LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that allows you to connect with colleagues, clients, partners, and more. When you connect with someone on LinkedIn, they become a 1st-degree connection in your network. Your list of connections is viewable to others by default, but you can control who sees your connections in your LinkedIn account settings. There are options to show your connections to your 1st-degree connections only, 2nd-degree connections, your network (3rd degree and beyond), as well as all LinkedIn members.
Who can see your LinkedIn connections by default?
The default setting on LinkedIn allows your 1st-degree connections to see all of your connections. When someone is connected to you directly, they can see your full list of LinkedIn connections in your profile. This allows your close network to see who you know and how you might be connected to them.
Limiting views of your LinkedIn connections
You do have options to limit the visibility of your LinkedIn connections beyond your 1st-degree connections. Here are the options:
- Your 1st-degree connections only
- Your 1st and 2nd-degree connections
- Your network (3rd degree and beyond)
- All LinkedIn members
The more restrictive the setting, the fewer people that will be able to see all of your LinkedIn connections. These settings allow you to find the right balance between showcasing your network and limiting broad visibility.
1st-degree Connections Only
This is the most restrictive setting. Only people who are directly connected to you in your 1st-degree network will be able to see your full list of connections. Others will not see any of your connections.
1st and 2nd-degree Connections
With this setting, your 1st-degree connections as well as 2nd-degree connections can see all of your LinkedIn connections in your profile. 2nd-degree connections are people connected to someone you are connected with but that you are not directly connected to.
Your Network (3rd degree and beyond)
This setting allows your entire LinkedIn network to see your connections. This includes 3rd-degree connections, who are connected to someone that is connected to people in your network, 4th-degree, 5th-degree and further.
All LinkedIn Members
This is the most open setting. It allows all LinkedIn members, regardless of whether they are connected to you or not, to see your full list of connections. This gives the most visibility to your connections.
How to change your LinkedIn connections visibility settings
Here are the steps to change who can view your LinkedIn connections:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile page
- Click on the “Me” icon in the top navigation bar and select “Settings & Privacy”
- Click on the “Privacy” tab at the top of the page
- Under the “Select who can see your connections” section, click on the dropdown menu
- Select the option you want:
- Your 1st-degree connections only
- Your 1st and 2nd-degree connections
- Your network (3rd degree and beyond)
- All LinkedIn Members
- Click the “Save” button to apply the new setting
Your connections visibility setting will be updated right away. Now only the connections levels you selected will be able to see your full list of LinkedIn connections.
Other LinkedIn privacy settings
In addition to your connections visibility, there are other privacy settings on LinkedIn to be aware of:
Profile viewing options
You can change settings for who is notified when you view their LinkedIn profile. The options are:
- Your network – People in your network are notified when you view their profile
- Everyone – All LinkedIn members are notified when you view their profile
- No one – No notifications are sent when you view profiles
Activity broadcasts
LinkedIn automatically shares when you make a new connection, celebrate a work anniversary, etc. You can limit who sees these broadcasts:
- Share with: Everyone
- Share with: Connections only
- Do not broadcast
Ad targeting preferences
You can opt out of allowing LinkedIn to use your profile data for targeted ads. This prevents your profile information and activity from being used for advertising purposes.
Search engine visibility
You can choose whether you want your public LinkedIn profile to be visible in search engine results. Options are:
- Yes
- No
Pros and cons of limiting connections visibility
Here are some pros and cons to consider when determining the best connections visibility setting:
Pros
- Increased privacy and control over your connections data
- Avoid disclosing your professional network to competitors
- Reduce unwanted connection requests
- Maintain separation between work and personal connections
Cons
- Harder for 2nd and 3rd-degree connections to request introductions through mutual connections
- Reduced ability for others to see how you may be connected
- Perception of having a less robust professional network
- May limit beneficial networking opportunities
Conclusion
Controlling the visibility of your LinkedIn connections allows you to balance the benefits of showcasing your network with limiting broad exposure. Evaluate whether the pros outweigh the cons for your specific situation. LinkedIn’s privacy settings provide flexibility – you can start restrictive and expand visibility later on if desired. Monitor your settings periodically to ensure the visibility matches your current preferences. With the right connections visibility limits in place, you can maximize the value of your LinkedIn network.
