How to Delete Your LinkedIn Profile: A Complete Guide

Deleting a LinkedIn profile is a permanent action — and LinkedIn makes a clear distinction between closing your account entirely and simply stepping back from the platform. Understanding the difference, and what happens to your data afterward, matters before you click anything final.

Closing Your Account vs. Hiding Your Profile

LinkedIn offers two paths if you want to reduce your presence:

• Hibernating your account — Your profile becomes invisible to other members, but your data, connections, and messages are preserved. You can reactivate at any time by simply logging back in.
• Closing your account permanently — This deletes your profile, removes your connections, cancels any active subscriptions tied to that account, and schedules your personal data for removal from LinkedIn's servers.

Most people searching for "how to delete my LinkedIn profile" actually want the permanent closure option. But if you're unsure, hibernation is worth considering first — especially if there's any chance you'll want to return to professional networking later.

What Gets Deleted When You Close Your Account

Before proceeding, it's worth knowing exactly what disappears:

⚠️ One important caveat: content you've posted that others have shared or interacted with may leave traces elsewhere on the platform or in cached search engine results, at least temporarily.

How to Delete Your LinkedIn Profile on Desktop

1. Log in to your LinkedIn account.
2. Click your profile photo in the top-right corner.
3. Select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown menu.
4. In the left-hand sidebar, click Account preferences.
5. Scroll down to find Close account under the Account management section.
6. Click Close account and follow the prompts.

LinkedIn will ask you to select a reason for leaving and may offer alternatives like hibernation. You'll need to confirm your password before the deletion is finalized.

How to Delete Your LinkedIn Profile on Mobile

The process is similar on the LinkedIn app (iOS or Android):

1. Tap your profile photo in the top-left corner.
2. Tap Settings (gear icon).
3. Scroll to Account preferences.
4. Tap Close account.
5. Follow the on-screen steps and confirm with your password.

🔍 Note: LinkedIn's app interface occasionally shifts with updates, so exact menu labels may vary slightly depending on your app version.

Before You Delete: Things to Do First

If you're certain about leaving, a few steps are worth taking beforehand:

• Download your data archive — Go to Settings & Privacy → Data privacy → Get a copy of your data. This lets you save your connections list, messages, and profile history before they're gone.
• Cancel LinkedIn Premium manually — Closing your account doesn't always guarantee a refund for unused subscription time. Cancel your Premium subscription first and confirm billing has stopped.
• Save contact information — Your connections' email addresses or phone numbers won't transfer automatically. If there are people you want to stay in touch with, reach out before you leave.
• Check for linked apps — If you've used "Sign in with LinkedIn" for other services, those logins may break when your account closes.

How Long Does LinkedIn Take to Delete Your Data?

LinkedIn doesn't remove all your data instantly. After you close your account:

• Your profile disappears from search results relatively quickly.
• A 30-day grace period typically allows you to reopen the account if you change your mind.
• Full data deletion from LinkedIn's systems can take up to 30 days after the grace period ends, depending on LinkedIn's current policies.
• Backup and legal retention copies may persist for longer under their privacy policy terms.

Variables That Affect the Process 🗂️

The deletion process is largely the same for everyone, but a few factors make individual experiences differ:

• LinkedIn Premium or Recruiter subscriptions add a billing layer that needs separate attention.
• Company Page ownership — If you're the sole admin of a LinkedIn Company Page, you'll need to assign another admin or delete the page before closing your personal account.
• Learning certificates tied to your account through LinkedIn Learning will no longer be accessible via LinkedIn, though you may have received PDF copies already.
• Third-party integrations (CRMs, job boards, or HR platforms connected via LinkedIn's API) may need to be updated separately.

The Part Only You Can Determine

Whether permanent deletion is the right move — versus hibernation, or simply logging out and ignoring the platform — depends entirely on how your LinkedIn account fits into your current and future professional life. Someone actively job hunting has very different stakes than someone who created an account years ago and never uses it. The platform's data practices, your visibility preferences, and what you've built there all factor into what the right choice looks like for your specific situation.