Getting locked out of your LinkedIn account can be frustrating and concerning, especially if you rely on LinkedIn for networking or business purposes. Not being able to access your account means you are unable to update your profile, connect with new contacts, or communicate with your network.
Why You Might Get Locked Out of LinkedIn
There are a few common reasons why you might find yourself locked out of your LinkedIn account:
- You entered the wrong password too many times.
- Your account was flagged for suspicious activity.
- You haven’t used your account in a long time.
- Your account was hacked.
Entering the wrong password repeatedly will trigger LinkedIn’s security measures and your account will be temporarily locked to prevent unauthorized access. If LinkedIn detects suspicious activity, like login attempts from an unfamiliar location, they may lock the account until the suspicious activity can be reviewed.
LinkedIn also locks accounts that have been inactive for over a year to protect your data and privacy. And if your account is compromised by a hacker, LinkedIn will lock it to prevent further misuse.
How to Get Back Into Your Locked LinkedIn Account
If you find yourself locked out of LinkedIn, don’t panic. Here are the steps you can take to regain access to your account:
- Try resetting your password. Go to LinkedIn and click on the “Forgot password?” link to reset.
- Check your email inbox. LinkedIn will send you an email with instructions to unlock your account.
- Use backup verification options. If you set up backup phone or email verification, you may be able to unlock via text or email code.
- Unlink connected devices. Devices you used to access LinkedIn could be keeping it locked.
- Contact LinkedIn support. Reach out to LinkedIn directly via their support options.
Reset Your LinkedIn Password
The easiest way to unlock your account is to simply reset your password. Go to the LinkedIn login page and click on “Forgot password?”. You’ll be prompted to enter your email or phone number associated with your account.
LinkedIn will send you an email with a password reset link. Click on the reset link which will redirect you to a page to create a new password. Once you setup a new password, you should be able to log back into your account.
Check Your Email for Account Unlock Instructions
If resetting your password doesn’t work, check your email inbox. LinkedIn may have already sent you instructions to unlock your account.
Look for emails from LinkedIn’s customer support or security teams. The emails will guide you through steps like:
- Verifying your identity
- Changing your password
- Confirming your registered email or phone number
- Entering a security code
Following the unlocking instructions in the latest email you received from LinkedIn should get you back into your account quickly.
Use Backup Verification Options
When you setup your LinkedIn account, you may have added backup phone and email options as secondary verification methods.
If you did provide backup contact info, try using those alternate verification options to unlock your account. Here’s how:
- Attempt logging into your LinkedIn account again.
- When prompted, select sending a code via text or email.
- Enter the code sent to your backup phone number or email.
- You’ll then be able to access your account again.
This method works if you have a valid phone number or email that LinkedIn can use to verify your identity and unlock the account instantly.
Unlink Connected Devices
If you used any other mobile devices or computers to access your LinkedIn account, they may be keeping your account locked.
Log into those devices and unlink them from your LinkedIn account. On mobile, this can be done through your device settings. On a computer, unlink devices through your LinkedIn security settings.
Unlinking all devices gives LinkedIn a fresh slate when you attempt to login again from a single trusted device. You’ll likely have to reverify your identity, but it should allow you to access your account again.
Contact LinkedIn Customer Support
If you’ve tried all other options and your LinkedIn account is still locked, you’ll need to reach out to their customer support team directly. Here are some ways to contact LinkedIn support:
- Through the LinkedIn Help Center – Visit help.linkedin.com and search for account lockout assistance.
- Request Support on LinkedIn’s Contact Us Page – Go to www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin and click “Request Support”.
- Call LinkedIn – LinkedIn customer service can be reached at 855-242-7252.
When you reach a LinkedIn representative, be prepared to verify your identity. You’ll likely have to provide information like your full name, email address, birthdate, and other details to confirm you are the account owner.
LinkedIn can directly view the status of your account and help troubleshoot why you might be locked out. Their team can also manually unlock your account in some cases.
How to Avoid Getting Locked Out of LinkedIn
Once you regain access to your account, there are preventative steps you can take to avoid dealing with lockouts in the future:
- Create a strong master password. Use a complex, unique password that you don’t use on other sites.
- Setup two-factor authentication. Add an extra layer of security to your account via mobile auth.
- Remove connected devices. Only stay logged into devices you frequently use.
- Check account activity often. Enable notifications and routinely review access logs.
- Use privacy settings. Limit the information that’s publicly visible to reduce risk.
Having a strong, unique master password will prevent most unauthorized logins. Two-factor authentication adds extra login security by requiring your password plus a changing numeric code.
Only staying logged into your primary mobile and desktop devices you actually use reduces the chance of your account getting compromised. And regularly reviewing login notifications and activity helps you identify suspicious logins early.
Tightening your LinkedIn privacy settings also gives you more control over who can see and access your profile. Restrict personal details and customize public visibility.
Recovering Your LinkedIn Contacts and Data
If your account was compromised by a hacker, they may have deleted or changed some of your contacts and content.
Here are some tips for recovering your connections and information:
- Notify connections about the hack. They can re-connect with you.
