LinkedIn is one of the largest professional social networking sites with over 722 million users worldwide. With so many professionals using LinkedIn to connect, network, and find jobs or employees, it’s common for people to search for others on the platform.
A common question that arises is – can someone see if you’ve searched for them on LinkedIn if you aren’t logged into an account? The short answer is no. LinkedIn’s search function is private and your browsing history is not viewable to others if you are not logged into an account.
How LinkedIn Search Works
When you search for someone’s name or other keywords on LinkedIn, it will pull up profiles, jobs, content, companies, groups, schools and other information related to your search. However, this search process is private on your end.
LinkedIn does not notify other users when you search for their name or view their profile without being logged in. The only way someone can see you viewed their profile is if you are signed into a LinkedIn account when conducting searches or viewing profiles.
Some key things to understand about LinkedIn search privacy include:
- Anonymous browsing does not show up in your account’s search history or trigger notifications to others.
- You can remain completely anonymous while searching if you are not logged into an account.
- The “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” section will not show your name if you search while logged out.
- Your name and account details are not revealed to anyone you search for when browsing anonymously.
In summary, your LinkedIn search data and activity remains private if you are not logged into an account while using the platform.
What LinkedIn Profile Views Are Visible to Others
While anonymous searches are private, any views of someone’s profile conducted while logged into a LinkedIn account are visible to the profile owner.
Here is what profile views are visible to others on LinkedIn:
- When you are signed into your account and look at someone’s profile, they will see your name and headline in their “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” section.
- The profile owner can see the companies you are associated with if you have that information on your profile.
- They cannot see exactly when you viewed their profile, just that you did at some point while logged in.
- Your name will show up to them for 90 days after you view their profile and remain visible until dropping off after that period.
- You can choose to remain anonymous when viewing someone’s profile while logged in by changing your LinkedIn preferences.
It’s important to note that you will remain anonymous if you adjust your settings, even when signed into your account. Here are the steps:
- Go to your LinkedIn Settings
- Select the “Privacy” tab
- Under “Profile viewing options,” change “Your name and headline” to “Anonymous profile characteristics”
With this setting adjusted, any profiles you view will not be able to see your name or that your specific account visited them – providing you with anonymous viewing even while logged in.
Does LinkedIn Notify Someone if You Search for Them?
Searches conducted on LinkedIn while not logged into an account never notify the person being searched or show up linked to your profile. However, LinkedIn does have two features that can alert someone that you searched for them or viewed their profile:
- Profile alerts by email – Users can set up email alerts to notify them whenever someone views their profile. However, these alerts only show an anonymous viewer, not your name or account details if you search while logged out.
- “Who’s Viewed Your Updates” section – If you interact with someone’s post or update while logged in, your name will show up in this section of their Activity dashboard letting them know you viewed the update. But general searches will not trigger this notification.
In both cases, anonymous browsing without being logged in will keep your search activity private. LinkedIn emphasizes that they will not share names or account information to others when searches are conducted while not signed into an account.
Can You Appear Anonymous to Someone You Search?
Yes, you can remain completely anonymous to someone when searching their name on LinkedIn, even if you are signed into an account.
By using LinkedIn’s “Private Mode” while signed in, you can browse without others seeing your profile information. Here’s how Private Mode works:
- Turn on Private Mode in your account settings or via the dropdown menu while logged in.
- Your name and account details will not show up to anyone whose profile you view in a search.
- You will appear only as an “Anonymous LinkedIn Member” if you view someone’s profile.
- No one will know you specifically viewed their profile or searched for them.
This privacy control lets you search and browse privately. The person will not get any indication you viewed their profile or know it was your specific account searching for them.
Tips for Undetected Profile Searches on LinkedIn
Here are some tips to keep your LinkedIn searching private and anonymous:
- Conduct searches from a personal computer or device versus a work one for more privacy.
- Never search someone while signed into your account on a public computer or shared device that others can access later.
- Turn on Private Mode if you want to search anonymously while logged in to your own account.
- Manage your LinkedIn privacy settings and “Who Can See Your Activity” preferences.
- Clear cookies, browsing history, and cache from your web browser to erase your search trail.
- Avoid searching for someone repeatedly or frequently, as LinkedIn may flag this as suspicious activity.
Limiting Your LinkedIn Search Visibility
In addition to keeping your own searches private, you can also limit the visibility of your own LinkedIn profile and activity.
Here are some tips:
- Adjust your settings so your profile is not visible in search engine results.
- Turn off notifications for when your profile is viewed by others.
- Show your last name only to reduce search visibility.
- Limit visibility of your job title, employer, education, connections and other details.
- Use an anonymous profile photo like the LinkedIn silhouette icon instead of your own photo.
Using these types of privacy configurations, you can browse LinkedIn more discreetly and also reduce the amount of information visible about you to others on the platform.
Conclusion
On LinkedIn, you can maintain your privacy and remain anonymous while searching for people’s profiles and names on the platform. As long as you are not logged into a LinkedIn account, your browsing and search history will not be shown to others.
If you do want to search while signed in, enable LinkedIn’s Private Mode to browse undetected. With the right settings and precautions, you can use LinkedIn’s people search function and view profiles without notifying others or revealing your own identity.