LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 500 million members worldwide. While the platform can provide great value in networking and career opportunities, some users may wish to deactivate or delete their accounts. Here are quick answers to common questions around canceling LinkedIn:
Can I temporarily deactivate my LinkedIn account?
Yes, you can temporarily deactivate your account while keeping your profile and connections. This pauses all notifications and hides your profile from search results.
How do I temporarily deactivate my LinkedIn account?
Log in to your account, go to your account settings, select “Privacy & Settings” then “Closing your LinkedIn account”. Choose “Temporary deactivation” and confirm.
What happens when I temporarily deactivate my account?
Your profile, connections and messages will be hidden until you reactivate your account. You won’t get notifications and your profile won’t appear in searches.
How long can I temporarily deactivate for?
You can reactivate at any time. If not reactivated within 90 days, LinkedIn will automatically delete your account.
Can I permanently delete my LinkedIn account?
Yes, you can permanently close your account and delete your profile and data. This is irreversible.
How do I permanently delete my LinkedIn account?
Go to your account settings, select “Privacy & Settings” then “Closing your LinkedIn account”. Choose “Permanently close account” and confirm.
What happens when I permanently delete my account?
Your profile, connections, messages and data will be permanently deleted. This can’t be undone. Some data may still exist in backups briefly.
Can I delete my account without closing it?
No, closing your account is the only way to delete your profile and data from LinkedIn.
Can I temporarily disable my account first?
Yes, you can temporarily deactivate your account for up to 90 days before permanently deleting.
Will connections be notified if I delete my account?
No, your connections won’t be notified if you deactivate or permanently delete your account.
What if I want to open a LinkedIn account again later?
You can create a new account at any time with the same or different email address. Your old account data will be gone.
Can I download my LinkedIn data before deleting my account?
Yes, you can download an archive of your account data including profile info, connections, posts, etc.
How do I download my LinkedIn data archive?
On desktop go to your account settings and select “Getting a copy of your data”. On mobile, go to account settings then “Get a copy of your data”.
How long does it take to get my LinkedIn data archive?
It usually takes about 24 hours for LinkedIn to prepare your downloadable archive. The archive link expires after 4 days.
What’s included in my LinkedIn data download?
It includes profile info, connections, network updates, messages, interests, groups, ads and more. Data visibility depends on your account settings.
Step-by-Step Guide to Deactivating LinkedIn
Here is a step-by-step walkthrough on how to temporarily deactivate your LinkedIn account:
Step 1 – Log into your LinkedIn account on desktop. Go to your profile icon at top right.
Step 2 – From the drop down menu select “Settings & Privacy”.
Step 3 – On the left sidebar menu click “Account preferences”.
Step 4 – Under the “Account management” section click “Closing your LinkedIn account”.
Step 5 – On this page select the option for “Temporary deactivation”.
Step 6 – Check the box to confirm “I understand my profile will be hidden until I reactivate it”.
Step 7 – Click the blue “Deactivate your account” button.
Step 8 – Enter your account password when prompted to confirm deactivation.
Step 9 – Click the “Deactivate Account” button to complete deactivation.
Step 10 – You will see a confirmation message that your account is deactivated. Log out.
That’s it! Your LinkedIn account is now temporarily deactivated. Your profile and data will be hidden from view until you log back in to reactivate your account.
Step-by-Step Guide to Downloading Your LinkedIn Data
Before permanently deleting your LinkedIn account, you can download an archive of your account data:
Step 1 – Log into your LinkedIn account through desktop. Go to your profile icon at top right.
Step 2 – From the drop down menu select “Settings & Privacy”.
Step 3 – On the left sidebar menu click “Getting a copy of your data”.
Step 4 – On this page click the “Request archive” button.
Step 5 – Select the data you want in your archive. Recommended to select all options.
Step 6 – Click the blue “Request archive” button at bottom.
Step 7 – You’ll get a notice your archive is being prepared. Refresh the page.
Step 8 – Once ready, you will see a “Download archive” link. Click to download zip file.
Step 9 – The zip file contains your LinkedIn data in JSON format. Store this in a safe place.
Step 10 – Your download link expires after 4 days. Make sure to download within this timeframe.
Following these steps allows you to securely download and backup your important LinkedIn data before account deletion.
Step-by-Step Guide to Permanently Deleting LinkedIn
Ready to permanently delete your LinkedIn account? Here is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1 – Log into your LinkedIn account on desktop. Go to your profile icon at top right.
Step 2 – From the drop down menu select “Settings & Privacy”.
Step 3 – On the left sidebar menu click “Account preferences”.
Step 4 – Under the “Account management” section click “Closing your LinkedIn account”.
Step 5 – On this page select the option for “Permanently close account”.
Step 6 – Check the box to confirm “I understand my account will be closed and my data will be permanently deleted.”
Step 7 – Click the red “Close Account” button.
Step 8 – Enter your account password when prompted to confirm account closure.
Step 9 – Click the “Close Account” button to complete deletion.
Step 10 – You will see a confirmation message your account is closed. Log out.
That’s it! Your LinkedIn account is now permanently closed and deleted. All your LinkedIn data will be erased from their systems within a few days.
What to Do After Deleting LinkedIn Account
Once you have deactivated or deleted your LinkedIn account, here are some next steps to take:
– If you changed your mind, reactivate your account within 90 days before permanent deletion.
