Having your LinkedIn account blocked can be very frustrating, as you are locked out of an important platform for networking and career opportunities. However, in most cases it is possible to recover your account by following LinkedIn’s account recovery process. Here are the key steps you need to take to get your blocked LinkedIn account back.
Understand Why Your LinkedIn Account Was Blocked
The first step is understanding why LinkedIn blocked your account in the first place. There are a few common reasons that accounts get blocked:
- Violating LinkedIn’s User Agreement – This includes things like spamming other users, scraping data, or harassing other members.
- Suspicious activity – If LinkedIn detects suspicious or fraudulent activity like fake accounts, unusual login patterns, etc. they may block the account.
- Inactive account – If you have not logged into your LinkedIn account for an extended period, LinkedIn may block it due to inactivity.
Knowing the reason your account was blocked will help you take the appropriate steps to get it unblocked. LinkedIn should send an email notifying you why the account was suspended. If not, you can likely determine the reason once you attempt to login and see the suspension message.
Appeal the Account Block
If you believe your account was blocked incorrectly or that the block was too harsh, you can appeal the block through LinkedIn’s appeal form. Here are the steps to appeal a blocked account:
- Go to the LinkedIn Help Center and search for “appeal blocked account.”
- Click on the option that says “I want to appeal the blocking of my LinkedIn account.”
- Fill out the online appeal form explaining why you believe the account block was a mistake.
- Click “Submit” and wait for a response from LinkedIn which may take up to 5 business days.
If it was indeed a mistake, LinkedIn should unblock your account after reviewing your appeal. However, if the block was legitimate due to violations of policy, the appeal will likely be rejected.
Reset Your Password
If your account was suspended due to suspicious activity or inactivity, resetting your password is often the first step to regaining access to your account. Here are the steps to reset your LinkedIn password:
- Go to LinkedIn’s password reset page. You can find this via Google search.
- Enter the email address associated with your LinkedIn account and click “Reset password.”
- Check your email inbox for a password reset email from LinkedIn and click on the link inside.
- On the LinkedIn page, enter a new password you will remember.
- Click “Change Password” to save your new password.
Resetting your password often allows you to regain access to an account blocked for suspicious activity. However, if it was blocked due to a user agreement violation, a password reset alone probably won’t work.
Verify Your Identity
For accounts blocked for suspicious activity, LinkedIn may require you to verify your identity before unblocking the account. The steps to verify identity are:
- Attempt to login after resetting your password. You may see a page requesting identity verification.
- Select your country of residence and enter your phone number.
- Choose to receive the verification code via text or automated call.
- Enter the 6-digit verification code sent to your phone.
- You may additionally need to verify your email address.
Successfully completing ID verification proves to LinkedIn that you are the legitimate account owner so they can unblock your access.
Wait Out the Suspension Period
If your account was blocked due to a serious or repeat violation of LinkedIn’s policies, you may have to wait out an account suspension period. The length of the suspension varies based on the severity of the violation.
- 1 week suspension – Minor first offense
- 1 month suspension – More serious violation
- Permanent suspension – Severe or repeated violations
There is unfortunately no way to get your account unblocked before the suspension period ends. You will simply have to wait until the suspension is over and then access your account again.
Delete Your LinkedIn Account
In some cases, you may decide it’s not worth the effort to recover your blocked LinkedIn account. Or perhaps the account was blocked permanently with no option for appeal. If so, you can request to delete your LinkedIn account entirely:
- Go to LinkedIn’s account deletion page from a web browser while logged out.
- Enter your LinkedIn email address and password when prompted.
- Click the “Delete my account” button to submit the request.
- Confirm again that you want to delete the account permanently.
Once confirmed, LinkedIn will permanently delete your account within 24 hours. All your connections, content, and data will be lost. You can then start fresh by creating a new LinkedIn account, being careful not to repeat any past violations.
Create a New LinkedIn Account
If you are unable to recover your blocked account through appeals or waiting out a suspension, creating a brand new LinkedIn account is an option. Here are some tips for starting a new account:
- Use a different email address than your blocked account.
- Do not connect with the same people or join the same groups to avoid suspicion.
- Modify your profile details to not exactly match your old account.
- Be very careful not to violate any policies or terms again.
While you will have to start rebuilding your network and connections, a new account gives you a clean slate if your previous account could not be recovered. But be very cautious – if LinkedIn detects you are evading a ban, they may block your new account as well.
Conclusion
Having your LinkedIn account blocked can definitely be a setback for your professional networking and career opportunities. Fortunately, in many cases, you can regain access to your account by appealing the block, resetting your password, verifying your identity, and waiting out any suspension period. Be sure to carefully review LinkedIn’s user policies to avoid any violations that could lead to blocks in the future. With some patience and understanding of the reasons for account blocks, you can often recover access to your valuable LinkedIn connections and presence.