How do I privately look at someone on LinkedIn?

Many people are curious about viewing LinkedIn profiles without the other person knowing. There are a few different ways to look at someone’s profile privately on LinkedIn.

Make Sure You Are Logged Out

The easiest way to view a LinkedIn profile without the person knowing is to make sure you are logged out of your LinkedIn account. When you are logged in, LinkedIn shows who has viewed your profile recently. So if you want to look at someone’s profile privately, just log out first.

Here are the steps to log out of LinkedIn:

1. Click on the profile icon at the top right of the screen
2. Select “Sign out” from the dropdown menu

Once you are logged out, you can search for and view any profile without it showing up in their list of who viewed them. This is the simplest way to browse anonymously.

Use LinkedIn’s Private Mode

LinkedIn also offers a Private Mode that allows you to browse profiles without leaving a trace. Here is how to use Private Mode:

1. Click on the “Me” icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage
2. Select “View profile anonymously” from the dropdown menu

This will open a private browsing window where you can search for and view profiles. The people you look at will not know you viewed them in this mode. One thing to note is that you can only view a few profiles at a time before you need to enable Private Mode again.

View Profiles In An InPrivate or Incognito Window

Most web browsers give you the ability to open an inprivate or incognito browsing window where your activity is not saved. You can use this feature to browse LinkedIn anonymously.

Here are instructions for some popular browsers:

Google Chrome

1. Click on the 3 vertical dots in the top right
2. Select “New incognito window” from the menu

Safari

1. Click on “File” in the top left
2. Choose “New Private Window”

Microsoft Edge

1. Click on the 3 horizontal dots in the top right
2. Select “New InPrivate window” from the menu

Anything you view in these private browsing windows will not show up in your history or leave any trace. Use this feature to anonymously look up people’s LinkedIn profiles.

Use a Secondary Browser

Another option is to install a secondary web browser that you only use for anonymous browsing. For example, you could have Google Chrome as your regular browser, and install Firefox just for private browsing.

The benefit of this approach is that all your activity in the secondary browser is kept completely separate from your normal one. You don’t have to keep opening up inprivate windows. Just use the secondary browser anytime you want to browse anonymously.

Block LinkedIn From Seeing Your IP Address

LinkedIn can identify you by your IP address, which can be traced back to your location and internet service provider. To mask this, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) or proxy server.

A VPN routes your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel, hiding your IP address. Proxy servers work similarly, acting as an intermediary between you and the sites you visit.

Here are some options for using a VPN or proxy with LinkedIn:

• Install a VPN browser extension like Hidester or Hola
• Use a VPN service like NordVPN or ExpressVPN
• Enable a proxy server setting in your browser preferences
• Connect through a public proxy server

With your IP address hidden, you can browse LinkedIn privately without your activity being linked back to you.

Use a LinkedIn Viewer Website

There are specialized sites and apps designed specifically for viewing LinkedIn profiles anonymously. They work by proxying the requests through their own servers.

Some popular LinkedIn viewer tools include:

• ViewLinkedInProfile.com
• QuickLinkedIn.com
• LinkedIn Lookup browser extensions

To use these tools, you simply enter the LinkedIn URL or profile name you want to look up. The website fetches the profile through their servers so it won’t be tracked back to you. This can be a quick and easy way to view profiles anonymously.

Create a LinkedIn Viewer Account

You can also create a separate LinkedIn account just for viewing profiles. Don’t connect it with any of your real identification details. Use a throwaway email and don’t add connections.

With this viewer account, you can browse as many profiles as you want without cluttering up your real account’s “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” section. It also keeps your anonymous viewing separate from your real identity.

Use the Mobile App

LinkedIn’s mobile app has more limited tracking capabilities than the desktop site. Profile views on the mobile app do not show up in the “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” section.

So one simple trick is to view any profiles you want anonymously using LinkedIn’s iOS or Android app. The mobile network and device will be tracked but not tied specifically to your account.

Change Your LinkedIn Settings

You can adjust your LinkedIn settings to customize what information is available about your own profile views and anonymous browsing:

• Turn off profile viewing notifications – this stops emails when someone views your profile.
• Disable profile view tracking – stops your “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” section from updating.
• Set your visibility to “Anonymous” – limits what profile info is available to non-connections.

Adjusting these settings can help limit the visibility into who is viewing your own LinkedIn profile as well.

Conclusion

Here is a summary of the main techniques for viewing LinkedIn profiles anonymously:

The easiest options are to simply log out of LinkedIn or use a private/incognito browsing window. For full anonymity, a combination of the methods listed above is most effective.

Keep in mind that you should use these responsible and avoid violating LinkedIn’s terms of service. With the right approach, you can gain insight into other profiles without revealing your own identity.