LinkedIn error something unexpected happened.please try again

If you receive the error message “Something unexpected happened. Please try again” on LinkedIn, it typically means there was a temporary technical issue when trying to perform an action on the platform. This error can occur for various reasons, and while frustrating, is usually resolved by trying again in a few minutes.

Common Causes of This Error Message

Here are some of the most common triggers for the “something unexpected happened” error on LinkedIn:

• Network connectivity issues – If you temporarily lose your internet connection while using LinkedIn, it may cause this error when trying to load a page or update your profile.
• Service disruption – LinkedIn occasionally experiences short service outages that can lead to this error appearing for some users.
• Heavy traffic – During times of exceptionally high traffic on LinkedIn, you may encounter this error when the servers are overloaded.
• Web browser problems – Issues with your web browser, like using an outdated version or having too many tabs open, can prevent LinkedIn from loading properly.
• Incorrect or expired access token – If the access token LinkedIn uses to verify your account expires or becomes invalid, this error may display.
• Conflicts with browser extensions – Some ad blockers, privacy extensions, or other browser add-ons are known to cause conflicts with LinkedIn.
• Spam detection – If LinkedIn’s automated spam filters mistakenly flag your activity as suspicious, it can lead to this error.
• Exceeding usage limits – Using LinkedIn excessively against their API guidelines can sometimes trigger this error message.

Troubleshooting Steps

Whenever you encounter the “something unexpected happened” error on LinkedIn, here are some troubleshooting steps to try:

1. Refresh the page – The issue is often temporary, so refreshing will load a new instance of the page.
2. Clear your browser cache – Cached data can sometimes cause issues with pages loading properly.
3. Try another web browser – Switch to a different browser like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc. to see if the problem persists.
4. Check your internet connection – Make sure you have a stable internet connection without any network interruptions.
5. Disable browser extensions – Temporarily disable any ad blockers, VPNs, or other extensions that could impact LinkedIn.
6. Update your web browser – Ensure you’re running the latest version of your preferred browser.
7. Try again later – Give it some time and try performing the action again after a few minutes or hours.
8. Use LinkedIn’s mobile app – Switch to the LinkedIn mobile app on your smartphone or tablet as an alternative.
9. Clear LinkedIn cookies – Delete any LinkedIn cookies stored by your web browser.
10. Try in private browsing – Use your browser’s private/incognito mode which won’t load any extensions or cached data.

Preventing This Error in the Future

While intermittent technical errors on LinkedIn can be hard to avoid completely, here are some tips to reduce the chances of seeing the “something unexpected happened” message again:

• Don’t overload your browser – Limit the number of LinkedIn tabs and windows you have open at once.
• Pause any uploads if you lose connectivity – If your internet cuts out, pause large file uploads to prevent failure.
• Avoid excessive API usage – Check LinkedIn’s guidelines and don’t make too many programmatic calls too quickly.
• Let LinkedIn fix reported problems – If LinkedIn acknowledges service issues, give them time to deploy corrections before retrying.
• Keep your browser and plugins updated – Out-of-date software is more prone to conflicts.
• Report bugs and problems to LinkedIn – The more users that identify errors, the quicker LinkedIn can patch them.
• Provide details if you request support – Error codes, timestamps, and steps to reproduce help LinkedIn Support diagnose problems.

What to Do If the Error Persists

If you still consistently see the “something unexpected happened” error after trying all the basic troubleshooting steps, here are some additional things you can try:

• Try accessing LinkedIn from a different device like a mobile phone or tablet.
• Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall to see if it’s blocking access.
• Change your LinkedIn password in case your account was compromised.
• Revoke and re-authorize any connected third-party apps.
• Delete and reinstall the LinkedIn mobile app.
• Contact LinkedIn Support via live chat or their help center.
• Consider switching web browsers or resetting browser settings.

Persistent issues not resolvable through troubleshooting may require intervention by LinkedIn’s engineering team if there is a larger technical problem. Contacting LinkedIn Support is recommended if the error continues to happen consistently over an extended time period.

Underlying Technical Reasons

On a technical level, the “something unexpected happened” error occurs when the LinkedIn servers encounter an exception that wasn’t handled correctly by their software. This results in a generic error message rather than a specific one. Some technical reasons this can happen include:

• Response timeout from an overloaded backend server
• Failure to retrieve data from one of LinkedIn’s databases
• Third-party service outage (like cloud infrastructure)
• LinkedIn API throwing an uncaught exception
• Error connecting to a microservice within LinkedIn’s architecture
• Bug in LinkedIn’s mobile app or website code
• Exceeding rate limits for accessing LinkedIn’s APIs
• CDN failure leading to client-side website errors

LinkedIn likely has error logs that capture the specific error traces when this occurs, helping their engineers identify and fix the root cause. Generic error handling like this prevents users from seeing raw exception details for security purposes.

Waiting vs. Taking Action

When encountering LinkedIn’s “something unexpected happened” error, your first instinct may be to just wait it out and try again later. However, actively taking steps to troubleshoot can often resolve these types of intermittent issues faster. Here are some pros and cons to consider:

Waiting Pros

• Allows time for transient problems to resolve on their own.
• Avoids spending time on troubleshooting steps that may not help.
• Temporary service issues may already be fixing themselves.

Waiting Cons

• The problem could persist indefinitely without troubleshooting.
• You don’t learn what’s causing the error to prevent it in the future.
• No feedback is provided to LinkedIn to help identify larger issues.
• You remain blocked from accessing LinkedIn’s platform fully.

Taking Action Pros

• Actively resolving transient issues gets you back online faster.
• Pinpointing the root cause prevents the error reoccurring.
• Following troubleshooting guides equips you to self-service error resolution.
• Your feedback helps LinkedIn Support identity and fix bugs.

Taking Action Cons

• Troubleshooting takes time and effort without a guaranteed fix.
• Trial and error with different approaches can be frustrating.
• You may rely on waiting when LinkedIn is already handling service issues.

Overall, attempting targeted troubleshooting steps is recommended before waiting indefinitely for LinkedIn to potentially resolve transient technical problems on their own.

Key Takeaways

• The “something unexpected happened” error on LinkedIn typically indicates a temporary technical issue.
• Common causes include network problems, service outages, high traffic, browser conflicts, and spam triggers.
• Try refreshing, switching browsers, clearing cache and cookies, and disabling extensions.
• Contact LinkedIn Support if the error persists through all troubleshooting attempts.
• Report the problem with steps to reproduce to help LinkedIn diagnose bugs.
• Proactively troubleshooting gets services back online faster than waiting.