LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform, with over 810 million members worldwide as of October 2022. With so many users, LinkedIn can feel like a very public space where your profile and activity are visible to recruiters, coworkers, bosses, and more. This level of visibility may make some users uncomfortable, leading to questions around whether LinkedIn offers a “ghost mode” to browse more privately.
What is LinkedIn ghost mode?
A “ghost mode” on LinkedIn would allow users to visit and browse LinkedIn profiles and pages without leaving a trace or showing signs of activity to others. This is not an official feature offered by LinkedIn, but rather a term some people use to describe ways to use LinkedIn more privately.
On platforms like Instagram and Facebook, ghost modes allow you to invisible to others while still accessing the site. LinkedIn does not have a true ghost mode, but there are settings you can use to adjust your visibility in the network.
Does LinkedIn have private browsing?
LinkedIn does not have a private or incognito browsing mode like some browsers offer. No matter how you access LinkedIn, your activity can be visible to others in some way. Some options on LinkedIn that provide a little more privacy include:
- Turning off notifications – Other users will not be notified when you view their profile.
- Unfollowing connections – Their posts will no longer show up in your feed.
- Removing yourself from search results – Only direct connections can find your profile.
However, none of these options make you completely invisible or anonymous to other members. LinkedIn is designed around visibility and engagement, so “ghost mode” goes against its core concepts.
Can you browse LinkedIn anonymously?
There is no way to be completely anonymous while browsing LinkedIn. Even without an account, LinkedIn tracks visitors to the site via cookies and other identifiers. Some options that provide a bit more anonymity:
- Private/incognito browsing – Your browsing history is not stored locally, but LinkedIn still sees your activity.
- Log out of your account – You can browse while logged out, but access is limited.
- Block cookies – This makes you harder to track, but LinkedIn’s core functionality may be impacted.
Overall, you leave digital footprints whenever you access LinkedIn, whether logged in or out. The platform is designed for public networking, not private browsing.
Can you see who viewed your LinkedIn profile?
LinkedIn allows you to see who has viewed your profile in the last 90 days, but not in real time. To see recent profile visitors:
- Go to your LinkedIn homepage
- Click “see all” under the “Who’s viewed your profile” section
- This shows you the names and titles of members who have viewed your profile in the last 90 days
You can also change your visitor settings to customize what others see when you view their profiles. By default, your name and headline are shown to others when you visit their profile.
Limiting profile views
To limit what others see when you view their profile:
- Go to the Me icon > Settings & Privacy
- Click Preferences under Privacy
- Choose what you want others to see (name/headline, customized text, or anonymous) when you visit their profile
Customizing these settings can provide a bit more privacy when browsing LinkedIn.
Can you browse LinkedIn without an account?
It is possible to browse and view some LinkedIn content without registering for an account, but access is very limited. As an unregistered user, you can:
- View profiles that are publicly visible
- See job listings that have been posted publicly
- Visit company pages
- View some LinkedIn Groups content
However, you won’t be able to send messages, interact with connections, see full profiles and job listings, or leverage the full benefits of LinkedIn without logging in. An account is necessary to access most parts of the platform.
Downsides of browsing without an account
Downsides of browsing LinkedIn anonymously without an account include:
- Very limited visibility into profiles and job postings
- Inability to interact or network with other members
- No access to personalized feeds and content recommendations
- Seeing “preview mode” overlays on most pages
- App and notification access disabled
While browsing without an account provides a little more privacy, it greatly reduces what you can access on LinkedIn.
Should LinkedIn offer a ghost mode?
Whether LinkedIn should implement a “ghost mode” for anonymous browsing comes down to the debate between privacy and openness on social platforms:
Arguments for ghost mode
- Allow for more private browsing and viewing of profiles.
- Reduce potential harassment or unwanted attention from connections.
- Provide a solution for viewing competitors, clients, or recruiting discreetly.
- Help job seekers maintain privacy while researching potential employers.
- Let users manage how and when they want to interact on the platform.
Arguments against ghost mode
- Goes against LinkedIn’s core value of transparency and openness.
- User engagement may decrease if connections are less visible.
- Harder for LinkedIn to prevent abuse if users are anonymous.
- Reduces the ability to build trusted business relationships.
- Ghosts could spam or harass others without accountability.
Overall, both viewpoints have valid concerns. LinkedIn seems unlikely to implement a true ghost mode soon, but may continue expanding privacy controls to give users more options.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn does not have an official ghost mode, some settings and options allow for more private browsing of the platform:
- Turn off notifications and limit profile viewing details
- Unfollow connections and adjust visibility settings
- Use private browsing modes on your internet browser
- Browse and search while logged out of your account
However, LinkedIn will always associate some visibility with your activity. If staying completely anonymous is your priority, LinkedIn may not be the best platform based on its networking and transparency model.