LinkedIn is a popular professional networking platform used by millions of people around the world. However, some users may wish to permanently delete their LinkedIn account at some point for various reasons. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to permanently delete your LinkedIn account.
Why You Might Want to Delete Your LinkedIn Account
There are a few common reasons why you might want to permanently delete your LinkedIn account:
- You’re not using it anymore and want to protect your privacy
- You want a fresh start on the platform
- You had a bad experience on LinkedIn and no longer want to be associated with it
- You’re concerned about how much data LinkedIn has collected about you over time
- Your employment circumstances have changed and you no longer need it for professional networking
Whatever your reasons, deleting your LinkedIn account is possible but not straightforward. LinkedIn does not have an obvious “delete account” option. However, there are ways to request your account be permanently closed.
How to Permanently Delete Your LinkedIn Account
To permanently delete your LinkedIn account, you need to follow these steps:
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Go to your LinkedIn account settings page. This can be accessed by clicking on the “Me” icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage, then selecting “Settings & Privacy”.
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Under the “Account management” section, click on “Close your account”.
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On the “Close your account” page, select “Continue”.
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LinkedIn will ask you why you are closing your account. Select your reason for leaving from the dropdown menu.
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Enter your account password to confirm your choice.
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Select “Close Account”.
At this point, your account will be scheduled for permanent closure. LinkedIn states it can take up to 24 hours for an account to be deleted. They will send a confirmation email when the process is complete.
What Happens When You Delete Your LinkedIn Account
Here is what happens after you permanently delete your LinkedIn account:
- Your profile is removed and no longer appears in search results or feeds.
- You lose access to the account, including your messages and network connections.
- Others can no longer view your profile or send you messages.
- Your URL will include “member-inactive” after being closed.
- LinkedIn states they remove all personal data from their systems.
- Reactivating your account is not possible – the deletion is permanent.
Essentially, all traces of your account and presence on LinkedIn will be erased. However, some data may still persist in backups or caches temporarily until it is overwritten. But your profile and all personal information will not be accessible.
Important Things to Do Before Deleting Your LinkedIn Account
Before deleting your LinkedIn account permanently, it’s important to:
- Download a copy of your LinkedIn data for your records.
- Notify connections and contacts you are leaving LinkedIn.
- Remove LinkedIn integrations with other apps or services.
- Change your primary email if it is the same one associated with your LinkedIn account.
Taking these steps allows you to retain important information and smoothly transition away from using the platform.
What to Do If You Change Your Mind
If you regret deleting your LinkedIn account shortly after doing so, there are a couple options:
- Contact LinkedIn support within 24 hours to see if they can undo the closure. But there is no guarantee.
- Create a new LinkedIn account and start rebuilding your network and profile from scratch.
The best approach is to be absolutely certain you want to permanently delete your account before going through the closure process.
Alternatives to Closing Your LinkedIn Account
Some alternatives to completely deleting your LinkedIn account include:
- Deactivating your account temporarily instead, which hides your profile.
- Restricting profile visibility and searchability.
- Removing connections en masse.
- Deleting the LinkedIn mobile app.
These options allow you to take a break from LinkedIn without necessarily permanently closing your account right away.
Conclusion
Deleting your LinkedIn account is permanent – you cannot reactivate or undo it after the fact. Be certain before taking this irreversible step. The process involves going to your account settings, selecting “Close your account”, confirming your choice, and waiting up to 24 hours. LinkedIn will remove all personal data from their systems once complete. Be sure to download your data, notify connections, remove integrations, and tie up any other loose ends beforehand. With the right preparation, you can have your LinkedIn account permanently deleted without issue.