Where to find the email setting and what to expect

LinkedIn stores your email address in your account settings, and you can change it yourself in about two minutes. The process is straightforward: you log in, navigate to your settings, enter a new email, and confirm it. LinkedIn will send a verification link to whichever email you choose — you must click that link before the change takes effect.

The reason LinkedIn requires verification is security. If someone gained access to your account, they could change your email to lock you out. The verification step prevents that. You'll need access to both your current email and your new email during this process.

If you no longer have access to your current email address, the process is different and takes longer. That situation is covered in the troubleshooting section below.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your email through Account Settings, not through your profile or privacy controls.
  • LinkedIn sends a verification link to your new email address, and you must click it to complete the change.
  • The old email address remains associated with your account for a short period, so you can still use it to log in while the change processes.
  • If you no longer have access to your current email, you'll need to use LinkedIn's account recovery process instead of the standard change method.

Step-by-step: changing your email on a computer

Open LinkedIn and sign in. Click your profile photo in the top right corner — it's a small circle with your picture or initials. A dropdown menu appears. Select Settings and privacy from that menu.

On the settings page, look for the section labeled Account on the left side. Click Email addresses. You'll see your current email listed. Below it is a field that says Add email address. Click in that field and type your new email address.

After you enter the new email, click Add email. LinkedIn sends a verification link to that new address. Open your email inbox — the one you just entered — and look for a message from LinkedIn. The subject line usually says something like "Confirm your email address." Click the link inside that email.

Once you click the verification link, your new email is confirmed. LinkedIn will ask which email you want to use as your primary email for login and notifications. Select your new email and save. You can delete your old email from the account at this point, or leave it attached if you want to keep it as a backup login method.

Changing your email on the LinkedIn mobile app

The mobile app works the same way, but the menu layout is slightly different. Open the app and tap the profile icon at the bottom right of your screen. Tap Settings and privacy. Scroll down and tap Account, then Email addresses.

Tap Add email address, enter your new email, and tap Add email. LinkedIn sends the verification link to your new email address. Switch to your email app, find the LinkedIn message, and click the verification link. Return to the LinkedIn app, and your new email is now active.

The mobile app sometimes takes a moment to refresh after you verify. If you don't see your new email listed as primary right away, close the app completely and reopen it.

What happens to your old email after the change

Your old email address stays attached to your account for 30 days after you change it. This means you can still use your old email to log in during that period. After 30 days, LinkedIn removes the old email from your account entirely, and you can only log in with your new email.

If you want to remove your old email when ready instead of waiting 30 days, you can do that in the Email addresses section. Just click the X or delete button next to the old email, and it's gone right away. You won't be able to use it to log in after that.

Some people keep their old email attached as a backup in case they forget their password. If you do this, make sure you still have access to that old email address — LinkedIn uses it as a recovery option.

If you can't access your current email address

If your current email no longer exists or you've lost access to it, you can't use the standard email change process. Instead, you need to use LinkedIn's account recovery. Go to the LinkedIn login page and click Forgot password? Enter your username or phone number if you have one linked to your account.

LinkedIn will ask you to verify your identity. You can do this by confirming information from your profile, answering security questions if you set them up, or verifying through a phone number. Once LinkedIn confirms it's really you, you can change your email without needing access to the old one.

This process usually takes a few hours to a day. LinkedIn may ask you to wait before trying again if you've made multiple recovery attempts in a short time.

Troubleshooting: common problems when changing email

You don't receive the verification email: Check your spam or junk folder first — verification emails sometimes end up there. If it's not there, wait a few minutes and try again. Make sure you typed the new email address correctly. If you still don't receive it after 10 minutes, go back to your email settings and try adding the email address again.

You see an error saying the email is already in use: This means the email address you're trying to add is already connected to another LinkedIn account. If it's your own account, you may have already added it. If it's someone else's account, you'll need to use a different email address.

The verification link doesn't work: Verification links expire after 24 hours. If yours has expired, go back to your email settings and add the email address again. LinkedIn will send a new verification link.

You changed your email but can't log in with the new one: Wait a few minutes — the change sometimes takes time to process across LinkedIn's servers. If you still can't log in after 15 minutes, try using your old email to log in, then check your email settings to confirm the change went through.

Why you might want to change your email

People change their LinkedIn email for several reasons. You might have switched email providers, gotten a new work email, or want to use a more professional email address. You might also change it if you're concerned about an old email being compromised or if you're consolidating multiple email accounts.

Changing your email doesn't affect your profile, connections, or job history. Everything stays the same — only the email address you use to log in and receive notifications changes. Your connections won't be notified that you changed your email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my connections know I changed my email?

No. Your connections see your profile name and information, not your email address. Changing your email is invisible to them. They can only see it if you tell them or if they're logged into your account.

Can I use two email addresses to log into the same LinkedIn account?

Yes, during the 30-day transition period after you change your email. Both your old and new email can log into your account. After 30 days, only your new email works. You can extend this by not deleting your old email from your account settings.

What if I want to change my email back to the old one?

You can change it back the same way you changed it the first time. Go to Settings and privacy, select Email addresses, add your old email, verify it, and set it as primary. There's no limit to how many times you can change your email.

Does changing my email affect my LinkedIn password?

No. Your password stays the same. You'll still use the same password to log in, just with your new email address instead of your old one.

Can I change my email if my account is restricted or locked?

If your account is locked, you won't be able to access settings. You'll need to unlock your account first through the login page. If your account is restricted by LinkedIn for policy violations, you may not be able to change your email until the restriction is lifted.