LinkedIn is a popular social media platform used by professionals and job seekers to network and build their online presence. However, some users may wish to delete their LinkedIn account permanently for various reasons like wanting more privacy or no longer needing the platform.
Deleting your LinkedIn account is not difficult but involves a few steps. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to delete your LinkedIn account permanently.
Step 1: Back Up Your LinkedIn Data
Before deleting your LinkedIn account, it is advisable to download a copy of your LinkedIn data for your records. This includes your profile info, contacts, posts, messages etc. To download your data:
- Go to your LinkedIn account settings.
- Under the “Data privacy” tab, click on “Get a copy of your data”.
- LinkedIn will prepare an archive of your data. You will get an email notification when it is ready to download (can take up to 72 hours).
- When ready, download the zip file containing your LinkedIn data.
Having a backup of your LinkedIn data allows you to look back at your connections, messages and other info even after deleting your account.
Step 2: Delete Your LinkedIn Apps
If you have linked any third-party apps to your LinkedIn account, unlink them before deleting your account. This includes disconnecting LinkedIn from:
- Other social media accounts like Twitter or Facebook
- Email programs like Gmail or Outlook
- Calendar apps like Google Calendar or Apple Calendar
- News aggregators like Feedly
- Any other third-party services linked to your LinkedIn
Here are the steps to unlink apps from LinkedIn:
- Go to your LinkedIn account settings.
- Under “Apps”, click on “Manage apps”.
- This will show you all the apps connected to your LinkedIn account.
- Click on the “Revoke” button next to each app to unlink it.
Unlinking third-party apps ensures no issues after you delete your LinkedIn account. The apps won’t be able to access your non-existent account.
Step 3: Download Your LinkedIn Contacts
Before deleting your account, you can download your LinkedIn contacts to stay in touch with them through other means. To download contacts:
- On LinkedIn homepage, go to “My Network” > “Connections”.
- Click on the “Manage synced and imported contacts” option.
- Select all your connections and click on “Export connections”.
- LinkedIn will prepare a .CSV file with info on all your connections. Download it when ready.
This .CSV file contains details like full names, companies, locations of your connections. You can import it to your email contacts or CRM software.
Step 4: Delete LinkedIn Apps on Mobile Devices
If you have the LinkedIn mobile app installed on your smartphones or tablets, delete them before proceeding further:
- iOS devices: Go to Settings > General > iPhone/iPad Storage. Find and delete the LinkedIn app.
- Android devices: Open Settings > Apps. Select LinkedIn app. Tap Uninstall.
This ensures that the apps don’t cause any issues after your account is deleted. You can also sign out of LinkedIn on mobile browsers.
Step 5: Remove LinkedIn Profile from Google Search
Google indexes LinkedIn profiles and displays them in search results. After deleting your account, you can remove your LinkedIn profile from Google search results:
- Go to Google and search for your name enclosed in quotes like “John Doe”.
- In the results, click on the LinkedIn profile link.
- Click on the three vertical dots next to the result.
- Select “Remove result”.
This removes your LinkedIn profile from Google search. You may have to repeat this step a few times for your profile to be completely removed from Google’s index.
Step 6: Sign Out of LinkedIn
Before deleting your account, sign out of LinkedIn on all devices:
- On desktop: Click your profile icon > Sign Out
- LinkedIn mobile app: Tap your profile icon > Settings > Account > Sign Out
Signing out ensures no active sessions that can interfere with account deletion. Clear LinkedIn cookies on browsers for extra security.
Step 7: Request Account Deletion
Once you have completed the above steps, you can proceed to delete your LinkedIn account:
- Go to the LinkedIn Closure Request Page at https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/data-privacy
- Enter your account password and click “Continue”.
- On the next page, select the “I would like to request account closure” option.
- Select a reason for deleting your account from the dropdown.
- Enter your account password again to confirm account deletion.
- Click the “Close account” button.
LinkedIn will now start the account closure process. It takes around 24-48 hours for your account to be deleted.
Step 8: Wait for Account Deletion Confirmation
After requesting account deletion, wait for 1-2 days for LinkedIn to close your account. You will receive a confirmation email once it is done. Your profile and data will be permanently removed from LinkedIn.
