LinkedIn’s “Remember me” option allows users to stay logged into their LinkedIn account on a particular device without having to repeatedly enter their username and password. This can make it more convenient to access LinkedIn quickly, but also poses potential security risks if others gain access to that device. Understanding how the “Remember me” feature works and its advantages and disadvantages can help LinkedIn users make an informed decision about whether to enable it.
How Does the Remember Me Function Work?
When you first log into your LinkedIn account on a device, you’ll see a checkbox next to “Remember me” on the sign in page. Checking this box stores your LinkedIn login credentials, either as a cookie in your browser or through your device settings.
The next time you visit LinkedIn from that same device and browser, you’ll be automatically logged in using those stored credentials instead of having to enter your username and password again. This persists either until you manually log out of LinkedIn, clear your cookies/data, or until the “Remember me” cookie expires after a set number of days.
Browser Cookies
If you enable “Remember me” while logged into LinkedIn through a web browser on your computer or mobile device, LinkedIn will create an HTTP cookie containing your login credentials. This cookie will be stored in your browser’s local data and resent back to LinkedIn on subsequent visits, automatically signing you in.
The “Remember me” browsing cookie is temporary and will eventually expire after a set number of days determined by LinkedIn (usually around 30 days). Once it expires, you’ll need to manually log in again. You can also manually delete the cookie to immediately remove the “Remember me” functionality.
Device Settings
On mobile devices and tablets, the LinkedIn app can store your login credentials through the device’s local settings rather than in a browser cookie. On iOS, this uses the iOS Keychain, while Android apps can use shared preferences or the Account Manager.
Your LinkedIn app will then check these settings on launch and automatically log you in if credentials are found. The credentials persist until removed either by logging out of the app, reinstalling it, or clearing the app’s stored data.
Advantages of Using Remember Me
Enabling the “Remember me” function on LinkedIn provides some potential benefits:
Convenience
The main advantage of “Remember me” is convenience. By storing your login details, LinkedIn automatically signs you in whenever you return to the site or app. This spares you from having to repeatedly type in your username and password.
For those who access LinkedIn frequently, this can significantly speed up the process of loading your LinkedIn homepage and feed. You can click on the LinkedIn app icon or web link and be viewing your account immediately instead of dealing with the login screen each time.
Fewer Password Typos
Since you aren’t manually entering your password as often, choosing “Remember me” can also reduce the chance of typos or errors when signing in. This prevents failed login attempts that would otherwise delay accessing your account.
Works Across Devices
If you remain logged into LinkedIn across multiple devices like your phone, tablet, and computer, selecting “Remember me” maintains access on each without having to sign in separately on every device. Your credentials synchronize across the devices.
Disadvantages of Remember Me
However, there are also some downsides to enabling LinkedIn’s “Remember me” function:
Shared Devices
If you use “Remember me” on a shared or public device, anyone else with access can also get into your LinkedIn account without needing your password. For instance, if you stay logged into LinkedIn on a shared family computer, other household members could then access your account.
Signing Out Requires Extra Steps
It typically takes a few extra clicks to fully sign out of LinkedIn with “Remember me” enabled. You’ll usually need to go into account settings, browser settings, or clear cookies/data to manually logout instead of just closing the tab or app. This is because closing LinkedIn normally won’t clear the stored login credentials.
Persistence Allows Snooping
Because “Remember me” keeps you continuously signed into LinkedIn, anyone who gets ahold of your device can view your LinkedIn activity and snoop through your account without barriers. Wiping the device or manually logging out frequently are the only ways to prevent this.
Credential Theft Risks
The storage of your full LinkedIn username and password for “Remember me” introduces some risk of credential theft through hacking, malware, or device theft. If someone can extract the stored credentials, they gain persistent access to your account unless you change the password.
Difficult to Revoke Access
Other than fully resetting the device or clearing app data, there isn’t an easy way to immediately revoke the persistent access granted through “Remember me” across all linked devices. It takes more effort to force log out all sessions than just deleting a single browser cookie.
When to Use Remember Me
Based on those advantages and disadvantages, here are some recommendations on when you should or shouldn’t enable LinkedIn’s “Remember me” option:
Private Personal Devices
Using “Remember me” is generally fine on your own private smartphone, laptop, or other device that only you use. This allows convenience without much risk.
