LinkedIn is a popular social media platform used primarily for professional networking and career development. Many users sign up for Premium subscriptions to access additional features like InMail messaging, profile highlighting, and expanded search filters. However, you may wish to cancel your Premium subscription if you decide you no longer need these extra tools. Luckily, canceling your LinkedIn Premium membership is a straightforward process that can be done in just a few steps.
Should You Cancel LinkedIn Premium?
Before rushing to cancel, consider whether Premium still offers value for your professional goals on LinkedIn. Premium allows you to:
- Send InMail messages to anyone, even if they’re not in your network.
- See who viewed your profile.
- Get insights on how people find you in search.
- Apply filters to search for prospects by industry, job title, company size, and more.
- Take free LinkedIn Learning courses.
- Display badges showing your skills and credentials.
If you still use these features regularly, keeping your subscription may be worthwhile. But if you’ve noticed you rarely take advantage of Premium tools lately, canceling could save you money without really limiting your LinkedIn experience.
How to Cancel LinkedIn Premium on the Website
Canceling your LinkedIn Premium subscription is quick and easy to do from your account settings on the LinkedIn website:
- Go to www.linkedin.com and log into your account.
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner of your homepage.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
- Click “Account” in the left sidebar.
- Under “Premium Account,” click “Cancel Premium.”
- Toggle off auto-renewal for your subscription.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm cancellation.
Once you confirm cancellation, your Premium access will remain active until the end of your current billing period. For example, if you cancel halfway through your monthly subscription, you can continue using Premium tools until that month is up.
On the cancellation page, LinkedIn will try to retain you by having you fill out a survey about why you’re canceling Premium. While you can provide feedback if you wish, you can also simply click “Cancel” again to complete the cancellation without the survey.
How to Cancel LinkedIn Premium on Mobile
You can also cancel LinkedIn Premium right from the LinkedIn mobile app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device:
- Open the LinkedIn app and tap your profile picture.
- Tap “Settings.”
- Tap “Account.”
- Tap “Premium.”
- Tap “Cancel Premium.”
- Tap “Cancel Premium” again to confirm.
As on the website, you’ll have access until the end of your current billing cycle before the cancellation takes effect.
Downgrading to a Free Account
Once your Premium subscription is canceled, your account will revert to a free LinkedIn member account. Here are some key things to know about using LinkedIn with a free account:
- You’ll see “LinkedIn member” under your name instead of “Premium” badge.
- You can only send InMail messages to people in your network.
- You won’t see profile view insights anymore.
- Your search filters will be more limited.
- You can no longer take free LinkedIn Learning courses.
However, you’ll still have access to your profile, feed, groups, and network. You can still appear in search results and build connections without a Premium account.
Will Cancelling LinkedIn Premium Hurt My Account?
Rest assured that canceling Premium does not penalize or limit your main LinkedIn account in any way. You simply lose access to some Premium features. Your profile, connections, group memberships, posted content, and other core parts of your account remain intact.
Canceling does not make your account less visible in searches or have any other negative impacts. LinkedIn wants to retain Premium subscribers, but the platform does not actively penalize people for canceling.
Can I Reactivate Premium Later?
If you change your mind after canceling Premium, you can easily subscribe again anytime. Just visit your account settings and re-purchase a Premium plan.
When you restart your subscription, access to Premium tools will be restored instantly. You can also select a different Premium plan than what you had before, such as switching from monthly billing to an annual plan.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn Premium provides helpful tools for networking and career development, the subscription is optional. If you feel you’re no longer getting value from Premium features, canceling is simple and won’t hurt your core LinkedIn account. Just visit your account settings, disable auto-renewal, and confirm cancellation.
Downgrading to a free account removes access to things like InMail messaging and profile analytics. But you can still be an active LinkedIn member with a free profile. And if you ever want Premium again, you can resubscribe in just a few clicks.
Premium Feature | With Free Account |
---|---|
InMail Messages | Only to Connections |
Profile Badges | No Longer Displayed |
Search Filters | Limited Options |
Profile Views | No Insights |
Learning Courses | No Free Access |
Key Takeaways
- Cancel through Account Settings on LinkedIn’s website or mobile app.
- Premium access remains until your billing cycle ends.
- Downgrading to a free account removes some features.
- Cancelling does not penalize or limit your main profile.
- You can restart Premium anytime if wanted.
Next Steps After Cancelling
- Update profile to remove Premium badges.
- Let important connections know you no longer have InMail.
- Find free alternatives to Premium tools.
- Use Advanced Search tips to maximize free account.
- Consider other paid platforms if needed for outreach.
Cancelling Premium removes helpful but non-essential features. With some adjustments, you can still have a robust LinkedIn presence with just a free account. Focus on networking, content sharing, and search optimization using core tools available to all members.