Some things to note during the account closure process:
- You won’t be able to reactivate your closed account.
- Other users won’t be able to search or view your profile.
- Your closed account still counts towards LinkedIn’s member statistics.
- LinkedIn may take up to 30 days to completely purge all cached/backup copies of your data.
If you don’t get a confirmation within 2 days, contact LinkedIn Customer Service to inquire about it.
Step 9: Clear LinkedIn Data from Browsers
Finally, clear leftover LinkedIn data from your web browsers like cookies, cache, history:
- Chrome: Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data
- Firefox: History > Clear Recent History
- Safari: Develop > Empty Caches
This removes any traces of your LinkedIn account from browsers and completes the account deletion process.
Conclusion
Deleting your LinkedIn account permanently requires preparing backup of your data, unlinking apps, removing your profile from search engines, and requesting account closure from LinkedIn. Wait for LinkedIn to confirm deletion before taking any further steps. Manage your professional connections outside of LinkedIn to stay in touch.
Here is a summary of the steps to delete your LinkedIn account:
- Back up your LinkedIn data
- Unlink third-party apps
- Download your contacts
- Delete LinkedIn mobile apps
- Remove profile from Google search
- Sign out of LinkedIn
- Request account deletion
- Wait for confirmation
- Clear LinkedIn data from browsers
With this, you can successfully delete your LinkedIn account permanently. Think through your decision before deleting your account as reactivation is not possible. There are usually better alternatives like temporarily deactivating your account if you wish to take a break from LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is an important platform for networking and job search for many professionals. If you wish to delete your account, be absolutely sure before proceeding. Handle the process carefully to avoid any issues down the road.
The above guide covers how to delete your LinkedIn account step-by-step in a safe and secure manner. Let us know if you have any other queries regarding LinkedIn account deletion that we can help address!
Here are some frequently asked questions about deleting LinkedIn accounts:
Can I temporarily deactivate my LinkedIn account?
Yes, LinkedIn allows temporarily deactivating your account if you wish to take a break or create a new account. This is preferable to permanent deletion for many users. To deactivate:
- Go to your LinkedIn account settings.
- Under “Account”, select “Deactivate your account”.
- Choose a reason for deactivating your account.
- Click on “Deactivate”.
Your profile won’t be visible to others during deactivation. You can easily reactivate your account anytime.
What happens when I delete my LinkedIn account?
Here’s what happens when you delete a LinkedIn account:
- Your profile, data, and connections are permanently deleted.
- You lose access to LinkedIn network of professionals.
- Others can’t search for or view your profile.
- You can no longer reactivate or use the same account.
- Your closed account still counts towards LinkedIn’s user statistics.
Can I revive my closed LinkedIn account?
No, LinkedIn does not allow reactivating closed accounts. Account deletion is permanent. You will have to create a new account losing your old connections and profile.
What happens to my LinkedIn contacts when I delete my account?
Your LinkedIn connections remain unaffected when you delete your account. You disappear from their connections list. Backing up your contacts before deleting account allows you to stay in touch outside LinkedIn.
Can someone else see my LinkedIn profile after I delete my account?
No, other users will not be able to search for or view your LinkedIn profile once your account is deleted. Your profile and network activity will no longer be public.
Is it possible to delete LinkedIn account without logging in?
No, you must be logged into your LinkedIn account to be able to request account deletion. This prevents unauthorized account deletion.
Does deleting LinkedIn remove me from Google search results?
No, you must manually request removal from Google to delete cached copies of your LinkedIn profile from search results after account deletion.
Summary Table of Steps to Delete LinkedIn Account
Step | Description |
---|---|
1 | Back up LinkedIn data like profile, contacts, posts. |
2 | Unlink third-party apps connected to your account. |
3 | Download your LinkedIn connections list. |
4 | Delete LinkedIn mobile apps from your devices. |
5 | Remove your LinkedIn profile from Google search results. |
6 | Sign out of LinkedIn on all devices. |
7 | Request LinkedIn to delete your account permanently. |
8 | Wait for account deletion confirmation from LinkedIn. |
9 | Clear LinkedIn data like cookies, cache from browsers. |
Follow these steps carefully to delete your LinkedIn account successfully. Let us know if you have any other questions!