Login Frequency
If you log into LinkedIn very frequently – multiple times per day – “Remember me” can save you a lot of tedious repeated logins. Just be sure to fully log out when done.
Secure Connections
Only use “Remember me” on secure private internet connections you trust. Public Wi-Fi networks can allow criminals to intercept stored credentials.
Avoid Shared Devices
Never enable “Remember me” on any shared computers, mobile devices, or tablets used by friends, family, coworkers, etc. This creates an authentication bypass.
Use Caution on Compromised Devices
If your device has ever been compromised by malware, unauthorized access, or theft, don’t risk storing your LinkedIn credentials on it even with “Remember me.”
How to Manage Remember Me
If you want to turn “Remember me” on or off for your LinkedIn account, here is how to manage the setting:
Enable Remember Me
When logging into LinkedIn via the mobile app or through a web browser, simply check the box next to “Remember me” on the sign in page. This will enable the feature and store your credentials going forward.
Disable Remember Me
To disable the feature, return to the LinkedIn login page and ensure the “Remember me” checkbox is unchecked before signing in. This will prevent storage of your credentials after that login.
You’ll also want to take extra steps to actively revoke any existing credentials already stored from past “Remember me” use:
– Log out of LinkedIn on all devices
– Delete LinkedIn cookies and site data in your browsers
– Sign out or delete account data in the LinkedIn mobile app
Change Passwords
Consider changing your main LinkedIn password if you’ve previously used “Remember me” but no longer want that persistent account access enabled across devices. This will invalidate any stored credentials.
Use Account Settings
In LinkedIn’s account security settings, you can see and manage devices that are logged into your account. From here, you can sign out of specific sessions to terminate “Remember me” access on individual devices.
Best Practices for Remember Me
To use LinkedIn’s “Remember me” function more safely and securely, keep these tips in mind:
– Only enable it on your personal devices, not shared ones
– Use complex and unique passwords for LinkedIn accounts
– Avoid using “Remember me” on insecure public Wi-Fi networks
– Periodically sign out completely and change passwords
– Leverage LinkedIn’s account security tools to control access
– Never enable it on devices that you think have been compromised
The Convenience vs. Security Tradeoff
Like many features that provide convenience and persistence, LinkedIn’s “Remember me” function represents a tradeoff between:
Convenience
– Fewer login prompts
– Faster access to your account
– Usability across multiple devices
Security
– Increased credential theft risks
– No automatic logout when you close session
– Access persists even after password changes
– Shared device usage risks
Ultimately it comes down to your personal privacy preferences and risk tolerance. Use “Remember me” sparingly with caution, and rely instead on signing in manually by default for most secure practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LinkedIn’s “Remember me” work across all my devices?
Yes, LinkedIn will keep you logged into your account across any compatible devices like desktop computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets. The “Remember me” functionality syncs across browsers and apps on all devices you enable it on.
Can someone else get into my LinkedIn if I use “Remember me”?
Possibly, if someone else uses a device you’ve enabled “Remember me” on, they may be able to access your LinkedIn without needing your password. Don’t enable it on any shared computers or mobile devices.
Is “Remember me” secure on public Wi-Fi networks?
No, it’s risky to use “Remember me” on public Wi-Fi. Hackers can intercept your stored LinkedIn credentials if they are repeatedly transmitted over an unsecured wireless network. Only enable it on private networks.
Does LinkedIn’s “Remember me” work on multiple browsers?
Yes, if you remain logged into LinkedIn across different web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc. the “Remember me” function will persist your credentials across all of them.
Can I get logged out of LinkedIn immediately after using “Remember me”?
Not instantly with just the click of a button. You’ll need to manually delete your cookies and site data from browsers, uninstall the mobile app, or change your LinkedIn password to fully revoke the persistent access.
Conclusion
LinkedIn’s “Remember me” feature allows users to stay logged into their accounts across sessions and devices without repeatedly inputting their password. While this can provide greater convenience, it also poses potential security risks if credential theft or unauthorized access occurs. Using the feature judiciously only on private personal devices and with unique strong passwords can help maximize benefits while minimizing risks. With proper management and precautions, “Remember me” can be a useful timesaver for frequent LinkedIn users.
