Quick Answer
No, someone cannot see if you viewed their LinkedIn profile if you are not logged into a LinkedIn account. LinkedIn’s tracking of profile views is based on the account that views the profile. If you are not logged into any account, LinkedIn has no way of associating the profile view with a specific user.
More Detailed Answer
LinkedIn utilizes profile view tracking to show users who has recently looked at their profile. This can be a useful feature for seeing who may be interested in connecting with you professionally on LinkedIn.
However, the tracking only works when the person viewing the profile is logged into their LinkedIn account. LinkedIn associates the profile view with the account that views it. So if you are not logged into any LinkedIn account and view someone’s profile anonymously, there is no way for LinkedIn to know who you are and track that view.
Here are some key things to understand about LinkedIn profile view tracking:
– The tracking is based on the viewer’s account, not any information about the device or browser used. So viewing in incognito or private browsing does not make a difference if you are logged into LinkedIn.
– LinkedIn states that they do not track IP addresses for these views. So there is no location or device information associated with it.
– If you view someone’s profile multiple times, LinkedIn will only show that you viewed it once. Repeated views do not get counted individually.
– You can choose to turn off your own profile view tracking in your account settings. This will disable the feature entirely for your account both ways (your views of others and others’ views of you).
– If you view someone’s profile and then later connect with them, LinkedIn will no longer show that earlier profile view to the user. Linking the accounts associates the view to your now connected account.
So in summary, without being logged into a LinkedIn account, you can browse and view profiles anonymously without anyone being notified or tracked. LinkedIn’s tracking relies 100% on the viewer being logged into their account at the time of viewing the profile.
Viewing Public Profiles vs. Private Profiles
There is a small difference when it comes to public profiles vs. private profiles.
For public profiles, you can access and view the profile fully without being logged into LinkedIn, and there will be no tracking associated with it. Public profiles on LinkedIn have open access.
For private profiles, you must be logged into LinkedIn to view the full profile. Otherwise, you will see only a limited view of their profile information. So for private profiles specifically, LinkedIn would have your account information if you view the full profile while logged in.
But the tracking still only applies when logged in. Viewing a private profile when not logged in provides no identifiable information to LinkedIn.
LinkedIn Mobile App vs Website
The above information applies both to LinkedIn’s mobile app and their desktop website. Without logging in, you can view profiles anonymously in either interface without it being tracked.
Some mobile apps will automatically log you into LinkedIn if you have previously stayed logged in on that device. So just be sure to fully log out of the mobile app before viewing anything anonymously.
As long as you are not actively logged into a LinkedIn account, LinkedIn has no way of identifying who is viewing profiles and tracking will not apply. This remains true whether you are using their website on desktop or mobile app.
How the LinkedIn Profile View Tracking Works
To understand why viewing anonymously prevents tracking, it helps to know a bit about how LinkedIn’s profile view tracking works:
– When you view someone’s profile, LinkedIn associates that view to your account. This happens automatically when you are logged in.
– LinkedIn specifically tracks this in a dataset that contains the viewer account ID and the profile ID being viewed.
– The profile’s owner can then see in their LinkedIn settings that your account viewed their profile.
– This allows profile owners to see who specifically has viewed them and potentially follow up with those viewers.
Without an active account ID logged in, there is no way for LinkedIn to tie the profile view to a specific account. The tracking relies 100% on having the viewer account ID at the time the profile is viewed.
Profile Views Tracking Table
Viewer Account ID | Profile ID Viewed | Timestamp |
---|---|---|
12345678 | 87654321 | March 1, 2023 12:15pm |
32198764 | 98732198 | February 28, 2023 3:33pm |
As you can see in this simplified example, each view is associated with the viewer account ID at the time of viewing. Without that ID, there is no way to log the profile view.
Tips for Anonymous Viewing on LinkedIn
If you want to browse LinkedIn anonymously without anyone knowing you viewed their profile, here are some tips:
– Fully log out of LinkedIn in your browser or app before viewing any profiles. Don’t just close the tab or app, make sure to click “Sign Out”.
– For private profiles, realize you will only see limited information unless logged in. But any view will be anonymous.
– Use a private or incognito browsing window to ensure no account information is cached in your session.
– Clear cookies and site data for LinkedIn in your browser settings to remove any locally stored login information.
– Use the website in anonymous mode and not the mobile app if possible, as apps sometimes auto-login accounts.
– Don’t view more than a couple profiles or you may trigger bot detection protections on the site. Slow, limited browsing is best.
As long as you follow these best practices, you can comfortably view LinkedIn profiles anonymously and avoid having that activity tracked back to your account. No one will receive notifications or know you viewed them when browsing unlogged.
Limitations of Anonymous Viewing
While anonymous viewing avoids tracking, it does have some limitations:
– You can only see public information. Private profiles are limited.
– Extended browsing may trigger security protections requiring log in. Keep sessions brief.
– You lose access to any advanced account-based features like InMail or customized feeds.
– Without an account, you have no way to subsequently connect or follow up with the profile owner.
So while useful for quick, discrete browsing, anonymous viewing prevents any actual engagement or connection building with the profiles viewed unless you then log in.
Ethics of Anonymous LinkedIn Viewing
While harmless in many cases, it’s worth noting some ethical considerations around anonymous LinkedIn viewing:
– There can be an element of deception when covertly viewing profiles. Transparency is ideal.
– Stalking or harassment via anonymous viewing is of course unethical and likely against LinkedIn terms.
– Limit anonymous browsing and focus instead on active, transparent networking for best relationship building.
– Consider how you would feel if roles were reversed and someone was anonymously watching your activity.
In general, anonymous browsing should be used selectively and ethically with discretion. While often harmless professionally, overuse or misuse can cross privacy boundaries.
Conclusion
Viewing LinkedIn profiles when not logged into an account is a completely anonymous activity with no tracking or notifications associated with it. This allows discreet browsing but limits any ability to actively connect or engage with the profiles viewed. Ethical usage keeping privacy top of mind is advisable when viewing profiles anonymously.