Whether you use LinkedIn for networking, job searching, or keeping up with colleagues, chances are you spend a fair bit of time browsing other people’s profiles. With over 722 million members as of April 2021, LinkedIn has become the go-to platform for professional networking and building business connections.
But have you ever wondered – can your connections see when you view their profile on LinkedIn? The short answer is no, your connections can’t see when you specifically view their profile. However, there are a few caveats to be aware of.
What LinkedIn Connections Can See
When you view someone’s profile on LinkedIn who is not directly connected to you, it will show up under “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” on their account. However, once you are connected with someone, LinkedIn no longer discloses profile views to avoid potential privacy issues.
So if you are connected to someone, they will not get a notification or be able to see that you looked at their profile. It’s completely anonymous. This applies whether you are connected directly, or you are both connected to the same third party.
The one exception is if you interact with their profile in some way, such as liking or commenting on a post. Any engagement will show up just as it normally would. But merely viewing someone’s profile that you are connected to is private.
Your Public Profile Views
While your connections can’t see when you specifically view their profile, you do have a section under your own account settings called “Who’s Viewed Your Public Profile.” This shows people who have viewed your public profile over the past 90 days, including those you are not connected to.
So if you view a second or third degree connection’s profile, or someone you have no connection with, it may show up here. But direct connections will not be named.
You can toggle this feature on or off if you don’t want people seeing that you viewed their page. Go to Settings & Privacy > Profile Privacy > Profile Viewing Options.
Settings for Private Profile Views
Under your account settings, you have two options for controlling what shows up under “Who’s Viewed Your Public Profile”:
| Setting | What Others Can See |
|---|---|
| Your name and headline | This will allow anyone, regardless of whether they are connected to you, to see that you viewed their public profile. However, they will not see the company you work for. |
| Anonymous profile characteristics only | This hides your name and headline completely from public profile views. Others will just see that an “anonymous LinkedIn member” looked at their profile. |
How to See Who’s Viewed Your Profile
To find out who has been looking at your public profile:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile
- Click on the ‘Me’ icon in the top right corner
- Select ‘View profile’
- Scroll down and click on ‘See all profile views’
This will show you a list of people who have viewed your public profile recently. As mentioned above, direct connections will not be named.
You can also see a summary of total profile views, broken down demographically, to get an idea of who’s discovering you on LinkedIn.
Reasons Connections View Your Profile
While most LinkedIn members realize their connections can’t see individual profile views, you might still wonder why people are looking at your profile. Here are some of the most common reasons:
- When you appear as a suggested or recommended connection
- After interacting with you, such as liking or commenting on your posts or endorsing your skills
- When you show up as a search result
- When you join a new company or change roles
- When you share an interesting status update or article
- Researching you before or after connecting
- Keeping up with career changes or milestones
In most cases, it’s purely professional interest, not invasive snooping. Remember, looking at someone’s profile can help strengthen your connection when done properly.
How to Limit Profile Views
If you are still concerned about who can see your profile, there are a few ways to limit views:
Adjust Your Profile Privacy Settings
As mentioned above, you can change this under Profile Privacy. Options include:
- Making your profile visible only to your connections
- Blocking specific members from viewing your profile
- Changing what info is shown when your public profile is viewed
Be Selective With Connections
Don’t feel obligated to connect with everyone who invites you. Only build connections with those you truly want to network with.
Leave Conversations and Groups
If certain groups or messages are leading to unwanted views, unfollow or leave those spaces.
Use Anonymized Mode
This lets you browse LinkedIn privately without others being notified. Enable it under your account Preferences.
Pro Tips for Managing Your Profile
While you can’t control who looks at your public profile, you can manage your privacy:
- Review all your profile sections regularly for anything you don’t want shared.
- Check your activity broadcasts under the Me tab. Change settings if needed.
- Remember profile strength factors into search rankings, so keep it updated.
- Use viewing options to limit public visibility when needed.
- Don’t obsess over profile views – focus on making authentic connections.
Conclusion
While you can’t see exactly who has viewed your profile among your direct connections, rest assured it is kept private by LinkedIn. Profile viewing is an important part of networking and relationship building. But you have options to control what the public can see about your activity. Focus on sharing valuable content, connecting genuinely, and keeping an updated profile.
