How To Delete Your Linkedin Account: A Guide

Are you considering deleting your LinkedIn account? It can be a difficult decision, as LinkedIn has become such an important tool for business networking. However, if you’re sure you want to delete your account, this guide will walk you through the steps of doing so. Learn more about the process of deleting your LinkedIn account and the consequences of taking this permanent action.

1. Overview of Deleting a LinkedIn Account

Instructions on deleting a LinkedIn account

Deleting a LinkedIn account is a permanent step, and should only be done if necessary. If you’d like to take a temporary break, you can instead opt to deactivate your account instead. This isn’t a permanent action, and allows you to reactivate your account at any time using your existing profile and contacts. Once you deactivate your account, your profile and all information associated with it will no longer be visible. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to delete or deactivate your linkedIn account.

  • Go to ‘Settings & Privacy’ in the drop down menu displayed under your profile picture
  • On the left hand side of the page, click ‘Account’ and you will see an option to ‘Deactivate or Delete your LinkedIn Account’
  • Choose the desired option, enter your password and confirm request. Your account will now be deleted or deactivated depending on the option you chose.

Should you decide to permanently delete your account after taking the necessary steps, it will take LinkedIn up to 24 hours to delete all the data associated with your account. This includes profile data, connections, messages, and other information. Deleting your LinkedIn account means eliminating all associated data and connections, as there is no way to restore your data once it’s been deleted.

2. Preparing to Delete a LinkedIn Account

What to consider before proceeding with the deletion:

  • Check with your current employer. Depending on their policy and the type of account, you may need to retain your public profile.
  • Deactivate the account if you want temporary removal and plan to reactivate the account at a later date; the information will remain intact.
  • Save or export your information or contacts in case you may need them in the future; a copy downloaded in pdf format will contain all your LinkedIn information.

In the event that you feel that your account needs to be closed, deleting it is a permanent decision. Here is how to delete your account:

  • Go to the settings and choose the privacy icon located on the top right corner.
  • Scroll down and look for delete my account.
  • Follow the three easy steps to complete the process.

Once the process is completed, the account is no longer accessible, nor can it be reactivated. This makes it important to be sure you are making the right decision before proceeding.

3. Steps to Delete a LinkedIn Account

Deactivating your LinkedIn account is a fast and easy process. All of your data, such as contacts, messages, endorsements, and more will remain intact — however, your profile will no longer be visible to anyone on the platform.

1. Log In: You will need to access your LinkedIn account to get started. Log in to the platform using your username and password.

2. Go to your Account Settings: After logging in, click on your profile picture at the top right corner and select “Settings & Privacy”. Once there, select “Account Management”.

3. Click on the Close your Account Link: At the bottom of the page, you will find a link titled “Closing Your LinkedIn Account”. This link is surrounded by a red box and is the last item in the list. Click this link to continue.

  • Verify your account when prompted.
  • Enter your password for verification.
  • Select a reason for your account closure.
  • Click the green “Close Account” button.

After following the steps above, your LinkedIn account will be officially deactivated. Please note that it may take up to 24 hours for the account closure to be processed and your profile to be fully removed from the platform.

4. After Deleting a LinkedIn Account

Once you have decided to delete your LinkedIn account, it is important to be aware that some content might remain in LinkedIn’s backup systems for a period of time.

This includes:

  • Your name, email address and other information that was used for public profile view.
  • Your profile data that was shared with third parties.
  • Your post reactions, including likes, comments, shares, or other views.

It is also important to keep in mind that LinkedIn may keep your data as part of their search engine index and will be made available to any external search engines ― even after you account has been deleted. If you still want to remove your presence from LinkedIn, you may want to consider updating your profile to be as minimal as possible.

5. Benefits of Deleting a LinkedIn Account

Deleting a LinkedIn account may not seem like a priority but it provides many benefits. Here are a few:

Privacy: Deleting your account guarantees that any data you shared with LinkedIn is removed from their servers, greatly preserving your privacy along with any sensitive information you may have shared with the platform. This prevents any sort of misuse of data.

Facilitates Focus: If you’re looking to take a break from LinkedIn, deleting your account can help avoid any potentially distracting notifications, messages, emails or other updates about the platform. This can help you focus on other priorities instead.

Reducing Digital Clutter: Deleting an account can help clear up some digital clutter by removing data that is no longer required, such as messages, emails and posts. This makes it easier to manage the rest of your online accounts and data.

    • Privacy
    • Facilitates Focus
    • Reducing Digital Clutter

Deleting your LinkedIn account can seem daunting, but by following the steps above it is a simple and straightforward process. Knowing how to remove your account offers the peace of mind that your personal data is secure. With that, we hope you have a better understanding of how to delete your LinkedIn account.

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