On LinkedIn, users can add multiple email addresses to their profile. One of those email addresses can be designated as the “primary” email address. This primary email address serves an important function on LinkedIn.
What is a primary email address?
The primary email address on LinkedIn is the main email address associated with your LinkedIn account. When you first create your LinkedIn account, you are required to verify an email address. This verified email address automatically becomes your primary email address.
Some key facts about the primary email address on LinkedIn:
- You can only have one primary email address on your LinkedIn profile at a time
- Your primary email address is displayed on your public profile for other users to see
- Changing your primary email triggers a verification process – LinkedIn will send a confirmation email to the new address to verify ownership
- Your primary email is where LinkedIn will send important notifications about your account
So in summary, your primary email address is the main, verified email linked to your LinkedIn account that is displayed on your profile and used for official communications.
Why does LinkedIn need you to have a primary email?
LinkedIn designates one email address as the primary for the following reasons:
- Identity verification – Having a verified primary email helps confirm your identity and maintain security on the platform.
- Official communications – Important notifications about your account, profile changes, messages, job updates, and other services are sent to your primary email address.
- Display on profile – Your primary email is shown on your public profile so other members can contact you if needed.
- Unique identifier – Your primary email serves as a unique identifier on the LinkedIn platform and is used to manage your account.
By requiring a verified primary email, LinkedIn can maintain trust and security on the platform while also ensuring members receive timely notifications.
How to change your primary email on LinkedIn
If you need to update your primary email address on LinkedIn, it’s a simple process:
- Go to your profile settings
- Click the “Contact info” tab
- Under “Email addresses” click the “edit” icon next to your current primary address
- Select the radio button next to a different email you want to make primary
- Click “Make Primary” and confirm the change
Once you make this change, LinkedIn will send a verification email to your new primary address. Click the confirmation link in the email to verify ownership of the address.
After verification, your new primary email will be displayed in your profile and used for LinkedIn notifications.
Can you have multiple primary emails?
No, LinkedIn only allows one primary email address per account. While you can add multiple email addresses in the “Email addresses” section of your profile, only one can be designated as the primary address.
If you try to make a second email primary without removing the current one, LinkedIn will display an error message:
“You already have a primary email address. To make this your primary email address, first remove the current primary email.”
So you can only have one primary email at a time. The platform is designed that way to avoid confusion and maintain identity verification.
Should you make your business email primary?
Many LinkedIn users have both a personal and business email address associated with their profile. But which one should you make the primary address?
Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Pros of using a business email as primary:
- Displays your professional email to connect with colleagues
- Ensures important LinkedIn notifications go to your work inbox
- Indicates you actively use and control your business email
Cons of using a business email as primary:
- Could cause notifications to be missed if you don’t check frequently
- Employer may have access to the inbox
- You may lose access if you leave your company
Pros of using a personal email as primary:
- Keep LinkedIn separate from your work life
- Email will remain constant even if you leave your job
- Account security under your full control
Cons of using a personal email as primary:
- Less professional for networking purposes
- Important notifications may be missed amongst personal emails
There are good reasons for either option. Many people recommend using a personal email so you retain full account access even if your employment changes. But for active job seekers and networkers, a business email may be preferable.
What happens if you can’t access your primary email?
If you can no longer access your primary email inbox for some reason, this can create problems because it’s the main email associated with your LinkedIn account.
Here are some things that can happen if you lose access to your primary email:
- You may miss important notifications about LinkedIn messages, job opportunities, and profile changes
- You won’t be able to receive the email verification needed to login from a new device
- You cannot easily change your primary email without email verification
- Hackers could more easily compromise your account without email alerts
So it’s very important to maintain access to your primary email address. If you do lose access, contact LinkedIn customer support immediately to report the problem and explore your options. Depending on the situation, they may be able to change your primary email after verifying your identity.
Conclusion
Your primary email address is the main email associated with your LinkedIn account. It serves as your unique identifier, is displayed on your profile, and used for all official notifications.
LinkedIn requires email verification to maintain security. While you can add multiple email addresses, you can only have one designated as the primary at a time.
It’s important to choose your primary email wisely and maintain access to the inbox. If your circumstances change, you can update your primary email through your profile settings. But be aware this triggers a verification process to confirm the new address.
Key Takeaways
- The primary email on LinkedIn is the main, verified email address associated with your account.
- It is displayed on your profile and used for important notifications.
- You can only have one primary email address at a time.
- If you lose access to your primary inbox, contact LinkedIn support immediately.
- You can change your primary email in your profile settings, but email verification is required.