LinkedIn has become the go-to platform for professionals to build their online presence and network with others in their industry. With over 722 million users worldwide, LinkedIn offers a wealth of opportunities for connection and career growth.
However, this high level of engagement also means that your activity and profile on LinkedIn are visible to a wide audience. So can you hide or limit what others see about your LinkedIn activity? The short answer is yes, to an extent, but hiding all of your activity on LinkedIn is not completely possible.
Types of LinkedIn Activity
Before diving into what can be hidden on LinkedIn, it’s important to understand the main types of activity that users engage in:
- Profile views – Viewing other profiles
- Searching – Using search to find people, jobs, companies, etc.
- Connections – Sending, accepting, ignoring connection requests
- Sharing and reacting to content – Liking, commenting, sharing posts and articles
- Groups – Joining, posting, and commenting in groups
- Job searching and applying – Viewing, applying to jobs
- Messaging – Sending messages and InMails
Limiting Profile Views
One of the most common LinkedIn activities is viewing other people’s profiles. However, did you know others can actually see when you’ve viewed their profile?
By default, LinkedIn shows a list of who has viewed your profile recently. Most users realize this, so profile stalking is generally discouraged LinkedIn etiquette. That said, you have options to limit profile views:
- Anonymous browsing – This paid feature allows you to view profiles anonymously without the person knowing you viewed their profile. It essentially removes you from their viewer list.
- Private mode – LinkedIn’s free private mode also hides your profile views from others’ viewer lists, but only for a single viewing session. Once you turn it off, your activity will show up again.
Enabling permanent anonymous browsing or frequently using private mode is the only way to hide your LinkedIn profile views.
Searching Privately
Similar to profile stalking, your searches on LinkedIn can expose who and what you’re looking for. For example, if you search for a certain company or person, that search will show up on your profile for others to see.
If you want to search more discreetly, there are a few options:
- Search anonymization – Like anonymous browsing, this paid feature hides search terms from your profile.
- Incognito/private mode – Again, this hides your browsing and search activity, but only temporarily per session.
- Mobile app – Searches done on the LinkedIn mobile app don’t show up on your profile.
Consider using one or combining the above options if you want to keep your LinkedIn searches more private.
Managing Your Connections
Connecting with others is central to networking on LinkedIn. However, your connections and activity around managing connections can reveal more than you may want.
Obscuring Your Connections
While you can’t hide your list of connections, you can choose to obscure it from public view:
- Adjust profile settings – Change your settings to exclude your connections from your public profile.
- Private mode – Use this to temporarily view profiles without others seeing you in their viewer list.
Being Selective With Requests
When sending connection requests, keep in mind that the recipient can see that you requested to connect. This gives them insight into who you want in your network.
You have a few options here for limiting exposure:
- Use inMail – Paying for inMail allows you to message people you’re not connected with. This avoids showing that you want to connect.
- Message first – Consider messaging someone first to establish a relationship, then request to connect later.
Also be selective about accepting connection requests. Rejecting requests is public, so only accept requests from those you truly want in your network.
Limiting Post Visibility
Posting updates, articles, and other content on LinkedIn allows you to share ideas and thought leadership. However, it also opens you up to more visibility.
Here are some ways to limit exposure from your LinkedIn posts and activity:
- Anonymous browsing – As mentioned before, this hides your post views and reactions from others.
- Limit audience – When posting, choose a limited audience like your connections rather than public.
- Remove notification – Turn off notifications about your post to prevent it from appearing in your connections’ feeds.
While you can’t post totally anonymously, you can utilize the above options to share content while reducing visibility.
Private Groups and Messaging
Participating in LinkedIn Groups and messaging allow for more private discussions than public posts. However, they aren’t completely hidden either.
Private Groups
While content you post in private Groups isn’t public, remember:
- Group members – Fellow members can still see your activity within the Group.
- Visibility settings – Check Group settings as some allow members to post anonymously.
Messaging and InMail
Messages between connections aren’t public either. However, use caution with InMail as:
- InMail history – Your InMail history could show up in anonymous browsing or private mode.
- Sendlimits – You only have a certain number of InMails per month, so use them selectively.
While more private than public posts, neither Group participation nor messaging is completely hidden from view.
Job Searching and Applications
Your job search activity can also be revealing on LinkedIn. For example:
- Saved jobs – Others can see jobs you’ve saved for later.
- Application history – Recruiters can view and track your full application history.
Some ways to limit exposure are:
- Incognito mode – Apply for jobs using private browsing to hide from your history.
- Remove jobs – Make sure to remove any saved jobs you’re no longer interested in.
- Restrict access – Change your preferences to limit what recruiters see in your activity and profile.
Use these tips to give yourself more privacy as you search and apply for opportunities.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn does offer options to increase privacy around your activity, the reality is you can never be completely hidden on such a public platform.
Some key takeaways are:
- Limit viewing activity – Use anonymous browsing or private mode.
- Search and apply privately – Turn to incognito browsing or the mobile app.
- Be selective – Carefully choose connections, post audience, and group participation.
- Adjust settings – Restrict visibility around your connections, profile, and activity.
Ultimately, think carefully about how you engage on LinkedIn. Focus on building genuine connections, posting meaningful content, and searching for opportunities aligned with your goals.
Maintain your privacy without being overly secretive. With some savvy adjustments, you can show up authentically while limiting unnecessary exposure of your LinkedIn activity.
Type of Activity | Level of Visibility | Options to Increase Privacy |
---|---|---|
Profile Views | Highly visible | Anonymous browsing, private mode |
Searching | Somewhat visible | Search anonymization, incognito mode, mobile app |
Connections | Limited visibility | Obscure connections list, use inMail, message first |
Posting | Highly visible | Anonymous browsing, limit audience, remove notifications |
Groups | Limited visibility | Use private groups, post anonymously if possible |
Messaging | Limited visibility | Use caution with InMail history and limits |
Job Searching | Highly visible | Incognito browsing, remove saved jobs, restrict access |