LinkedIn is a popular professional networking platform used by millions of people around the world. While having a presence on LinkedIn can be beneficial for connecting with other professionals, networking, and job searching, some users may wish to limit the personal information visible on their profile.
One common concern is removing your email address from public view on LinkedIn. Here are some tips on how to remove email visibility and increase privacy settings on LinkedIn.
Why Remove Email Visibility on LinkedIn?
There are a few key reasons why you may want to remove your email address from public view on LinkedIn:
- Avoid spam messages – Displaying your email openly can lead to an increase in unsolicited emails and spam.
- Protect privacy – Removing email visibility limits the amount of personal information publicly visible.
- Control contacts – You can still share your email with connections, but won’t have it visible to all LinkedIn members.
- Maintain professionalism – Broadcasting your personal email may be seen as less professional by some.
While there are benefits to connecting with other members on LinkedIn, limiting email visibility allows you to keep better control over your inbox and privacy settings.
How to Remove Email Visibility on LinkedIn
The process to remove email visibility only takes a few simple steps. Here is how to remove your email from public view on LinkedIn:
- Access your account settings – On LinkedIn’s homepage, click on the ‘Me’ icon in the top navigation bar. Then select ‘Settings & Privacy’.
- Go to profile visibility – From the menu on the left side, choose ‘Profile visibility’.
- Edit email settings – Under the ‘Contact info’ section, click ‘Edit your public profile URL’.
- Uncheck email visibility – This will open your profile summary. Next to your email, uncheck the box labelled ‘Show email address on your public profile’.
- Save changes – Be sure to click ‘Save’ to confirm and apply this change.
After following these steps, your email address will no longer be displayed on your public LinkedIn profile. The change may take a short time to take effect across LinkedIn.
Things to Note
Here are some additional things to keep in mind when managing email visibility on LinkedIn:
- Connections can still see email – Removing public visibility does not prevent 1st-degree connections from seeing your email address.
- Recruiters may still contact – Even without an email visible, recruiters can still potentially contact you through InMail messages.
- Customize for other info – You can use the profile visibility settings to also customize visibility for your phone number, IM accounts, address, etc.
- Adjust notifications – If removing your email leads to missed messages, adjust your notification settings to be alerted of new activity.
Other LinkedIn Privacy Settings
In addition to removing your email, there are some other privacy controls available that can help limit visibility and access to your LinkedIn activity and data:
Profile Viewing Options
You can customize who is able to view your LinkedIn profile under the Profile Visibility settings:
- Your Connections – Only 1st-degree connections can view your full profile
- Anyone – Default public setting, all LinkedIn members can view profile
Limit Profile Broadcasts
Turn off notifications and updates about your connections and activity from being broadcasted in notifications and feeds.
Disable Search Engine Visibility
Opt out of allowing your public profile to appear in search engine results like Google and Bing.
Control Recommendations
Choose whether to enable your connections to provide recommendations and endorsements that display on your profile.
Should I Completely Remove My Email?
While removing your email from public view is recommended to enhance privacy, some users may consider fully removing their email from LinkedIn. Here are some pros and cons of completely removing your email:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| – Highest privacy protection | – Lose notification emails from LinkedIn |
| – Avoid unsolicited outreach | – Harder for connections to contact you |
| – Prevent email leaks/hacks | – Some recruiters may skip your profile |
Completely removing your email makes it much harder for connections or recruiters to contact you on LinkedIn. But it does maximize privacy and security. There are still profile contact options like InMail or phone number if needed.
Can I Temporarily Deactivate My LinkedIn Account?
If you want to take a break from LinkedIn or evaluate whether to keep your account, temporarily deactivating it is an option that removes your profile but preserves your data.
To deactivate your LinkedIn account:
- Go to your account settings
- Under ‘Account management’ select ‘Deactivate account’
- Choose length of deactivation: 1 week, 1 month, or indefinite
- Enter password to confirm deactivation
With deactivation:
- Your profile will not be viewable
- You will stop receiving emails and notifications
- Your connections will remain intact
- You can reactive your account at any time
Deletion as a Last Resort
Permanently deleting your LinkedIn account should be a last resort, since it is irreversible. Unlike deactivation, deleting your account removes your profile and connections for good. Consider deactivating first or removing email visibility if you want more control over privacy without fully deleting.
Steps to Delete LinkedIn Account
If you do wish to permanently delete your LinkedIn account, follow these steps:
- Go to your account settings
- Under ‘Account management’ select ‘Close account’
- Select reason for deleting account
- Re-enter your password to confirm deletion
- Select ‘Close Account’
Conclusion
Removing your email address from public view is a wise step to increase privacy and security on LinkedIn. The platform still provides value for networking and recruitment when used responsibly. But limiting personal data visibility enhances control over your profile and inbox.
In addition to hiding your email, also consider the other privacy settings LinkedIn provides. Finding the right balance for your personal preferences and professional needs is recommended. With the right settings, LinkedIn can still effectively support your career – just with more peace of mind.
