed,” or “People You May Know.”
Enabling this setting prevents other members from:
- Seeing who you are connected to
- Discovering 2nd- and 3rd-degree connections through you
- Contacting you through shared connections
The only indication that you have connections is the number shown on your profile, but no names are displayed.
“Your Connections Only” Setting
With this intermediate option, your list of 1st-degree connections is visible to your connections only. Second-degree connections can see that you are connected to someone, but not who specifically.
This allows for some discovery of shared contacts, but still limits the visibility of your network. People directly connected to you can see your contacts and leverage those connections.
Public Contacts
A public setting makes your connections visible to all LinkedIn members, whether you are connected to them or not. Anyone who views your profile can see your connections.
This allows maximum visibility for your professional network. It lets your contacts promote themselves to your connections. Public settings also enable LinkedIn to make better recommendations in features like “People You May Know.”
How to Change Your LinkedIn Contacts Settings
LinkedIn makes it easy to adjust who can see your contacts. You can change the settings as follows:
- Go to your LinkedIn account settings page while logged in.
- Under the Privacy tab, go to the Contact info section.
- Use the dropdown menu to choose your desired setting: Private, Connections only, or Public.
- Click Save Changes.
Your new contacts visibility setting will take effect immediately.
Here are some visual guides for changing your contacts visibility:
On Desktop
On Mobile
Impact on LinkedIn Features
Changing your contacts setting impacts certain LinkedIn features that rely on connection data. Here is how a private setting affects key aspects of LinkedIn:
Profiles
Profiles will not show any connections or “People Also Viewed” with a private setting. The profile only displays a count of your total connections.
Homepage Feed
You’ll see posts from your connections but won’t see when they like or comment on other posts. Posts from 2nd-degree networks will not appear.
People You May Know
This section relies on connection data so it will not show any recommendations with a private setting.
Search Appearances
You can still appear in search results on LinkedIn. But people will not be able to find you based on shared connections if your contacts are private.
InMail Messages
You can still send and receive InMail messages. However, if you get an InMail from someone you’re not connected to, you won’t see the number of shared connections you have with that person.
Contact Info Access
Your connections will still be able to see your contact info like phone, email, etc. Making connections private limits visibility of connections, not your personal contact data.
Pros and Cons of Private Contacts
Here is a summary of some key advantages and disadvantages for keeping your LinkedIn contacts private:
Potential Advantages
- Prevents unwanted solicitation from people you’re not connected to
- Maintains privacy and exclusivity of your network
- Avoids awkward social or professional situations based on who you are connected to
- Encourages others to connect directly with you first
- Keeps your network data from being accessed or sold by external parties
Potential Disadvantages
- Limits discoverability and visibility of your professional network
- Obscures common connections that might be useful for building new relationships
- Reduces ability to leverage your connections with 2nd-degree networks
- Prevents useful “People You May Know” recommendations
- Negatively impacts LinkedIn search optimization and exposure
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn provides users three options for sharing their connections publicly, with their own networks only, or completely privately. The best setting comes down to your priorities and preferences as a LinkedIn user. Keeping your contacts private does limit networking capabilities but enhances privacy. The middle “Your Connections Only” option balances visibility with exclusivity. Evaluate the pros and cons to determine the right contacts setting for your needs.