LinkedIn lets you close your account in two ways: deactivation, which you can undo later, or deletion, which is permanent after 30 days

Deactivation hides your profile immediately but keeps your data for 30 days in case you change your mind. Deletion removes your profile from LinkedIn's servers permanently after a 30-day waiting period. Most people choose deactivation first because it gives you time to download your data or reconsider. If you want your account gone for good, you'll need to go through the deletion process instead.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're using the website or the mobile app, and LinkedIn requires you to be signed in to your account. You cannot close someone else's account, and you cannot close an account that's been hacked without first regaining access to it.

Key Takeaways

  • Deactivation hides your profile immediately but keeps your account recoverable for 30 days, while deletion removes it permanently after 30 days.
  • You must be signed into your LinkedIn account to close it—you cannot close an account from outside.
  • Before closing your account, download your data from the Settings menu so you have a record of your connections and activity.
  • If you deactivate and then reactivate within 30 days, your profile, connections, and messages return exactly as they were.
  • After the 30-day deletion window closes, LinkedIn cannot recover your account or any of its contents.

How to deactivate your LinkedIn account on desktop

Sign into LinkedIn on your web browser. Click your profile photo in the top right corner, then select Settings and privacy from the dropdown menu. On the left side, click Account preferences, then scroll down and click Close account.

LinkedIn will ask you why you're leaving and show you a warning that your profile will be hidden immediately. Read through the information—it explains that you have 30 days to reactivate if you change your mind. Click the checkbox to confirm you understand, then click Deactivate. Your profile disappears from LinkedIn right away, though your data stays on their servers during the 30-day window.

How to deactivate your LinkedIn account on mobile

Open the LinkedIn app and tap your profile photo at the bottom. Tap the gear icon to open Settings. Scroll down and tap Account preferences, then tap Close account. The app will show you the same warning and 30-day reactivation window as the desktop version.

Tap the checkbox to confirm you understand the terms, then tap Deactivate. Your account closes immediately on the app and across all devices. If you're signed in on multiple devices, you'll be logged out everywhere.

How to permanently delete your LinkedIn account

If you deactivated your account, you can still delete it permanently. Sign back in during the 30-day window, go to Settings and privacy > Account preferences > Close account, and this time select Delete account instead of Deactivate. LinkedIn will ask for confirmation and explain that deletion is permanent.

If you did not deactivate first, you can go straight to deletion by following the same path and choosing Delete account from the start. Either way, LinkedIn begins a 30-day countdown. During this time, your profile is hidden but your data still exists on their servers. After 30 days pass, your account and all associated data are permanently removed and cannot be recovered.

Download your data before closing your account

Before you deactivate or delete, download a copy of your LinkedIn data so you have your own record of your connections, messages, and activity. Go to Settings and privacy > Data privacy > Get a copy of your data. LinkedIn will prepare a file and send it to your email address within a few hours or days, depending on how much data you have.

The file includes your profile information, connections list, messages, and activity history. This is especially useful if you want to keep contact information for your professional network or have a record of your work history on the platform. You can download this data even after you've deactivated your account, as long as you're still within the 30-day window.

What happens to your messages and connections after you close

When you deactivate, your profile disappears from search results and other people's networks, but your messages stay in their inboxes. They can still read what you wrote, but they cannot message you back or see your profile. If you reactivate within 30 days, your messages and connections return exactly as they were.

If your account is permanently deleted after the 30-day period, your messages remain in other people's inboxes but are marked as from a deleted account. Your connections list is gone from your end, though people you were connected to will see that connection removed from their network. LinkedIn does not notify your connections that you closed your account.

How to reactivate your account within 30 days

If you deactivated and want to come back, sign in with your email and password during the 30-day window. LinkedIn will ask if you want to reactivate. Click Yes, reactivate my account, and your profile, connections, messages, and settings return immediately with no data loss.

You can reactivate as many times as you want during the 30 days. Once the 30-day period ends, reactivation is no longer possible if you chose deletion. At that point, your account is gone permanently and you would need to create a new LinkedIn account from scratch if you wanted to use the platform again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I close my LinkedIn account if I forgot my password?

No, you must be signed in to close your account. If you forgot your password, use the "Forgot password?" link on the LinkedIn login page to reset it. Check your email for a reset link from LinkedIn, create a new password, and then sign in to close your account. If you cannot access the email address linked to your account, contact LinkedIn's support team for help regaining access.

What if I deactivated but want to keep my profile visible?

Reactivate your account by signing in during the 30-day window. Your profile, connections, and all settings return exactly as they were. You can reactivate as many times as you want within those 30 days without losing anything.

Will LinkedIn delete my account if I don't use it for a long time?

No, LinkedIn does not automatically close inactive accounts. Your profile will remain active indefinitely unless you manually deactivate or delete it. However, you can change your privacy settings to make your profile less visible if you want to step back from the platform without fully closing your account.

Can I close my account if someone hacked it?

If your account was hacked, regain access first by resetting your password, then close the account. If you cannot reset your password because the hacker changed your email address, contact LinkedIn's support team with proof of identity. They can help you regain access so you can close the account yourself.

Does closing my LinkedIn account affect my other accounts?

No, closing LinkedIn does not affect your Facebook, Google, or other accounts. If you used your LinkedIn account to sign into other services, you'll need to use a different login method for those services going forward. Check any apps or websites where you used "Sign in with LinkedIn" and update your login information before you close your account.