LinkedIn is a popular professional networking platform used by millions of people around the world. One of the key features of LinkedIn is the ability to view other users’ profiles to learn more about their background, skills, and experience. A common question that arises is whether a person receives a notification or email alert when someone views their LinkedIn profile.
The Short Answer
In most cases, no – users do not automatically get emails or notifications when someone views their LinkedIn profile. There are some exceptions and scenarios where a user might be notified of a profile view, but generally profile views happen privately without the profile owner’s knowledge.
When Viewers Remain Anonymous
The default setting on LinkedIn is for profile views to be anonymous. When someone views your profile while signed into their account, you will not be notified or receive any email about it. LinkedIn does not send alerts to users about these anonymous profile views.
The reason for this is privacy. LinkedIn wants to encourage users to browse profiles freely to aid networking and recruitment without worrying they will be “caught” looking at someone’s profile. If alerts were sent every time someone viewed a profile, users would be much more hesitant to view profiles for fear of spamming someone’s inbox.
Private Mode
LinkedIn does have a “private mode” setting that users can enable if they want to view profiles more anonymously. When private mode is turned on, the viewer’s name and profile details will not show up in the list of who has viewed your profile recently. This prevents even the viewed user from knowing who specifically looked at their profile if they check their visitor list.
Anonymous Browsing
Even when not in private mode, LinkedIn states they will not inform users about anonymous profile views that originate from search engines or other anonymous sources. So even indirect or third-party views of your profile will not trigger a notification.
When You Might Get Notified of a View
While anonymous profile views will not trigger any alerts, there are some scenarios where LinkedIn will notify a user that their profile was looked at:
You’re Connected
If the person viewing your profile is connected to you (a 1st-degree connection), LinkedIn will display this information in your list of who’s viewed your profile recently. This allows you to see which of your connections have been looking at your profile. However, no email or additional notification is sent – you would only see it if you checked your visitor list.
You Have a Premium Account
LinkedIn Premium account holders have access to more information about profile views. The “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” section will show 2nd and 3rd-degree connections who have viewed your profile. You can also filter by date range and location. Again though, you only see this information if you view your profile visitor list – emails are not sent.
Someone Views Your Profile Multiple Times
According to LinkedIn, if the same person views your profile multiple times within a short period, they may send an email notification to let you know someone is showing interest in your profile. However multiple views over a longer period are unlikely to trigger an email.
You Have Another Premium Feature Enabled
Under Premium account settings, users can opt to receive email notifications when someone outside their network looks at their profile. So if you have this setting enabled, emails would be sent about anonymous profile views or those outside your network.
Other Ways to Know Who Viewed You
Even without emails or notifications, there are ways to get insights into who has been looking at your profile on LinkedIn:
Visitor List
As mentioned above, you can view the list of people who have recently looked at your profile by visiting your profile and looking at the “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” section. This will show anonymous views as well as those made by your connections.
See When Connections View You
When one of your 1st-degree connections views your profile, it will show up in your visitor list. You can periodically check this list to see which of your connections have been looking at your profile.
Use a Premium Account
Upgrading to a Premium account provides more insight into 2nd and 3rd-degree connections viewing your profile, as well as filters to analyze your profile traffic.
Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator
Sales Navigator is LinkedIn’s sales intelligence platform. One of the features is the ability to see when your saved leads and accounts view your profile or content. This visibility can help prioritize leads based on their demonstrated interest.
Use Third-Party Apps
There are third-party browser extensions and apps available that can show you real-time notifications when someone views your LinkedIn profile. Some examples include Viewers for LinkedIn and LinkedIn Profile Tracker. However these are not official LinkedIn products.
Limitations of LinkedIn Profile Views
While it can be useful to know who has been looking at your profile, there are some limitations to consider:
Not Everyone Shows Up
Due to privacy and browsing settings, not every profile view will be registered in your visitor list. Your list is not a complete record of everyone who’s viewed you.
International Settings
In some countries, LinkedIn’s settings are adjusted so profile viewers are anonymous. Visitor lists will not show people in these countries looking at your profile.
Manual Removal
Viewers can manually remove themselves from your visitor list so you won’t see them in your list of who’s viewed you.
Time Delay
It can take up to 24-48 hours for profile views to show up in your visitor list. It’s not real-time tracking.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn does not automatically notify users about profile views in most cases. The default is for browsing to be anonymous without emails or alerts being sent. There are some exceptions where LinkedIn will inform users about their profiles being viewed based on account settings and types of viewers. However, users have to be proactive in checking their visitor lists – real-time notifications are limited. While LinkedIn profile views can provide some useful insights, there are limitations to consider in terms of visibility and privacy.
| Situation | Notification Sent? |
|---|---|
| Anonymous user views your profile | No |
| 1st degree connection views your profile | No, but will show in your visitor list |
| 2nd degree connection views your profile | No, unless you have Premium account |
| Someone views your profile multiple times | Possibly, but not guaranteed |
| You have email notifications enabled | Yes |
| International user views profile based on country settings | No |
Key Takeaways
- Viewing LinkedIn profiles is mostly anonymous
- Emails are not sent for most profile views
- Premium account holders have more visibility into profile views
- Users must check visitor lists to see who viewed them
- Limitations exist around visibility of international views
