Blocking someone on LinkedIn removes them from your network and hides your profile from their view

When you block someone on LinkedIn, that person can no longer see your profile, send you messages, or find you in search results. They won't receive a notification that you blocked them, but if they try to visit your profile directly, they'll see a message saying the page isn't available. Blocking is permanent until you manually unblock the person — there's no time limit or automatic expiration.

The block applies across all of LinkedIn: they can't view your posts, see your connections, or interact with your content. If you were already connected, the connection is removed. This is different from unfriending or muting someone, which only hides their posts from your feed but leaves the connection intact.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking someone on LinkedIn removes the connection, hides your profile from them, and prevents them from messaging you or seeing your posts.
  • You can block someone from their profile, from a message thread, or from your connections list — all methods take less than one minute.
  • The blocked person won't be notified, but they'll see an error message if they try to visit your profile directly.
  • You can unblock someone at any time through your privacy settings, and the block takes effect when ready.
  • LinkedIn also offers muting (hides their posts but keeps the connection) and unfriending (removes the connection but doesn't hide your profile) as less severe alternatives.

How to block someone from their profile

The quickest way to block someone is from their LinkedIn profile. Open their profile, then look for the three dots (•••) in the top right corner of their profile card or header. Click those dots to open a menu.

From that menu, select "Block and report" or "Block [Name]" — the exact wording varies slightly depending on whether you're on desktop or mobile. A confirmation window will appear asking if you're sure. Click "Block" to confirm. The block takes effect when ready, and you'll be returned to your own profile or feed.

How to block someone from a message thread

If someone is messaging you and you want to block them, open the message thread. At the top of the conversation, you'll see the person's name and a three-dot menu icon (•••) on the right side. Click that menu.

Select "Block" from the options. You'll see a confirmation asking whether you want to block this person and report the conversation. You can choose to report it to LinkedIn if the messages were inappropriate or spam, but reporting is optional — you can block without reporting. Click "Block" to finish.

How to block someone from your connections list

You can also block someone directly from your connections list without visiting their profile. Click "My Network" at the top of LinkedIn, then select "Connections." Search for the person's name or scroll to find them in the list.

Hover over their name and click the three dots (•••) that appear. Select "Block" from the menu. A confirmation window will appear — click "Block" again to confirm. The person is now blocked, and the connection is removed.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block someone, they can no longer see your profile, even if they have a direct link to it. If they try to visit your profile, they'll see a message saying "You don't have permission to view this profile" or similar language. They won't know for certain that you blocked them — the message could mean you've set your profile to private or that the profile doesn't exist.

Any existing messages between you and that person remain in your inbox, but they can't send you new messages. If you were connected, the connection disappears from both your lists. They can't tag you in posts, mention you in comments, or see your activity on LinkedIn.

How to unblock someone if you change your mind

If you want to unblock someone later, go to your LinkedIn settings. Click your profile photo in the top right, then select "Settings and privacy." Click "Privacy" in the left menu, then scroll down to find "Blocking and hiding" or "Blocked members."

You'll see a list of everyone you've blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and click "Unblock" next to their name. Confirm the action when prompted. Unblocking doesn't automatically reconnect you — you'll need to send a new connection request if you want to be connected again.

Muting and unfriending as alternatives to blocking

LinkedIn offers two other options that are less severe than blocking. Muting someone hides their posts and activity from your feed, but you remain connected and they can still see your profile and message you. This is useful if you want to reduce contact with someone without completely cutting them off.

To mute someone, click the three dots on one of their posts and select "Mute [Name]." You can also mute them from their profile using the three-dot menu. Unfriending removes the connection but doesn't hide your profile from them — they can still see your posts and profile if they search for you. To unfriend someone, click the three dots on their profile and select "Remove connection." Use unfriending when you want to end a connection but don't need to hide your activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I blocked them?

LinkedIn doesn't send a notification when you block someone. However, if they try to visit your profile or search for you, they'll see an error message that could tip them off. They won't receive a direct notification saying "You've been blocked."

Can I block someone and then unblock them without them knowing?

Yes. Unblocking doesn't notify the person, and they won't see a record of the block in their account. However, if they tried to visit your profile while you had them blocked, they may have noticed the error message.

What's the difference between blocking and unfriending?

Blocking hides your entire profile from the person — they can't see your posts, profile, or activity. Unfriending removes the connection but leaves your profile visible to them if they search for you. Blocking is more complete privacy protection.

Can I block someone on mobile the same way as desktop?

Yes. The process is identical on the LinkedIn mobile app and desktop website. Open their profile or message thread, tap the three dots, and select "Block." The menu layout may look slightly different on mobile, but the option is in the same place.

If I block someone, do my old messages to them disappear?

No. Your message history remains in your inbox after you block someone. You can still read old messages, but the blocked person can't send you new ones and can't see messages you sent after the block took effect.