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 the account still exists in LinkedIn's systems. After 30 days pass, LinkedIn removes your data from their servers. You cannot undo a deletion after those 30 days are up.

The deletion process itself takes about five minutes. You do not need to delete individual posts, photos, or connections first — LinkedIn removes everything tied to your account when the 30-day window closes. However, anything you posted that other people shared, commented on, or saved may remain visible to them even after your account is gone.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleting your account hides your profile when ready but gives you 30 days to restore it before LinkedIn permanently removes your data.
  • You must sign in to your account to start the deletion process — you cannot delete an account you no longer have access to.
  • LinkedIn will send you a confirmation email; you do not need to click anything in that email for deletion to proceed.
  • Content you shared that others have saved or commented on may remain visible to them after your account is deleted.
  • If you want to keep your data before deletion, read your information from LinkedIn's data export tool first.

Steps to delete your account

Start by signing into LinkedIn on a web browser — the mobile app does not have a delete option. Go to your profile photo in the top right corner and click "Settings and privacy." Then click "Account preferences" and scroll down to find "Account management." You will see a link that says "Close account." Click it.

LinkedIn will show you a warning that explains what happens during the 30-day window and after. Read through it, then click the button to confirm you want to close your account. You will be asked to choose a reason for leaving — this is optional, but LinkedIn uses the feedback to understand why people leave. After you confirm, your account is hidden when ready.

Check your email for a message from LinkedIn titled something like "We received your account closure request." This email is just a receipt. You do not need to click any links or reply to it. Your account will delete automatically after 30 days unless you sign back in and cancel the deletion.

How to restore your account during the 30-day window

If you change your mind within 30 days, sign back into LinkedIn with your original email and password. Your profile, connections, and messages will reappear exactly as they were. LinkedIn will ask you to confirm that you want to keep your account open. After you confirm, your account is active again and visible to other people.

You can restore your account as many times as you want during the 30-day period. There is no limit on how many times you can cancel and restart the deletion process. Once the 30 days pass, however, you cannot restore it — you would have to create a brand new account from scratch.

Downloading your data before you delete

LinkedIn lets you read a copy of your profile information, connections list, and messages before you delete. This is useful if you want to keep contact information for people you worked with or save copies of recommendations you received.

To read your data, go to "Settings and privacy," then "Data privacy," then "Get a copy of your data." LinkedIn will prepare a file that includes your profile details, connection list, and message history. The file arrives in your email within a few minutes. You can read it even after you have started the deletion process — you have the full 30 days to grab it.

What happens to your messages and connections

When your account deletes, people who messaged you will still see the conversation history, but your name will show as "LinkedIn Member" instead of your actual name. They cannot click on your profile or send you new messages. Your profile picture disappears from the conversation thread.

Your connections will see that you are no longer on LinkedIn, but they will not receive a notification about it. If someone tries to visit your profile, they will see a message saying the page does not exist. Your connections list is not shared with anyone, so other people cannot see who you were connected to.

Removing yourself from LinkedIn without deleting your account

If you want to step back from LinkedIn but are not ready to delete permanently, you can make your profile private instead. Go to "Settings and privacy," then "Visibility," then "Profile visibility." Change it to "Private" so only people you have accepted as connections can see your profile. You can also turn off notifications so you stop receiving emails about connection requests and job recommendations.

Another option is to deactivate your account temporarily. This is different from deletion — your account stays on LinkedIn's servers, but your profile is hidden. You can reactivate it anytime by signing back in. However, LinkedIn does not have an official "pause" feature, so temporary deactivation works the same way as the 30-day deletion window: sign out and do not log back in, and your account will eventually be removed.

What LinkedIn keeps after deletion

LinkedIn says it deletes your personal data 30 days after you close your account, but some information may remain. If you posted something in a group or on someone else's profile, and they saved it or commented on it, that content stays visible to them. LinkedIn also may keep records of your activity for legal reasons — for example, if there was a dispute or a report about your account.

Advertisers who have seen your profile may still have data about you in their own systems. Deleting your LinkedIn account does not remove you from third-party databases or marketing lists. If you want to reduce your visibility to advertisers, adjust your privacy settings before you delete, or contact the advertiser directly to ask them to remove your information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete my account if I forgot my password?

No, you must be able to sign in to delete your account. If you cannot log in, use LinkedIn's "Forgot password?" link to reset it. If you no longer have access to the email address tied to your account, contact LinkedIn's support team and explain the situation. They may be able to help you regain access so you can delete it yourself.

Will deleting my LinkedIn account affect my job or background checks?

Deleting your account will not show up on background checks or affect your employment. However, if a potential employer looked at your LinkedIn profile before you deleted it, they may have already seen that information. Deleting the account does not erase what they saw or recorded.

What if I want to delete my account but keep my data private?

read your data before you start the deletion process. LinkedIn will email you a file with your profile information, connections, and messages. Save that file to your computer, then proceed with deleting your account. You will have your information backed up even after LinkedIn removes it from their servers.

Does LinkedIn delete my account if I do not log in for a long time?

No, LinkedIn does not automatically delete inactive accounts. Your profile will stay on LinkedIn indefinitely unless you manually delete it. However, you can make your profile private or hide it from search results if you do not want to be visible but want to keep the account.

Can someone else delete my LinkedIn account?

No, only you can delete your own account by signing in and going through the deletion process. If someone else has access to your email and password, they could sign in and delete it, but LinkedIn requires you to be logged in to start the process. If you think someone else has access to your account, change your password when ready.