LinkedIn is a popular social networking site used by professionals and job seekers to connect, share content, and find new opportunities. While the LinkedIn app provides a convenient way to access your feed and contacts on the go, some users prefer to avoid automatically launching the app when clicking LinkedIn links on their mobile device.
There are a few methods you can try to stop LinkedIn web pages from opening in the LinkedIn app on your iPhone or Android phone. With a few quick settings changes, you can ensure LinkedIn pages open in your preferred mobile browser instead.
Disable App Links in Your Phone’s Settings
The easiest way to prevent LinkedIn from hijacking web links is to disable App Links completely on your device. App Links allow apps to automatically open when you click associated web links. Disabling this feature for all apps will make sure pages open in your browser.
To disable App Links:
- On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Apps and toggle off App Links.
- On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Advanced > App Links and toggle it off.
With App Links disabled, clicking a LinkedIn link will stay in your browser instead of opening the app. However, this also prevents other apps from opening their content in the app from web links.
Clear Defaults for LinkedIn App
If you only want to stop the LinkedIn app from opening while allowing other apps to use links normally, you can clear the defaults for the LinkedIn app specifically.
To do this on iPhone:
- Go to Settings > LinkedIn.
- Tap Default Browser App and select Safari or another browser.
On Android:
- Go to Settings > Apps > LinkedIn.
- Tap Open by Default > Opening Links and select Ask Every Time.
Now when you click a LinkedIn link, your device will prompt you to choose which app opens it. Select your browser to view the page there.
Block Links with a Browser Extension
Another option is using a browser extension to block LinkedIn links from opening the app. Extensions like Redirector for Chrome and Safari can redirect LinkedIn links to the mobile site instead.
To set this up:
- Install the Redirector extension in Chrome or Safari on your device.
- Add a rule that matches linkedin.com/* and redirects it to www.linkedin.com.
Now LinkedIn pages should load in your browser only. The extension method won’t affect any other app links either.
Use LinkedIn’s Mobile Website
You can also manually navigate to LinkedIn’s mobile website at www.linkedin.com in your browser when accessing it on your phone. Bookmark the page for easy access.
While less convenient than clicking links, this guarantees LinkedIn will open in your browser with no redirects. You’ll miss out on some app-only features, but you can still access your feed and connections.
Conclusion
Here are the key takeaways for preventing LinkedIn from opening links in the app on your mobile device:
- Disable App Links in your device settings to stop all app link redirects.
- Clear defaults for just the LinkedIn app to stop link opening while allowing other apps.
- Use a browser extension like Redirector to send LinkedIn links to the mobile site.
- Manually navigate and bookmark LinkedIn’s mobile website for a consistent experience.
With any of these methods, you can successfully have LinkedIn web pages open directly in your preferred mobile browser. No more automatic launching of the LinkedIn app when you click links for profiles, jobs, or articles around the web.
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Disable App Links | – Stops all apps from opening – Simple global setting |
– Disables deep linking for other apps |
| Clear LinkedIn Defaults | – Only affects LinkedIn – Can keep App Links |
– Prompt each time you click a link |
| Browser Extension | – Seamless redirect – No impact on other apps |
– Requires installing extension |
| Use Mobile Website | – Guaranteed browser experience | – Inconvenient to manually navigate |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this work on both iPhone and Android?
Yes, the steps provided above can be used on both iOS and Android devices to stop LinkedIn links from opening in the app. The specific settings menus may vary slightly between operating systems, but disabling App Links, clearing defaults, using a browser extension, or manually navigating to the site will work cross-platform.
What if I only want to stop some LinkedIn links from opening in the app?
Unfortunately there is no way to selectively prevent only certain LinkedIn links from opening the app while allowing others. The options require either disabling App Links entirely, clearing defaults for LinkedIn to prompt each time, redirecting all links with an extension, or manually navigating to the site.
Will this impact LinkedIn push notifications?
No, any notifications you have enabled from LinkedIn’s app will still come through normally. These settings only affect how clicking on web links behaves regarding opening the LinkedIn app versus mobile browser.
What’s the best free browser extension for blocking LinkedIn app links?
On both iOS and Android, Redirector is one of the most popular free extensions for rerouting app links to the web. It lets you define specific rules like redirecting LinkedIn links to the mobile site. Other alternatives include Simple Redirector or Redirect to Web.
Can I undo this if I change my mind later?
Yes, you can revert any of these changes if you want LinkedIn links to open in the app again:
- Turn App Links back on in your device settings.
- Open LinkedIn settings and re-enable opening links in the app by default.
- Remove any browser extensions that redirect LinkedIn links.
As long as you don’t delete the LinkedIn app itself, you can toggle these settings on and off anytime.
Conclusion
Having LinkedIn links automatically open in the mobile app when you want to use the browser can be frustrating. Luckily, Android and iPhone provide simple controls to disable this behavior and keep your web browsing experience consistent.
Whether you turn off App Links globally, change the defaults for LinkedIn only, utilize a browser extension, or navigate manually, stopping the LinkedIn app from hijacking links is completely achievable. Give one of these methods a try and take back control of when the LinkedIn app opens on your phone.
