Removing a contact takes two minutes and LinkedIn doesn't notify them

To remove a contact from LinkedIn, open your contacts list, find the person's name, and click the three-dot menu next to their profile. Select "Remove connection" and confirm. The person will not receive a notification that you removed them, and they will not see the change unless they check their own connections list — which most people rarely do.

LinkedIn keeps a record that you were once connected, but the connection no longer appears on either profile. If you remove someone by mistake, you can send them a new connection request, and they can accept it as though you had never been connected before.

Key Takeaways

  • Removing a connection is permanent on your end but does not notify the other person or delete your shared message history.
  • The person can still see your public profile and send you a message unless you block them separately.
  • You can remove multiple contacts at once by selecting their names and using the bulk action menu.
  • If you want to hide from someone entirely, blocking is stronger than removing — a blocked person cannot find your profile or message you.

Where to find your contacts list on desktop

On a desktop browser, click the "My Network" icon in the top navigation bar — it looks like two people and sits between the home icon and the messaging icon. This opens your network page. On the left side, you will see a menu with options including "Connections". Click "Connections" to see your full list of contacts.

The list shows all your current connections in order of most recent activity. You can search for a specific person using the search box at the top, or scroll through the list. Once you find the person you want to remove, move to the next step.

The removal process on desktop

Hover your mouse over the person's name or profile card. A three-dot menu icon will appear on the right side of their entry. Click the three dots to open a dropdown menu with several options. Select "Remove connection" from the list.

A confirmation box will appear asking "Remove [Name] from your connections?" Click the "Remove" button to confirm. The person is now removed from your connections list. You can close the page or continue removing other contacts.

Removing contacts on the LinkedIn mobile app

Open the LinkedIn app and tap the "My Network" icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap "Connections" to see your list. Search for the person you want to remove or scroll to find them.

Tap the three-dot menu icon next to their name. A menu will appear with the option "Remove connection". Tap it, then confirm when prompted. The removal is when ready, and you can remove additional contacts the same way.

What happens to messages after you remove someone

Your message history with that person stays in your inbox. You can still read old conversations, but you cannot send new messages to them unless you connect again. If they try to message you after you remove them, the message will not go through — they will see an error or a message saying the connection is required.

If you want to erase the conversation entirely, you can delete the message thread from your inbox. This removes it from your view but does not affect what they see on their end.

The difference between removing and blocking

Removing a connection and blocking are two separate actions with different effects. When you remove someone, they can still see your public profile, search for you, and send you a message (though the message may not go through depending on your settings). They can also send you a new connection request.

Blocking is stronger. A blocked person cannot find your profile in search, cannot see your public posts, and cannot message you. If you want to prevent someone from contacting you entirely, block them instead of just removing them. To block someone, go to their profile, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block".

Removing multiple contacts at once

If you need to remove several people, you can do this faster with bulk actions. On the desktop version, go to your Connections list. Check the boxes next to the names of the people you want to remove — you can select as many as you want. Once you have selected them, a menu will appear at the top with action options. Click "Remove" to remove all selected contacts at once.

The mobile app does not have a bulk removal feature, so you will need to remove contacts one at a time on your phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I removed them?

No. LinkedIn does not send a notification when you remove someone. They will only know if they manually check their connections list and notice you are no longer there — which most people do not do regularly.

Can I remove someone and then reconnect with them later?

Yes. After you remove someone, you can send them a new connection request at any time. They will see it as a fresh request, and if they accept, you will be connected again. There is no penalty or waiting period.

What if I remove someone by accident?

Send them a new connection request. They will receive it like any other request. You can include a note with the request explaining the mistake if you want, though it is not necessary.

Does removing someone delete our message history?

No. Your old messages stay in your inbox and you can read them anytime. However, you cannot send new messages to them unless you reconnect. If you want to erase the conversation from your view, you can delete the message thread.

Should I remove someone or block them?

Remove them if you straightforward do not want to stay connected but do not mind if they see your public profile. Block them if you want to prevent them from finding you, seeing your posts, or contacting you at all.