There are a few reasons why you might want to view someone’s LinkedIn profile without them knowing:
- You’re doing market research on a competitor and don’t want them to know you’re snooping.
- You’re interested in a new job opportunity but don’t want your current employer finding out.
- You want to learn more about someone you just met socially without seeming like a stalker.
- You’re curious about an old colleague or classmate but don’t necessarily want to reach out.
Whatever your reasons, LinkedIn does have some options to help you fly under the radar. Here’s an overview of how LinkedIn notification settings work and a few tips for viewing profiles anonymously.
How LinkedIn Notifications Work
When you view someone’s profile on LinkedIn, they have the option to receive automated notifications informing them about it. There are two main notification settings the user can configure:
Profile View Notifications: The user receives real-time alerts when someone views their profile. This applies to both Premium and free accounts.
Anonymous Profile View Notifications: The user receives a weekly recap with the number of people who viewed their profile anonymously that week. This is only available to Premium account holders.
So if you view a profile and the user has turned off both notification options, they won’t get any indication you were there. However, it’s impossible to know ahead of time what settings someone has configured.
Tips for Anonymous Viewing
Here are some methods you can use to try and view someone’s profile more discretely:
1. Use private browsing mode
Most major browsers have a private or incognito browsing mode that doesn’t save your browsing history or cookies. Opening a LinkedIn profile in a private window prevents LinkedIn from tracking your account activity. However, the user could still potentially get an anonymous viewer notification if they have that turned on.
2. View profiles when least active
Try viewing the profile very early in the morning or late at night when the user is less likely to be logged into LinkedIn. This decreases the chances of them getting a real-time notification.
3. Use a secondary account
Create another LinkedIn account just for discreet browsing. The user will have no way of tying it back to you. Just don’t connect with anyone on that account or use an identifiable photo that could give you away.
4. Block the user afterward
You can block the user after viewing their profile. This prevents them from being able to see your name or activity if they try looking at stalkers or recent profile viewers.
5. Upgrade to Premium
Premium accounts allow you to turn on anonymous browsing mode while viewing profiles. The user will only see an anonymous viewer in their recap rather than being able to identify you.
Other Gray Area Approaches
Some other slightly shady ways to check out a profile include:
- Viewing while not logged in – User won’t be able to identify you but will see an anonymous viewer.
- Using a mutual connection’s account – This is risky and probably against their terms, but they have no way of knowing it was you.
- Creating a fake account – Also goes against LinkedIn’s rules, but blocks them from tying the viewing back to the real you.
In general, anything that prevents the user from tying the profile view back to your actual account will allow you to fly under the radar. But some methods are riskier than others when it comes to violating LinkedIn’s policies.
When Anonymous Viewing Crosses a Line
While there are legitimate reasons for viewing someone’s profile anonymously, you also need to consider the ethics of your behavior. If you are viewing someone’s profile excessively, keeping tabs on an ex, or using information from their profile in inappropriate ways, you may be crossing ethical lines:
- Excessive viewing of a person’s profile could be considered stalking or harassment in some cases.
- Repeatedly viewing an ex’s profile after a breakup could be unhealthy for both parties.
- Accessing someone’s work history or contacts to use in unethical ways is not appropriate.
Always consider your motivations before snooping. If your viewing behavior is obsessive or makes the other person uncomfortable, it’s best to stop.
When to Reach Out Instead
In many cases, the better option is to directly connect with someone rather than lurking anonymously. Some examples include:
- If you share common connections, ask your contact for an introduction.
- If you’d like to learn from someone’s career path, send them a polite message complimenting their background.
- If you think you could collaborate on a project, transparently explain your ideas.
- If an old friend inspires you to reconnect, send them a friendly hello.
Direct communication builds better relationships than lurking from the shadows. Be transparent about your intent whenever appropriate.
Conclusion
Viewing LinkedIn profiles anonymously can be a useful tool for research, intelligence gathering and harmless curiosity in moderation. But beware of crossing ethical lines or violating LinkedIn’s terms of use. Whenever possible, default to open communication rather than hiding your identity and motivations. With the right approach, you can quietly gain some valuable intel.
Notification Type | Available To | User Receives |
---|---|---|
Profile View Notifications | Free and Premium Accounts | Real-time alert when someone views their profile |
Anonymous Profile View Notifications | Premium Accounts Only | Weekly summary of anonymous profile views |
Approach | Pros | Cons |
---|---|---|
Private browsing mode | No browsing history tracked | User could still get an anonymous notification |
Viewing during off hours | Less likely to trigger a real-time notice | Not foolproof if user gets email alerts |
Using a secondary account | No way to tie viewing to your real identity | Maintenance of extra account is inconvenient |
Blocking the user after | User can’t see your profile or stalkers list | Doesn’t prevent initial notification |
Premium anonymous browsing | User only sees you as an anonymous viewer | Need to pay for Premium account access |