LinkedIn is a great platform for networking and making professional connections. However, one aspect that makes some users uncomfortable is that you can see who has viewed your profile. For various reasons, you may want to view someone’s profile without them knowing. Here are some tips on how to do that.
Use LinkedIn’s anonymous browsing
The easiest way is to use LinkedIn’s own anonymous browsing feature. Here’s how:
- Go to the profile you want to view.
- Click on the 3 dots icon next to their name and select “Anonymous View Profile”.
This will load the profile in a private browsing mode. The person won’t be notified and it won’t show up in your browsing history. One catch is that you can only view the profile anonymously once per day.
Adjust your viewer settings
By default, LinkedIn notifies people when you visit their profile. But you can disable this in your account settings:
- Go to your Account settings.
- Under “Privacy,” click on “Profile viewing options.”
- Uncheck the box for “Let others know you viewed their profile.”
With this setting turned off, you can browse profiles freely without anyone knowing. The caveat is it applies to all profiles, not just specific ones you want to view anonymously.
Use LinkedIn’s private mode
LinkedIn has a private mode that lets you browse inconspicuously:
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Select “Private mode”.
This will essentially open an incognito version of LinkedIn. Nothing you do here will show up in your history or activity. To exit private mode, just toggle the switch off. This is handy for short term anonymous browsing.
Block the person
An easy hack is to simply block the person whose profile you want to sneak a peek at. Here’s how simple it is:
- Go to their profile.
- Click the “More” icon (3 dots) next to the message button.
- Select Block or Report/Block.
Once blocked, you can view their profile normally without any visitor notifications. When finished, just unblock them. This method works well if you only need to check their profile once.
Use a private/incognito browser window
Your normal browser saves cookies and browsing history data. But private or incognito modes don’t record any activity:
- Chrome – Open an Incognito window
- Safari – Enable Private Browsing
- Firefox – Open a Private Window
- Edge – Open an InPrivate window
If you browse LinkedIn in one of these modes, it won’t save cookies or record your viewing history. So the profile owner won’t know you stopped by. Just remember to close the private window when done – any activity in it disappears.
Use a secondary browser
Another option is to install a secondary web browser just for anonymous browsing. For example, if Chrome is your regular browser, get Firefox for private uses. This keeps your browsing activities completely separate.
To profile stalk anonymously:
- Install a secondary browser like Firefox, Opera, Brave, etc.
- Don’t sign into any accounts there.
- Use it only for private browsing.
As long as you’re not logged into LinkedIn, it won’t associate your profile with the views. Having an extra browser lets you toggle between normal and anonymous modes easily.
Browse in an offline mode
LinkedIn uses browser cookies to track your activity. So one hardcore way to be anonymous is to browse offline. Here’s how:
- Install a plugin/extension to save web pages offline. Examples: Save Page WE, SingleFile, PageCache.
- Use the plugin to save the profile page to your hard drive.
- Disconnect internet and open the saved HTML file.
Since you’re browsing a local copy of the page, there is no communication back to LinkedIn servers. The profile owner has no way of knowing you viewed their profile offline. Just remember to delete the saved copy when finished.
Use a VPN or proxy service
VPNs and proxies shield your IP address and internet activity. To browse anonymously:
- Connect to a trusted VPN service or enable a browser-based proxy.
- Disable cookie storage and browsing history in your browser settings.
- Visit LinkedIn and view profiles as desired.
With your real IP hidden and history disabled, LinkedIn sees you as just another anonymous user. Just be sure to only use reputable proxy/VPN providers. Some free ones may log and sell your data.
Summary of key techniques
Here’s a quick summary of the main methods covered:
- LinkedIn’s anonymous viewing mode
- Toggling your profile viewing settings
- Using LinkedIn’s private mode
- Blocking a person before viewing their profile
- Browsing privately in an incognito/InPrivate window
- Using a secondary web browser
- Saving and viewing pages offline
- Masking your identity via VPN/proxy services
The easiest options are the built-in LinkedIn tools like anonymous browsing and private mode. For more control, use a private window or secondary browser just for LinkedIn. And for maximum anonymity, browse pages you’ve saved offline or via proxies.
Things to keep in mind
While these methods can help you sneak peeks anonymously, a few caveats:
- Users may still get a notification if you click into certain areas of their profile.
- Premium account holders can see aggregated data on who’s viewed their profile.
- If you view someone’s profile while logged in, then logout, LinkedIn may still associate you with the prior views.
- Incognito and other private browsing modes won’t hide your viewing activity from your employer or ISP.
So while you can be sneaky, there are still potential ways you could be found out. Use common sense based on your specific circumstances.
Ethical considerations
Viewing someone’s profile without their knowledge raises some ethical questions. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Only do it when necessary and not to be creepy or invasive.
- Consider asking for consent if possible.
- Keep visits reasonable in frequency and duration.
- Don’t use anonymous viewing to gain unfair competitive advantage.
- Remember the human on the other end who values their privacy.
Use your best judgement and browse anonymously in a respectful manner. If it feels wrong, it probably is.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn is designed to encourage profile viewing, there are many legitimate reasons you may want to do it anonymously. The techniques covered above range from simple built-in tools to advanced offline browsing methods. Know the limitations and be ethical in your approach. When in doubt, consider if you’d feel comfortable with someone using these tricks to view your own profile.
Method | Privacy Level | Convenience |
---|---|---|
Anonymous Viewing | High | High |
Turn Off Notifications | Medium | High |
Private Mode | High | Medium |
Blocking | Medium | Medium |
Incognito Window | High | Medium |
Secondary Browser | High | Low |
Offline Viewing | Very High | Low |
VPN/Proxy | Very High | Low |