If you notice that your LinkedIn profile is showing up as just a “LinkedIn member” instead of displaying your name and photo, there are a few potential reasons why this could be happening.
You Changed Your Profile Settings
The most common reason your profile may display as a generic “LinkedIn member” is because you have adjusted your profile visibility settings. LinkedIn gives you control over how much of your profile is visible to other members.
To check your profile visibility settings:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile
- Click on the “Me” icon in the top navigation bar
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu
- Choose “Profile visibility”
Here you can configure your profile visibility. The options include:
- Public: Your photo and name are visible to anyone on LinkedIn
- Connections only: Only your 1st-degree connections can see your photo and name
- Private: You are displayed as a generic “LinkedIn member” to anyone not connected to you
If you have your profile visibility set to “Private”, this will make your profile anonymous so it shows up as just a “LinkedIn member”. To display your name and photo again, simply update the setting to “Public” or “Connections only”.
You Restricted Profile Views
Along with visibility settings, LinkedIn also gives you options to control who can view your full profile. This is configured separately from your profile visibility.
To check your profile viewing options:
- Go to your profile and click the “Me” icon
- Select “Settings & Privacy”
- Choose “Profile viewing options”
Here you can choose whether you want your full profile visible to:
- Everyone: Anyone on LinkedIn can view your full profile
- Connections only: Only your connections can see your full profile
- Connections of connections: Connections and connections of your connections can view your full profile
- Only you: Your full profile is hidden from everyone
If you’ve limited your full profile visibility to “Only you”, this will also cause your profile to show up as just a generic “LinkedIn member”. To display your name and photo again, update the setting to allow at least some members to view your full profile.
You Changed Who Can Follow You
LinkedIn also gives you control over who is allowed to follow you on the platform. If you’ve adjusted these settings to be more restrictive, it could also result in your profile showing as a “LinkedIn member”.
To view your profile following options:
- Go to your profile and click the “Me” icon
- Choose “Settings & Privacy”
- Select “Profile viewing options”
Under “Your connections and followers” you can configure:
- Your connections: Who can request to connect with you
- Followers: Who can follow you without being connected
If you have adjusted these settings to limit followers, your profile visibility may be impacted. Consider updating the options to allow at least 2nd-degree connections or Group members to follow you.
You Restricted Search Engine Visibility
You can also control whether search engines like Google index and display your LinkedIn profile in results. If you’ve chosen not to be included in search engine results, this could make your profile show up as just a “LinkedIn member”.
To check your search engine visibility setting:
- Go to your profile and click the “Me” icon
- Select “Settings & Privacy”
- Choose “Profile viewing options”
Under “Profile visibility off LinkedIn” you can toggle your search engine presence on or off. If you have disabled search engine visibility, toggle this back on to display your name and photo again.
You Were Restricted or Banned
In some cases, LinkedIn may restrict account visibility or ban a user for violations of their policies. If your account has been restricted, you will be displayed as a generic “LinkedIn member” rather than your full profile.
Some reasons your account may be restricted include:
- Sharing prohibited content
- Spreading misinformation
- Abusing LinkedIn’s services
- Violating LinkedIn’s terms of service
If you believe your account has been incorrectly suspended, you will need to appeal directly to LinkedIn to have the restrictions removed. This will allow your profile to display normally again.
You Deleted Profile Sections
If you’ve removed key profile sections like your name, headline, location, about summary, etc., this can sometimes cause your profile to show up as just a “LinkedIn member”.
Try adding back some core profile details like:
- Your name
- A profile photo
- A headline
- Your location
- An “About” summary
- Your experience
- Your education
Populating these main profile sections again may help your name and photo display appropriately.
There’s a Technical Problem
In some rare cases, there may simply be a technical glitch preventing your profile from displaying properly. Some issues that could cause this include:
- A bug in LinkedIn’s systems
- An error with your account’s settings
- A problem with your browser or device
If there doesn’t seem to be any settings causing the problem, try the following troubleshooting steps:
- Clear your browser cache and cookies
- Try viewing your profile in a different web browser
- Log out of LinkedIn and log back in
- Use LinkedIn’s “Help” option to report the problem
Most display issues due to technical glitches will resolve on their own or with a quick refresh. But if the problem persists, contact LinkedIn support for help.
Conclusion
Having your LinkedIn profile display simply as a “LinkedIn member” instead of your name and photo can negatively impact your professional networking and visibility. But in most cases, the issue can be easily fixed by adjusting your account’s privacy, visibility and search engine settings.
Be sure to keep your profile visibility public and your key details populated. If restrictions have been placed on your account, you will need to appeal to LinkedIn directly. With the right tweaks, you can get your full name and photo displaying properly again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my profile photo disappear?
If your profile photo is gone, it’s likely because your overall account visibility settings have been restricted. Check your profile visibility, viewing options, and search engine settings to make sure your profile is still public.
Why can’t someone see my LinkedIn profile?
If another user is reporting they can’t see your profile, you may have limited your profile visibility or viewing options. Ensure your settings allow connections, 2nd-degree connections or public viewing.
How do I change my name on LinkedIn?
To edit your name on LinkedIn, go to your profile and click the “Me” icon > Settings & Privacy > Profile. Here you can update your first, last and maiden names.
How long does it take for LinkedIn profile changes to update?
Most LinkedIn profile changes should update instantly. However, it can sometimes take up to 24 hours for edits to your settings or visibility to take effect across the platform.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Visibility settings changed | Update profile visibility to public/connections |
| Viewing options restricted | Allow connections to view full profile |
| Followers disallowed | Allow your connections to follow you |
| Search engine indexing disabled | Enable search engine visibility |
| Account restricted or banned | Appeal account restriction through LinkedIn Help |
| Profile details removed | Add name, photo, headline, etc. to profile |
| Technical issue | Clear cache, use different browser, contact support |
Key Takeaways
- Double check your LinkedIn visibility, viewing and followers settings
- Make sure search engines can index your public profile
- If your account was restricted, you’ll need to appeal to LinkedIn
- Populate all of the core sections of your profile
- Technical issues may require troubleshooting or contacting support
With the right profile configurations, you can ensure your name and photo are displayed prominently on your LinkedIn profile. Maintain public visibility to take full advantage of LinkedIn for networking and career growth.
