Taking a break from LinkedIn can be a smart move in certain situations. Temporarily deactivating your account allows you to step away without permanently closing your profile. Here’s what you need to know about putting your LinkedIn presence on hold.
When to Consider Temporarily Deactivating LinkedIn
There are a few common reasons people choose to temporarily deactivate their LinkedIn accounts:
- You’re between jobs and want to avoid incoming recruitment messages
- You need to take a mental health break from social media
- You’re going on parental leave or a long vacation
- You want to evaluate if LinkedIn is worthwhile for you
Essentially, if you need a break from the demands of maintaining your LinkedIn presence, temporarily deactivating can give you the breathing room you want. Unlike fully deleting your account, it’s easy to reactivate it later.
How to Temporarily Deactivate Your LinkedIn Account
Deactivating your LinkedIn account is simple. Here are the steps:
- Click on the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- From the dropdown menu, select Settings & Privacy.
- On the Settings & Privacy page, click Account in the left sidebar.
- Under the Account Management section, click on Deactivate your account.
- On the Deactivate Your Account page, select the reason you are deactivating from the dropdown menu.
- Enter your account password to confirm you want to deactivate.
- Click the Deactivate button.
After clicking deactivate, your profile will no longer be viewable to other LinkedIn members. You’ll have to log back in and reactivate to start using LinkedIn again.
What Happens When You Deactivate Your LinkedIn
Here’s what you need to know about how deactivating affects your LinkedIn presence:
- Your profile will not appear in LinkedIn search results.
- You will stop receiving messages, notifications, and emails from LinkedIn.
- You can’t make or receive LinkedIn connection requests.
- Your connections will remain intact, but profiles linking to you will show your name only.
- Your employment history on your profile will remain visible to your connections.
- You won’t lose access to messages you’ve previously exchanged with connections.
- LinkedIn Learning courses you’re taking will be paused.
Essentially, deactivation removes you from many of LinkedIn’s social features temporarily while preserving your network and account data.
How Long Does Deactivating Last?
When you deactivate your account, you can choose to do so for one month, three months, six months, or indefinitely. Here is an overview:
| Deactivation Duration | What Happens |
|---|---|
| One month | Your account will automatically reactivate after one month |
| Three months | Your account will automatically reactivate after three months |
| Six months | Your account will automatically reactivate after six months |
| Indefinitely | Your account will remain deactivated until you manually reactivate |
Choosing a limited time period like one month can be handy if you just need a short break from LinkedIn. The indefinite option gives you the flexibility to reactivate on your own timeline.
How Do I Reactivate My LinkedIn Account?
If you opted for a limited deactivation period, your account will automatically reactivate once it expires.
If you chose indefinite deactivation, follow these steps when you’re ready to reactivate your account:
- Go to LinkedIn.com and click Sign in.
- Enter your email address and password when prompted.
- You will receive an email from LinkedIn confirming the reactivation.
- Once you confirm your email, your account will immediately be reactivated.
It typically only takes a few minutes to restore full access to your account after reactivating.
Best Practices for Reactivating
Here are some tips to make the most of the process when the time comes to reactivate your LinkedIn:
- Update your profile – Refresh your work history, education, skills and any other outdated sections.
- Engage your network – Proactively message key connections to restart relationships.
- Review notifications – Scan notifications for important messages from your inactive period.
- Review privacy settings – Double check settings and account security measures.
Investing a little time when you reactivate helps get your profile and network back up to speed.
Can I Permanently Delete My LinkedIn Account?
If your break from LinkedIn turns into a long-term departure, you also have the option to permanently delete your account. Some key things to know:
- Account deletion is irreversible. All profile data and connections will be permanently erased.
- To request deletion, go to your Account Settings and click “Delete your account” at the very bottom.
- It can take up to 90 days for LinkedIn to fully delete everything after requested.
Unlike deactivation, deletion means your presence on LinkedIn will be erased for good. So it’s smarter to deactivate first if you think you may ever want to return.
Conclusion
Temporarily deactivating your LinkedIn account can provide a useful break when needed without fully disconnecting from your network. Just be sure to plan ahead before reactivating to pick up where you left off. With the right approach, you can hit pause on LinkedIn and resume activity seamlessly when the time is right.
