LinkedIn deletion is permanent and takes 30 days

When you delete your LinkedIn profile, the account and all its data — your connections, messages, job history, recommendations — are gone for good. LinkedIn does not offer a way to recover a deleted profile after the process completes. The deletion itself takes 30 days from the moment you request it, during which your profile is hidden from view but still technically exists on LinkedIn's servers.

If you are not certain you want to delete permanently, LinkedIn also offers deactivation, which hides your profile when ready but keeps your data intact. You can reactivate a deactivated account at any time by logging back in. Most people who want to step away from LinkedIn temporarily should deactivate instead of delete.

Key Takeaways

  • Deletion takes 30 days to complete and cannot be undone, so read your data first if you want to keep any record of your connections or messages.
  • Deactivation hides your profile when ready and lets you reactivate later without losing anything, making it the safer choice if you are unsure.
  • To delete, go to Settings & Privacy, then Account, then Deactivation and Closure, and select Delete Account.
  • During the 30-day waiting period, your profile is hidden but you can still cancel the deletion request and keep your account active.
  • LinkedIn will send you a confirmation email when deletion is complete; after that, you cannot recover your profile or any of its contents.

read your data before you delete

LinkedIn lets you read a copy of your profile data, including your connections list, messages, and job history. This is the only way to keep a record of who you were connected to or what you posted. Once deletion completes, this information is gone from LinkedIn's servers.

To read your data, go to Settings & Privacy, then Data Privacy, then Get a copy of your data. LinkedIn will prepare a file and email it to you within a few hours. The file is a ZIP archive containing your profile information in a readable format. Do this before you request deletion, because you cannot read data after the deletion process has started.

The step-by-step process to delete your account

Log into LinkedIn on a web browser (the mobile app does not have the deletion option). Go to your profile photo in the top right corner and click Settings & Privacy. From there, select Account on the left side menu.

Scroll down to find Deactivation and Closure. Click that section to expand it. You will see two options: Deactivate Account and Delete Account. Click Delete Account. LinkedIn will ask you to confirm your password and explain why you are leaving. You do not have to give a reason, but LinkedIn uses the feedback to improve the platform. After you confirm, your profile will be hidden when ready, and the 30-day deletion countdown begins.

What happens during the 30-day waiting period

Your profile is no longer visible to other LinkedIn users during these 30 days. Your name will not appear in search results, and people cannot view your job history or send you messages. However, your account still exists in LinkedIn's system, and you can cancel the deletion at any time by logging back in and selecting Reactivate Account.

If you change your mind, log in with your original email and password. You will see a prompt to reactivate. Click it, and your profile returns to normal with all your data intact. This is why the 30-day window exists — it gives you time to reconsider without losing anything.

After the 30 days: what you lose

Once the 30 days pass, LinkedIn permanently deletes your account. You cannot recover your profile, your connections list, your messages, or any posts you made. If someone tries to view your profile or send you a message, they will see that the account no longer exists.

If you want to use LinkedIn again in the future, you will have to create a brand-new account from scratch. Your old email address will be available to use again after deletion is complete, but you will start with zero connections and no history.

Deactivation as an alternative to deletion

If you want to leave LinkedIn but are not ready to delete permanently, deactivate instead. Deactivation hides your profile when ready and removes you from search results, but your account remains on LinkedIn's servers with all your data safe. You can reactivate by logging in at any point — even years later — and your profile will be exactly as you left it.

Deactivation is useful if you are taking a break from professional networking, switching jobs, or straightforward want to reduce your online presence without burning bridges. There is no time limit on deactivation, and you can reactivate as many times as you want.

What LinkedIn does with your data after deletion

LinkedIn says it deletes your profile data from its active systems, but like most tech companies, it retains some information for legal and business reasons. This might include backup copies, data used to train algorithms, or information needed to comply with laws. LinkedIn's privacy policy states that deleted data may persist in backups for a limited time, though these backups are not accessible to users or customer service.

If you are concerned about your data being used by LinkedIn after deletion, you can also submit a data deletion request under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) or similar laws in your region. LinkedIn will have to honor these requests within the timeframe set by your state or country's privacy laws.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete my LinkedIn profile from the mobile app?

No. The deletion option is only available on the LinkedIn website. Open LinkedIn in a web browser on your phone or computer, go to Settings & Privacy, then Account, then Deactivation and Closure, and select Delete Account. The mobile app does not have this feature.

What if I forgot my LinkedIn password?

You will need to reset it before you can delete. Go to the LinkedIn login page and click Forgot Password. LinkedIn will send a reset link to your email. Once you have reset your password, log in and follow the deletion steps. If you no longer have access to the email address tied to your account, contact LinkedIn support before attempting deletion.

Will deleting my LinkedIn profile remove me from Google search results?

Google will eventually stop showing your LinkedIn profile in search results, but it may take weeks or months for Google to crawl and update its index. If you want faster removal, you can use Google Search Console to request removal of your profile URL directly. This is separate from deleting your LinkedIn account.

Can my employer see that I deleted my LinkedIn profile?

Your employer cannot see the deletion itself, but they will notice if they try to view your profile and find it no longer exists. If you are concerned about how leaving LinkedIn might be perceived at work, consider deactivating instead, which hides your profile but keeps your account recoverable.

What happens to recommendations and endorsements I received?

When you delete your profile, all recommendations and endorsements you received are deleted along with it. The people who wrote those recommendations will see that your profile no longer exists, but the recommendations themselves cannot be recovered. If you want to keep a record, read your data before deletion.