– Download any remaining LinkedIn data or emails you may need before account closure.
– Remove LinkedIn app from your mobile devices and clear cookies/cache.
– Update profiles on other platforms to reflect deleted LinkedIn account.
– Let important connections know you are no longer on LinkedIn.
– Focus your online presence on active social/professional platforms.
– Consider an alternative professional network like Xing if still needed.
– Reflect on if you still require a professional social media presence.
– Shift professional networking to in-person conferences, events, and contacts.
– Evaluate if you want to maintain any personal social media accounts. Or fully disconnect!
Deleting your LinkedIn account can be liberating and provide more focus on real-life networking and professional development opportunities!
Pros of Deleting LinkedIn
Here are some of the major benefits and upside to deactivating or deleting your LinkedIn account:
More Privacy – Your profile and all activity is removed improving privacy.
No Distractions – Say goodbye to endless scrolling and notifications.
Increased Focus – More time for high-value professional tasks without the noise.
No Unwanted Outreach – Removes recruiters, sales people, and spam contact.
Control Online Presence – Decide what level of online profile you want.
Personal Brand Improvement – Repurpose time spent on LinkedIn for better brand building.
Career Advancement – Invest time instead in skills, contacts, and real networking.
Mental Health Benefits – Possible improvement by reducing social media usage.
Data Security – LinkedIn no longer has all your professional data.
Overall, removing LinkedIn can simplify your professional life and allow greater focus on career goals.
Cons of Deleting LinkedIn Account
However, there are some potential drawbacks and risks to be aware of:
Lose Connections – Deleted account removes your network of business contacts.
Reduced Discoverability – You lose out on new opportunities identified through LinkedIn.
Job Search Difficulty – Many recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates.
Negative Perception – Some people may view deleting account negatively.
Reputation Impact – No profile makes it harder to showcase your background.
Less Thought Leadership – Harder to establish yourself as an industry expert.
Staying Relevant – Difficulty following trends and staying on top of news.
FOMO – Fear of missing out on networking with peers and competitors.
Rebuilding Connections – Need to reconstruct network if you return to LinkedIn.
Evaluate if the pros outweigh any cons based on your career stage, industry, goals.
Alternatives to LinkedIn
Here are some alternative professional social platforms to consider if deleting LinkedIn:
Xing – Popular in Europe. Focused on jobs, networking, news.
GitHub – Showcase development skills and code portfolio.
Dribbble – Designers share work samples and connect.
Behance – Creative platform to display portfolios and talent.
AngelList – Connect startups with jobs, investors, candidates.
Stack Overflow – Q&A site for engineers to build reputation.
Industry Forums – Discuss topics and network with your industry peers.
Real-Life Events – Conferences, seminars, networking events.
Evaluate if another professional platform makes sense or focus efforts elsewhere.
Best Practices When Deleting LinkedIn
To smoothly transition off of LinkedIn, here are some best practices:
– Download your data before deactivating account.
– Inform close connections you are leaving.
– Update profiles on other platforms about the account closure.
– Remove LinkedIn account connection from other apps.
– Bookmark profiles of close connections you want to keep in touch with.
– Enable autoresponder on LinkedIn messages to notify senders.
– Share alternative contact methods with your network.
– Ask close connections to send your LinkedIn contacts.
– Export LinkedIn contacts if you want to store externally.
– Clean up company LinkedIn pages you are associated with.
Taking these steps will help gracefully transition off of LinkedIn and notify your network.
LinkedIn Account Closure FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about deactivating and deleting LinkedIn:
Does deactivating remove my connections?
No, your connections remain intact so you keep your network if you reactivate.
Can I access LinkedIn without an account?
Yes, you can view public profiles and posts without registering. But direct messaging and access to connections requires an account.
Will people get notified if I deactivate my account?
No, there are no notifications sent when you deactivate or delete your account. It just appears you closed your account.
Can I temporarily disable notifications?
Yes, you can mute notifications in settings without deactivating account. But your profile remains public.
Can I rejoin LinkedIn after deleting?
Yes, you can create a brand new LinkedIn account anytime after permanent deletion using the same or different email.
Will my URL change if I reactivate my account?
No, your custom URL will remain the same after temporary deactivation if you log back in.
Is there a way to delete my account directly?
No, currently the only way to delete is by going through the full account deactivation process. LinkedIn does not allow immediate account deletion.
Can I delete my account on mobile?
No, account deactivation is only available on the LinkedIn desktop website currently. Mobile only allows temporarily disabling account.
Hopefully these FAQs covered the major questions around canceling your LinkedIn account!
Conclusion
LinkedIn can provide immense value in establishing your professional brand, networking, and career development. However, it comes with many distractions and downsides. Deactivating or deleting your account completely is an option if the negatives outweigh the positives for your situation.
Know the implications involved in removing your presence from the world’s largest professional social network. Download your data, notify close connections, and consider alternatives before taking the plunge.
But for some, deleting LinkedIn can lead to greater privacy, productivity, focus, and mental health. Avoid FOMO by concentrating your energy on real-life networking, skills development, and inner fulfillment.
There are pros and cons either way – assess mindfully what’s best for your career and personal well-being. With the right planning, deleting your LinkedIn could be a very liberating experience!
