How to Delete Your LinkedIn Profile (And What to Consider First)

Deleting a LinkedIn profile sounds straightforward — but LinkedIn gives you two very different options that most people conflate: closing your account entirely and hiding your profile temporarily. Understanding the difference, and knowing which steps apply to your situation, matters more than most guides let on.

What "Deleting" LinkedIn Actually Means

LinkedIn uses the term "close account" rather than delete. When you close your account:

• Your profile disappears from LinkedIn search and public view
• Your connections lose access to your profile
• Your messages, recommendations, and endorsements are permanently removed
• Any LinkedIn Premium subscription you hold is not automatically cancelled — that's billed separately

There is no partial delete. You cannot remove just your work history or just your photo while keeping the account active in a stripped-down form. If you want your data gone, closing is the only path.

The Alternative: Hibernating Your Account

Before going the full route, LinkedIn offers a Hibernate option that's worth knowing about. Hibernation hides your profile from search and pauses your presence without permanently deleting anything. Your data, connections, and history are preserved and can be restored when you reactivate.

This is meaningful if you're between jobs, taking a break from networking, or just want to step back without burning the account down. Once you close an account, that profile URL, connection history, and recommendation record are gone permanently.

How to Delete (Close) Your LinkedIn Account

On Desktop

1. Click your profile photo in the top-right corner
2. Select Settings & Privacy
3. Go to the Account preferences section
4. Scroll to Account management
5. Click Close account
6. LinkedIn will ask for a reason — select one and continue
7. Enter your password to confirm
8. Click Close account

The account is flagged for closure immediately, but LinkedIn typically retains your data for up to 30 days before full deletion, during which you can reactivate by logging back in.

On Mobile (iOS or Android)

1. Tap your profile photo → Settings
2. Tap Account preferences
3. Scroll to Account management → Close account
4. Follow the same confirmation steps

The mobile path mirrors desktop, though the exact tap sequence can shift slightly with app updates. If a menu item seems missing, check that your app is updated to the latest version.

Before You Close: Things Worth Doing First 🗂️

LinkedIn lets you export your data before closing — and this is something many people skip and later regret. Your export includes:

• Connection list (names and emails, where shared)
• Messages
• Posts and articles you've written
• Recommendations received

To export: Settings & Privacy → Data privacy → Get a copy of your data. LinkedIn prepares the archive and emails you a download link, typically within 24 hours.

If you've written long-form articles on LinkedIn, those don't exist anywhere else unless you've saved copies. Same goes for recommendations — once the account is closed, you cannot retrieve them.

Cancel Premium Separately

This is where people get caught off guard. Closing your LinkedIn account does not cancel a LinkedIn Premium subscription. If you're billed through LinkedIn directly (not through the Apple App Store or Google Play), you need to cancel Premium before or separately from closing the account.

• Go to Settings → Premium subscription settings → Cancel subscription

If you subscribed via the App Store or Google Play, cancellation happens through those platforms' subscription management screens — not through LinkedIn itself.

What Happens to Your Data After Closing ⚠️

LinkedIn states it begins deleting your personal data after account closure, with most data removed within 30 days. However, some information may persist longer due to legal obligations or technical processes — such as data shared with third-party apps that had LinkedIn integration.

If you've used "Sign in with LinkedIn" on other platforms, those connections don't automatically break when you close your LinkedIn account. You'll want to revoke those app permissions before closing, or handle them individually in each external service.

Factors That Change How This Plays Out

Not everyone's situation is the same, and a few variables affect what closing an account actually means in practice:

If you're the sole admin of a LinkedIn Company Page, closing your personal account removes the only admin from that page. LinkedIn recommends assigning another admin first, or the page becomes unmanaged.

The Part That Depends on Your Setup

Whether closing your account is the right move — versus hibernating, stripping back your profile, or simply logging out and ignoring the platform — depends entirely on factors specific to you: whether you have a Premium subscription, whether your account is tied to a company page, whether you've used LinkedIn login on other services, and whether you might want access to that professional history later.

The mechanics are consistent. What they mean for your situation isn't something a general guide can resolve. 🔍