LinkedIn deletion is permanent and takes 30 days

When you delete your LinkedIn account, the company gives you 30 days to change your mind. During that month, your profile is hidden from search results and other people cannot contact you, but LinkedIn keeps your data in case you want to reactivate. After 30 days, LinkedIn deletes your account, your messages, your connections list, and your profile photo. The deletion is final — you cannot recover any of it.

The process itself takes two minutes. You do not need to contact LinkedIn support or wait for approval. You go into your account settings, find the "Close account" option, confirm your choice twice, and it begins.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleting your LinkedIn account hides your profile when ready but gives you 30 days to cancel the deletion if you change your mind.
  • After 30 days pass, LinkedIn permanently removes your profile, messages, connections, and all associated data with no way to recover it.
  • You can delete your account from the Settings menu without needing to contact support or provide a reason.
  • If you want to keep your professional network but stop using LinkedIn, deactivating (hiding your profile temporarily) is an option instead of deletion.

How to delete your account in three steps

Start by signing into your LinkedIn account on a computer or phone. Go to the Settings menu — on a computer, click your profile photo in the top right corner and select "Settings and privacy." On a phone, tap the same profile photo and scroll down to find "Settings."

Look for "Account preferences" or "Account management" in the left sidebar (computer) or in the menu (phone). Scroll down until you see "Close account" or "Deactivate account." Click or tap it. LinkedIn will show you a warning that explains the 30-day waiting period and what happens to your data. Read it, then click the button that says "Close account" again to confirm.

LinkedIn will ask you why you are leaving — this is optional. You can skip it or choose a reason from the list. Then click "Continue" or "Confirm." Your account is now in deletion mode. You will receive an email confirming the request. Do not click anything in that email unless you want to cancel the deletion.

What happens during the 30-day waiting period

Your profile disappears from LinkedIn when ready. People who search for you will not find you. You cannot log in to your account. Any messages you sent before deletion stay in other people's inboxes, but they cannot reply to you or see your profile when they click your name.

If you change your mind during these 30 days, you can reactivate your account by logging back in with your email and password. LinkedIn will restore your profile, your connections, and your messages exactly as they were. After day 30, this option closes.

Deactivation versus deletion — which one to choose

Deactivation hides your profile but keeps your account. You can reactivate whenever you want, even years later. Your connections remain in LinkedIn's system. You receive no emails from LinkedIn. This is useful if you think you might return to LinkedIn someday or want to keep your professional network intact without actively using the platform.

Deletion removes everything permanently after 30 days. Choose this if you do not want LinkedIn to store your data, if you are concerned about privacy, or if you are certain you will never use the platform again. Deletion also means you lose access to any recommendations or endorsements you received.

To deactivate instead of delete, go to Settings, find "Account preferences," and look for "Deactivate account" (different from "Close account"). The steps are similar, but you will see different language about what happens.

What LinkedIn does with your data before deletion

During the 30-day waiting period, LinkedIn keeps a copy of everything: your profile information, your message history, your connections, your job history, and any documents you uploaded. The company uses this time to let you recover your account if you change your mind.

After 30 days, LinkedIn deletes this data from its active systems. However, LinkedIn may keep some information for legal reasons — for example, if you reported someone for harassment or if someone reported you, LinkedIn may keep records of that report. The company also keeps backup copies of deleted data for a limited time for disaster recovery, but these are not accessible to you or to LinkedIn staff for normal purposes.

If you are concerned about what LinkedIn has collected about you before deletion, you can read a copy of your data first. Go to Settings, find "Data privacy," and select "Get a copy of your data." LinkedIn will email you a file with your profile, messages, and connections within a few days. You can review this before you delete your account.

Removing LinkedIn from other places before you delete

Before you delete your account, check anywhere else you may have used your LinkedIn login. If you signed into other websites or apps using your LinkedIn account (a feature called "Sign in with LinkedIn"), those connections will break after deletion. You will not be able to log into those services with your LinkedIn credentials anymore.

Go through any apps or websites where you used LinkedIn to sign in. Change your password or set up a different login method before you delete your account. This prevents you from being locked out of services you still want to use.

Also search your email for messages from LinkedIn about job alerts, course recommendations, or other notifications you signed up for. Unsubscribe from these before deletion if you do not want to receive them after your account is gone. Some notifications may continue briefly even after deletion because they are queued in LinkedIn's system.

If you want to stay on LinkedIn but reduce your visibility

Deletion is not the only way to step back from LinkedIn. You can keep your account but make your profile private so only your connections see it. Go to Settings, find "Visibility," and change "Who can see your profile" to "Connections only." This keeps your account active but hides you from recruiters and strangers.

You can also turn off all notifications, remove your profile photo, delete your job history, and stop accepting new connection requests. This makes your account essentially invisible while keeping it in existence. If you ever want to return to LinkedIn, your account and connections are still there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete my LinkedIn account on my phone?

Yes. Open the LinkedIn app, tap your profile photo, scroll to Settings, find Account management, and select Close account. The process is the same as on a computer. You will receive a confirmation email.

What happens to my LinkedIn messages after I delete my account?

Messages you sent to other people stay in their inboxes, but they will see your name without a clickable profile. They cannot reply to you. After 30 days, your copies of those messages are deleted. Other people's copies remain in their accounts.

Can someone else use my email address to create a new LinkedIn account after I delete mine?

Yes, but not during the 30-day waiting period. During those 30 days, your email is locked to your account in case you reactivate. After day 30, someone else could theoretically create an account with that email, though LinkedIn may flag it as previously used.

Will deleting my LinkedIn account affect my job or my employer's ability to find me?

Your employer can still contact you through email or phone. Deleting LinkedIn only removes your profile from that platform. It does not affect your job, your employment status, or your ability to work. However, recruiters will no longer be able to find you through LinkedIn.

How do I know if my account has been fully deleted after 30 days?

LinkedIn does not send a confirmation email when the 30 days are up. You can try logging in with your email and password — if you cannot log in, deletion is complete. You can also try searching for your name on LinkedIn from another account to confirm your profile is gone.