You cannot block someone on LinkedIn without them eventually finding out
LinkedIn does not have a hidden blocking feature. When you block someone, they will eventually discover it — either by trying to visit your profile, searching for you, or noticing they can no longer see your posts. The block itself is invisible at the moment you create it, but the effect is permanent and detectable.
What blocking actually does: the person cannot view your profile, see your posts or activity, send you messages, or find you in search results. From their side, your profile straightforward appears to not exist or to be restricted. They may not know the exact moment you blocked them, but they will know something changed if they try to interact with you.
If you want to reduce contact with someone without a permanent block, LinkedIn offers softer options — like removing a connection, muting their posts, or adjusting your privacy settings. Those choices are worth understanding first.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone on LinkedIn is not secret; they will discover it when they try to view your profile or search for you.
- The block takes effect when ready, but LinkedIn does not notify the person or tell them who blocked them.
- Removing a connection is less obvious than blocking and may be a better choice if you want to avoid confrontation.
- Muting someone's posts hides their activity from your feed without removing the connection or blocking them.
- Once you block someone, you cannot message them, and they cannot find your profile through search or direct URL.
The difference between blocking, removing, and muting
These three actions look similar from the outside but work very differently. Blocking is the most severe: the person cannot see your profile at all, cannot message you, and cannot find you in search. They will notice this if they look for you. Removing a connection is gentler — you straightforward delete them from your network, and they may not notice unless they check their connection list. Muting is the softest option: you stay connected, but you no longer see their posts in your feed.
Choose blocking only if you want a complete break and do not mind them knowing. Choose removing if you want distance but want to avoid the finality of a block. Choose muting if the person is fine to stay connected but their posts bother you.
How to block someone on LinkedIn
Open LinkedIn and go to the person's profile. Click the three dots (more options menu) near the top right of their profile card. Select "Block" from the dropdown menu. LinkedIn will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, the block is active when ready.
On mobile, the steps are the same: open their profile, tap the three dots, and select "Block." The confirmation screen will appear before the block takes effect.
After you block someone, you can still unblock them later by going to your Settings, selecting "Blocking and hiding," finding their name, and clicking "Unblock." This reverses the block completely.
What the blocked person will see
When someone tries to visit your profile after you block them, they will see a message saying your profile is not available or that the page cannot be found. If they search for you by name, you will not appear in results. If they try to message you, the message will not go through.
LinkedIn does not send them a notification that says "you have been blocked." They will only know if they actively try to find you or interact with you and notice the barrier. Some people never realize they have been blocked; others figure it out quickly.
Why someone might discover the block later
The most common way people discover a block is by searching for the person's name and noticing they have disappeared from results. Another common way is trying to visit a profile they bookmarked or trying to message someone they used to talk to. If they are looking at a mutual connection's profile and see a post from you, they might click on your name and hit the block barrier.
If the person is suspicious or checking up on you, they will find out. If they are not actively looking for you, they may never know. The block is not secret, but it is not advertised either.
When to use removing a connection instead
If you want to distance yourself from someone without the finality of a block, removing them as a connection is often smarter. Go to their profile, click the three dots, and select "Remove connection." This removes them from your network, but they will not see a notification. They may notice if they check their connection count, but many people do not.
Removing a connection is useful when you want to end a professional relationship quietly or when you are not sure you want a permanent block. You can always reconnect later if circumstances change. Blocking is harder to walk back socially, even though it is technically reversible.
Using muting to reduce contact without blocking
Muting someone hides their posts and activity from your feed without removing the connection or blocking them. Go to their profile, click the three dots, and select "Mute [person's name]." You will no longer see their posts, but you stay connected and can still message each other.
Muting is useful when someone's content bothers you but you do not want to end the relationship. It is the least obvious action to the other person — they have no way of knowing you muted them. You can unmute them anytime by going back to their profile.
What happens to your shared history after blocking
Blocking does not delete your past messages or interactions. If you sent messages to this person before blocking them, those messages remain in your inbox, but the person cannot see them or respond. Any posts you commented on together remain visible to other people, but the blocked person cannot see your comments or interact with them.
If you were in a group together, blocking does not remove either of you from the group. You may still see each other's posts in the group chat, depending on the group's privacy settings. Blocking is specific to one-on-one interaction, not to shared spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block someone without them knowing I blocked them specifically?
No. They will not receive a notification, but if they try to find you or visit your profile, they will realize something is blocking them. They may not know it is a block versus a deactivated account, but they will know they cannot access your profile.
If I block someone, can they still see my posts in groups we are both in?
It depends on the group's settings. In most groups, blocking does not prevent them from seeing your posts in the group feed. Blocking is specific to your profile and direct messages, not to shared spaces. If you want to hide from someone completely, you may need to leave the group.
What if I block someone and then they try to add me again?
They will not be able to send you a connection request while the block is active. Once you unblock them, they can send a new request, but you will see it as a fresh request, not a continuation of the old one.
Does LinkedIn tell the person who blocked them?
No. LinkedIn does not send a notification or tell them your name. They will only know they have been blocked if they try to interact with you and hit the barrier, or if they figure it out through other means.
Can I block someone and then message them later?
No. While you are blocking someone, you cannot message them and they cannot message you. You would have to unblock them first, which reverses the entire block and allows them to see your profile again.