LinkedIn is a popular professional networking platform used by millions of people around the world. While many find it useful for building connections and furthering their careers, others may wish to disconnect from the platform entirely. Unsubscribing from LinkedIn can be a bit tricky given all the integration points, but it is possible to fully disconnect your account if desired.
Reasons to unsubscribe from LinkedIn
There are a few common reasons people may want to unsubscribe from LinkedIn completely:
- You feel LinkedIn is a distraction and want to limit social media use
- You are getting too many notifications and find them disruptive
- You want greater privacy and don’t like all your data being on LinkedIn
- You no longer need it for professional networking purposes
- You had a bad experience on the platform
- You want to take a break for mental health reasons
Whatever the reason, unlinking yourself entirely from LinkedIn is possible with a few steps.
How to delete your LinkedIn account
The first step in fully unsubscribing is deleting your LinkedIn account. Here is how to delete your account:
- Log into your LinkedIn account on the website (not the mobile app)
- Click on the Me icon in the top right and go to Settings & Privacy
- Click on the Account preferences tab
- Scroll down and click “Close your account” under the “Closing your LinkedIn account” section
- Select a reason for closing your account from the dropdown menu
- Enter your account password to confirm account closure
- Click on “Close Account”
LinkedIn will now begin the account closure process. It can take up to 24 hours for your account to be fully deleted. You will get confirmation via email when it has been completed.
Removing LinkedIn app and plug-ins
After deleting your account, you will also want to remove any LinkedIn apps or plug-ins connected to your devices or other accounts:
- Uninstall the LinkedIn mobile app from your smartphone or tablet.
- Remove any LinkedIn browser plug-ins you may have installed in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.
- Disconnect the LinkedIn integration from your email account. You can do this in Gmail under settings.
- Remove LinkedIn access from sites like Meetup.com where you may have used LinkedIn to sign up.
- Unlink any single sign-on connections you may have set up with LinkedIn.
Taking these steps ensures LinkedIn is fully disconnected across the board and you won’t get reminded of notifications or see icons popping up unexpectedly.
Opting out of data sharing
Even after deleting your account, some of your data may still be stored and shared by LinkedIn. To limit this data sharing:
- Go to the Privacy section under your account settings and opt out of data sharing wherever possible before deleting your account.
- Utilize web browser extensions like Ghostery that block web trackers from collecting your data across sites.
- Browse the web in incognito or private browsing mode when possible to avoid tracking.
- Opt out of interest-based ads here: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out
While LinkedIn’s data sharing policies are extensive, taking these steps can help minimize the amount of personal data passed along and tracked after closure of your account.
Removing your data from search engines
Search engines like Google and Bing may still have listings for your LinkedIn profile even after you delete your account. To remove this data:
- Search for your name on Google and click the remove listing link if your LinkedIn profile appears.
- Utilize a reputation management firm to purge unwanted search results about you.
- Submit removal requests directly to search engines to expedite the delisting process.
It may take some time for search engines to fully remove the cached data. But taking proactive steps helps get your LinkedIn profile deindexed faster.
Alternatives to consider
While fully disconnecting from LinkedIn is possible, you may still want to maintain some professional presence online. Here are a few alternative tools to consider:
- Maintain a professional website or portfolio page showcasing your background.
- Network via niche platforms like GitHub, Dribbble or Behance that align with your industry.
- Use an open source service like Mastodon for microblogging.
- Link up with professional connections directly via email or messaging apps.
- Ask colleagues, clients or business partners to write you LinkedIn recommendations you can use offline.
The right alternative depends on your specific networking and career needs. But there are certainly options beyond LinkedIn alone.
What happens when you unsubscribe from LinkedIn?
Here is a quick summary of what happens when you fully unsubscribe from LinkedIn:
- Your profile, connections and network are permanently deleted.
- You stop receiving notifications and emails from LinkedIn.
- Any apps or services using LinkedIn data will no longer access your information.
- Your name and profile begin dissociating from LinkedIn in search engine results.
- While some data may still exist in backups or analytics systems, your active presence on LinkedIn is erased.
In most cases, the impact is minimal and most LinkedIn users won’t notice you are gone. But for heavy LinkedIn users, the absence of your profile and visibility may be more apparent. Be prepared to explain your reasons for leaving if asked.
Can you reactivate a LinkedIn account after unsubscribing?
If you later wish to reactivate your LinkedIn account after deleting it, the process involves:
- Registering for a new LinkedIn account with your name and email address.
- Rebuilding your profile and network connections from scratch.
- Mentioning on your profile that you are rejoining after some time away if desired.
LinkedIn does not allow you to reactivate deleted accounts. But starting fresh is an option if you change your mind down the road.
Conclusion
Unsubscribing fully from LinkedIn takes some effort but can be accomplished with a few key steps. Be sure to delete your account, remove any related apps, opt-out of data sharing, and delist yourself from search engines. While no longer having a LinkedIn presence works for some, others may want to maintain professional networking in other ways. Weigh the pros and cons carefully before taking the plunge to disconnect permanently.