Staying logged in on LinkedIn can be useful to avoid having to repeatedly enter your login credentials. However, there are also security and privacy reasons why you may want to log out. This article will explain the pros and cons of staying logged in and walk through the steps to enable the “keep me signed in” option on LinkedIn.
Should You Stay Logged In on LinkedIn?
Here are some potential benefits to staying logged in to LinkedIn:
- Convenience – You don’t have to repeatedly enter your username and password when accessing LinkedIn from the same device.
- Faster access – Staying logged in allows you to immediately access your LinkedIn profile and all of its features without having to log in each time.
- Better user experience – Logging in repeatedly can be frustrating and distracting. Staying logged in provides a smoother, uninterrupted experience.
However, there are also some security and privacy risks to weigh:
- Account hijacking – If someone else accesses your device, they could potentially access your LinkedIn account without having to log in.
- Accidental access – If you stay logged into LinkedIn on a public or shared device, others may be able to access your account.
- Privacy concerns – Staying logged in gives LinkedIn constant access to your account behavior and data for advertising targeting and other purposes.
Overall, it’s a personal decision whether convenience outweighs potential risks. You may choose to stay logged in on personal devices but log out on public computers.
How to Stay Logged In on LinkedIn
To stay logged into your LinkedIn account:
- Log into LinkedIn from the web browser on your device.
- In the top right corner, click on your profile picture.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
- On the left sidebar menu, choose “Privacy”.
- Under “How LinkedIn uses your data”, toggle on “Keep me signed in”.
- You will be prompted to re-enter your password. Enter your password and click Sign in.
LinkedIn will now keep you signed in on that browser until you manually sign out. The next time you open LinkedIn, you will be automatically logged in.
Setting Your LinkedIn Sign Out Preferences
In your LinkedIn Privacy settings, you can also configure:
- Idle sign out – LinkedIn will sign you out after a period of inactivity. You can choose the length of time before idle timeout.
- Sign out of all sessions – This signs you out of LinkedIn on all browsers and devices you are currently logged into.
Enabling these options can add additional security if you choose to stay logged into LinkedIn. The idle timeout limits the window for potential account access if you leave your computer unattended. Signing out everywhere allows you to easily revoke access if needed.
Using LinkedIn on Mobile Devices
The LinkedIn mobile app also gives you the option to stay logged in:
- Open the LinkedIn app and log in using your username and password.
- Tap on your profile picture in the top left.
- Go to Settings > Privacy.
- Toggle on “Keep me signed in”.
This will keep you logged into the LinkedIn app on your mobile device. Keep in mind the same security risks if your phone is lost, stolen, or accessed by others.
Third-Party App Access
You may also see a “Keep me signed in” checkbox when granting LinkedIn access in third-party apps or websites. This allows that app to silently authenticate you into LinkedIn without prompting you to log in each time.
Only check this box if you fully trust the third-party with permanent access to your LinkedIn account from their platform. Otherwise, uncheck it so you can explicitly approve each LinkedIn login attempt.
Is the “Keep Me Signed In” Cookie Secure?
When you enable the “Keep me signed in” option, LinkedIn sets an authentication cookie in your browser containing an encrypted token to recognize your account. This allows you to stay logged in without having to re-enter your password each time.
LinkedIn states that this persistent cookie is encrypted and can only be used to identify your account when accessing LinkedIn from that browser. It does not contain your actual LinkedIn password. However, there are a few key points about security:
- The cookie could be used by someone with physical access to your device to access your LinkedIn account without your password.
- The cookie may persist even after explicitly signing out of LinkedIn and could auto-login again from that browser.
- If used on a shared computer, others may be able to access your account via the saved cookie.
- The encryption of the token prevents your account ID from being easily obtained, but security experts caution against overreliance on cookies for authentication.
While relatively low risk, you should be aware that a persistent login cookie introduces some security tradeoffs. Use device locking, idle timeouts, and periodic full logouts to help keep your account secure.
Disabling LinkedIn Persistent Login
If you want to disable the persistent login and require entering your password each time:
- Go to the LinkedIn Privacy settings.
- Uncheck the “Keep me signed in” option.
- Optionally check “Idle sign out” and set an appropriate timeout window.
- Sign out of LinkedIn on all devices.
- Clear cookies for LinkedIn.com to remove the login token.
You will now need to provide your username and password on each LinkedIn login. While less convenient, this provides maximum security and forces verification of your identity every time.
Using a Password Manager
A password manager can offer a good middle ground if you need frequent LinkedIn logins. It allows you to securely store your LinkedIn credentials while still requiring active authentication via the password manager app or browser extension.
Some popular options include LastPass, 1Password, and Dashlane. The password manager can automatically fill in your credentials so login is seamless without the need for a persistent cookie. This achieves convenience without sacrificing security.
Conclusion
Staying permanently signed into LinkedIn can offer convenience but also poses potential account risks. Evaluate whether ease-of-use outweighs security concerns for your personal situation. Use settings like idle timeouts and periodic full logouts to achieve the right balance. A password manager can also conveniently automate logins without persisting your actual credentials. Carefully consider the tradeoffs to make the best choice for your LinkedIn account.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Convenience of not repeatedly logging in | Risk of account access by others if device is compromised |
Faster access to your LinkedIn account | Persistent login may remain even after signing out |
Smoother user experience | Privacy implications of constant account access for LinkedIn |
Related Questions
- Is it OK to stay logged into LinkedIn?
- What happens if I stay logged into LinkedIn?
- Can someone else access my LinkedIn if I stay logged in?
- How do I logout of LinkedIn on all devices?