- Check for cached connections on LinkedIn Recruiter.
- View connection history on desktop to re-invite people.
- Export data for saved invites and messages.
- Search public profiles and re-add top connections.
Letting your network know about the account hack can prompt them to quickly re-connect with you. LinkedIn Recruiter sometimes maintains a recent cache of your connections.
On the LinkedIn desktop site, your account settings have a connection history page that lists previously invited contacts. You can re-invite people through this list.
To recover messages and connection invites, go to your account privacy settings and request an archive of your account data from LinkedIn.
For key contacts, you may have to search for their public profiles and re-add them. Focus on your most important business connections first.
When to Create a New LinkedIn Account
In extreme cases where your account is completely inaccessible and unrecoverable, creating a brand new LinkedIn account may be your best option to start fresh.
Some scenarios where making a new account makes sense include:
- You forgot the email linked to your old account.
- The primary email on your account was deactivated.
- You no longer have access to your phone number on file.
- Your account was permanently deactivated by LinkedIn.
Without access to the original email or phone number associated with your account, LinkedIn has no way to verify you are the account owner for unlocks.
If your account is completely disabled and unable to be recovered, LinkedIn support may advise you to simply create a new profile.
In these cases where your original account is inaccessible, establishing a new LinkedIn presence can help you start rebuilding your network.
Key Takeaways
Getting locked out of LinkedIn can interrupt your ability to connect with colleagues and clients. But in most cases, your account can be recovered with a few simple steps:
- Reset your LinkedIn password if you can access your associated email or phone number.
- Follow email unlock instructions sent by LinkedIn’s support team.
- Leverage backup verification options you setup like text or email codes.
- Unlink devices that could be keeping your account locked.
- Contact LinkedIn customer service for manual account assistance.
- Strengthen your password, enable two-factor auth, review activity logs, and adjust privacy settings to avoid future lockouts.
- Notify connections, check recruiter, export data, and re-add top contacts to restore your network.
Regaining entry to your LinkedIn account quickly is essential to limiting disruption to your professional networking and communication. With the right steps, you can get back to effectively managing your LinkedIn presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a LinkedIn lockout last?
A LinkedIn account lockout typically lasts from a few hours up to 3-5 days maximum. Lockouts tied to suspicious activity reviews or cheating/violations may last longer. If it extends beyond 5 days, you’ll need to reach out to support.
Can LinkedIn delete your account if it’s been hacked?
In most cases, LinkedIn will lock your account if it’s been hacked to secure it, but not immediately delete it. However, if the account abuse is severe, LinkedIn may make the decision to permanently disable your account. But data could still be recoverable.
Why did LinkedIn lock my account for no reason?
If your LinkedIn account was locked for no apparent reason, it may have been flagged incorrectly as suspicious by their automated security algorithms. Contact customer support, provide details about standard account usage, and request your account be manually reviewed.
Does deactivating LinkedIn help recover your account?
Deactivating your LinkedIn account through their privacy settings will not assist with account recovery. It simply puts your profile into an inactive state. Work through LinkedIn support options to properly unlock your account access.
Can you have 2 LinkedIn accounts?
LinkedIn’s terms of service prohibit users from having more than one personal LinkedIn account. You could create a second account for business purposes, but dual personal accounts or duplicates will risk suspension. It’s best to recover your original account if possible.
Conclusion
A sudden inability to access your important LinkedIn connections and profile information can be highly disruptive. But understanding the common reasons for LinkedIn lockouts and following the right account recovery steps will allow you to regain access to this vital professional networking platform.
Pay close attention to any account help emails LinkedIn sends. Try a password reset and backup verification methods first. For additional assistance, reach out to LinkedIn’s customer support team through their Help Center or contact form.
With some patience and effort, you can get your LinkedIn account unlocked, recover your contacts, and resume actively managing your profile. Implement improved security practices to prevent similar lockout issues going forward.
Reason for Lockout | Solution |
---|---|
Too many wrong password attempts | Reset password via email |
Suspicious activity flagged | Verify identity with LinkedIn support |
Account inactive too long | Update profile information and usage |
Account hacked | Unlink unauthorized connected devices |
This table summarizes common lockout causes and solutions:
Lockout Reason | Solution |
---|---|
Too many wrong password attempts | Reset password via email |
Suspicious activity flagged | Verify identity with LinkedIn support |
Account inactive too long | Update profile information and usage |
Account hacked | Unlink unauthorized connected devices |
Prevent Future LinkedIn Lockouts
Here are 5 tips to avoid getting locked out of LinkedIn again:
Prevention Tips |
---|
Use a strong, unique password |
Enable two-factor authentication |
Remove connected devices not in use |
Routinely check account activity |
Adjust profile and privacy settings |
Recover Lost LinkedIn Data
To restore lost contacts and content from a compromised account, take these steps:
Recovery Tips |
---|
Alert connections to re-connect |
Check LinkedIn Recruiter cache |
Re-invite connections from desktop site |
Export invite, message, and connection data |
Search for and re-add top connections |