Does LinkedIn ask for a mobile number?

When signing up for a LinkedIn account or updating your profile, you may notice that LinkedIn prompts you to add a mobile phone number. This raises the question – is providing a mobile number required on LinkedIn? The short answer is no, a mobile number is optional on LinkedIn. However, there are some cases where LinkedIn will prompt you more insistently to add a phone number or make it difficult to proceed without one. Understanding when and why LinkedIn asks for mobile numbers can help you decide whether to provide one or not.

Why Does LinkedIn Ask for a Phone Number?

LinkedIn asks for a mobile number for a few key reasons:

• Account security – LinkedIn may require a mobile number to verify your identity and secure your account in certain situations, like if you lose access to your account email.
• SMS notifications – LinkedIn may use your mobile number to send notifications via SMS text message, if you opt in to this feature.
• Connecting with others – Your phone number may display on your profile to allow others to contact you (if your settings allow this).
• Targeted advertising – LinkedIn may use your phone number for advertising purposes like tailoring ads based on demographics.

So in summary, while not always required, a mobile number helps LinkedIn verify your account, contact you directly, connect you with others, and target advertisements.

When Does LinkedIn Require a Mobile Number?

In most cases, providing a mobile number on LinkedIn is optional. However, there are some specific situations where LinkedIn will more insistently prompt for a phone number or require one to proceed:

• Signing up for a new account – You may be able to skip this step, but LinkedIn prefers you add a number.
• Making major account changes – LinkedIn may require a number to verify your identity if you change your name, email, location, etc.
• Recovering access to your account – If you get locked out of your account, LinkedIn will require a phone number on file so they can verify you via SMS.
• Requesting account data – LinkedIn may require a number if you request a copy of your account data.
• Security alerts – If LinkedIn detects suspicious activity on your account, they may prompt you to add a number so they can verify your identity.

So in general, LinkedIn will put more emphasis on getting your mobile number when you are making major account changes or if there are security concerns. But in most cases, it is not outright required.

Adding a Mobile Number on LinkedIn

If you do choose to add a mobile number to your LinkedIn profile, here are the steps:

1. On desktop: Go to your profile and click “Add phone number” under the “Contact Info” section.
2. On mobile app: Tap your profile photo > View profile > Add phone number.
3. Enter your country/region and phone number and click “Add”.
4. LinkedIn will send a verification code via SMS to confirm the number.
5. Enter the code LinkedIn texted you and click “Verify”.

Once added, you can manage your phone number settings by going to your profile and clicking “Edit contact info” on desktop or “Manage contact info” on mobile.

Removing a Mobile Number on LinkedIn

If you previously added a mobile number to LinkedIn but now want to remove it, here is how:

1. On desktop: Go to your profile and click “Edit contact info”.
2. On mobile app: Tap your profile photo > View profile > Manage contact info.
3. Next to your phone number, click “Remove”.
4. LinkedIn will send a verification code to that number via SMS.
5. Enter the code you receive and click “Verify”.

This will dissociate your mobile number from your LinkedIn account so it is no longer visible on your profile or used by LinkedIn for notifications/verification.

Disabling Text Notifications

If you keep a mobile number on your LinkedIn profile but don’t want to receive SMS notifications, you can disable them:

1. On desktop: Click your profile photo > Settings & Privacy > Communications > SMS notifications.
2. On mobile app: Tap your profile photo > Manage notifications.
3. Toggle off any SMS notifications you don’t wish to receive.

This will stop LinkedIn from sending SMS messages to your number, while still allowing them to use it for identity verification if needed.

Using a Landline Instead

If you don’t have a mobile number or don’t want to provide one to LinkedIn, you may be able to use a landline number instead in most cases. LinkedIn allows both mobile and landline numbers to be used for call and text verification.

To use a landline, first add it to your profile the same way you would a mobile number. Then if LinkedIn sends a verification text, tap the “Call me” link instead. This will trigger an automated voice call to your landline with the verification code.

Is Providing a Mobile Number Recommended?

In summary, here are some pros and cons to consider regarding giving LinkedIn your mobile number:

Pros

• Strengthens account security
• Allows SMS notifications from LinkedIn
• May increase networking/contact opportunities
• Easier to recover access if account is compromised

Cons

• LinkedIn has your personal info for ads/tracking
• Risk of spam calls/texts if number leaked
• One more place you need to opt-out of notifications
• May need to remove number if you change phones

On the whole, using a mobile number is recommended for the increased security and account recovery options. But it poses some privacy risks and the potential hassle of calls/texts from LinkedIn. Evaluate your personal comfort level with these tradeoffs.

Conclusion

While LinkedIn will often request a mobile number during the signup process or profile update, it is not an outright requirement in most cases. LinkedIn primarily uses mobile numbers for identity verification and sending SMS notifications. You will likely be prompted more insistently for a number if making major account changes or in the event of suspicious activity. Overall, using a mobile number does come with security advantages, but also some privacy tradeoffs to consider. Determine what level you are comfortable with based on your personal preferences.