LinkedIn deletion removes your profile and all your data from their servers

When you delete your LinkedIn profile, the company removes your account, your work history, your connections, your messages, and your photo from their system. This is permanent — you cannot undo it after 30 days. LinkedIn gives you a 30-day window to change your mind and reactivate, but after that point, your profile is gone for good.

Deletion is different from deactivation. When you deactivate, your profile goes invisible to other users but LinkedIn keeps your data. You can reactivate whenever you want. Deletion actually removes the account from LinkedIn's servers, so choose carefully which one you need.

The deletion process takes about five minutes and requires you to sign in to your account. You will need to confirm your choice twice before LinkedIn processes the request.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleting your LinkedIn profile is permanent after 30 days, so you cannot recover your work history or connections after that window closes.
  • You must sign in to your account to delete it — you cannot delete someone else's profile or delete an account you no longer have access to.
  • LinkedIn will ask you why you are leaving and may offer you options to deactivate instead, but you can skip those and proceed to deletion.
  • After you delete, your profile disappears from search results and from other people's connection lists within a few hours.
  • If you only want to hide your profile temporarily or take a break from LinkedIn, deactivation is the better choice because you can reactivate later.

Steps to delete your LinkedIn profile

Start by signing into your LinkedIn account on a computer or phone. Go to your profile by clicking your photo in the top right corner, then select "Settings and privacy" from the menu that appears.

Click "Account preferences" in the left sidebar. Scroll down until you see "Close account" near the bottom of the page. Click that link. LinkedIn will show you a page explaining what deletion means and offering you the chance to deactivate instead. Read through this, but if you are certain you want to delete, click "Delete account" at the bottom.

LinkedIn will ask you to confirm your password. Type it in and click "Delete." The company will then show you a final confirmation message saying your account will be deleted in 30 days. Your profile becomes invisible when ready, but the 30-day window gives you time to change your mind.

What happens during the 30-day waiting period

During these 30 days, your profile is hidden from other LinkedIn users. People who search for you will not find you. Your connections will see that you are no longer on LinkedIn. However, LinkedIn still has your data on their servers and you can still undo the deletion by signing back in.

To reactivate during this window, sign in with your email and password. LinkedIn will ask if you want to keep your account. Click yes, and your profile returns with all your information intact — your job history, your photo, your connections, everything.

After 30 days pass, LinkedIn permanently deletes your data. You cannot recover your profile, your messages, or your connection list. If you want to use LinkedIn again after that point, you have to create a brand new account from scratch.

If you cannot sign in to delete your account

If you have forgotten your password, use LinkedIn's password reset tool before you try to delete. Go to the LinkedIn login page, click "Forgot password?", and follow the steps to reset it using your email address. Once you can sign in again, follow the deletion steps above.

If you no longer have access to the email address linked to your account, contact LinkedIn's support team. Go to the Help Center, click the question mark icon, and select "Contact us." Explain that you cannot access your email and want to delete your account. LinkedIn support can verify your identity and process the deletion for you, though this may take longer than the standard process.

If someone else created an account using your name or email without your permission, report it to LinkedIn instead of trying to delete it yourself. Click the question mark icon in the top right, select "Report a problem," and choose "Report an account." LinkedIn will investigate and remove the fake account.

Deactivation as an alternative to deletion

If you are unsure about permanently deleting your profile, deactivation might be the better choice. When you deactivate, your profile disappears from LinkedIn but your data stays on their servers. You can reactivate your account at any time in the future, even years later, and everything will be exactly as you left it.

To deactivate instead of delete, go to Settings and privacy, click Account preferences, and look for "Deactivate account" (this appears on the same page as the delete option). Click it and confirm. Your profile will be hidden when ready and you can reactivate whenever you want by signing back in.

Deactivation is useful if you are taking a break from LinkedIn, switching jobs and want to pause your profile, or are not sure if you will need LinkedIn again in the future. Deletion is the right choice only if you are certain you will never use LinkedIn again.

What LinkedIn does with your data after deletion

LinkedIn says it deletes your personal information from its active servers after 30 days. However, the company may keep some data for legal reasons, to prevent fraud, or to comply with laws that require data retention. This is standard practice across most tech companies.

Your messages with other users may remain in their inboxes even after you delete your account. LinkedIn does not delete messages from the other person's side when you delete your profile. If you want to remove a specific message, you can delete it from your own inbox before you delete your account, but this does not remove it from the other person's view.

Content you posted — like articles, comments, or posts — may remain visible on LinkedIn even after deletion if other users shared it or commented on it. If you want to remove specific posts before deleting, go to your profile, find each post, click the three dots, and select "Delete post."

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete my LinkedIn profile from the mobile app?

Yes. Open the app, tap your profile photo, tap "Settings and privacy," then "Account preferences." Scroll to "Close account" and follow the same steps as on a computer. The process is identical on both platforms.

What if I delete my account and then want to rejoin LinkedIn?

If you delete within the 30-day window, sign back in and reactivate. After 30 days, you can create a new account with the same email address, but you will start from scratch with no connections or history. LinkedIn will not restore your old profile.

Will my connections be notified when I delete my account?

Your connections will see that you are no longer on LinkedIn, but they will not receive a notification saying you deleted your account. Your name will straightforward disappear from their connection list over the next few hours.

Does deleting LinkedIn delete my data from Google search results?

Google will stop showing your LinkedIn profile in search results within a few days, but this happens automatically as Google re-indexes the web. You do not need to do anything separately. If your profile appears in cached search results, it will disappear on its own within a few weeks.

Can I delete just part of my profile instead of the whole account?

No. LinkedIn's delete function removes the entire account. If you want to keep your account but remove specific information, edit your profile instead. You can delete individual jobs, skills, recommendations, or posts without deleting your whole account.