How to Cancel LinkedIn: Closing Your Account or Downgrading Your Subscription
LinkedIn gives you two very different "cancel" options depending on what you actually want to do. You might want to cancel a paid Premium subscription and return to a free account — or you might want to close your LinkedIn account entirely. These are separate processes with very different outcomes, and mixing them up can lead to unexpected charges or lost data.
Here's a clear breakdown of both paths.
What "Cancelling LinkedIn" Actually Means
When most people search for how to cancel LinkedIn, they're usually trying to do one of two things:
- Stop being charged for LinkedIn Premium (Career, Business, Sales Navigator, Recruiter, etc.)
- Delete their profile and account permanently
It's worth knowing upfront: cancelling Premium does not delete your account, and deleting your account does not automatically cancel a Premium subscription if it was billed through a third-party app store. These distinctions matter — especially for your billing.
How to Cancel LinkedIn Premium
LinkedIn Premium is a paid subscription layered on top of your free account. Cancelling it returns you to a free account with basic features. Your profile, connections, and messages stay intact.
Cancelling via LinkedIn's Website (Desktop)
- Log in at linkedin.com
- Click your profile photo in the top right
- Select Settings & Privacy
- Under the Subscriptions or Premium Subscription section, select Manage subscription
- Click Cancel subscription and follow the prompts
LinkedIn may present retention offers or ask for a cancellation reason — you can skip through these. Confirm the cancellation and look for a confirmation email.
Your Premium access continues until the end of the current billing period. You won't be refunded for partial months in most cases, though LinkedIn's policy can vary by region and subscription type.
Cancelling via Mobile App
The cancellation path depends on how you originally subscribed:
- If you subscribed through LinkedIn's website, you'll need to cancel through the website — not the app. Mobile apps generally don't let you manage web-based subscriptions.
- If you subscribed through the Apple App Store, go to your iPhone's Settings → [Your Name] → Subscriptions, find LinkedIn, and cancel there.
- If you subscribed through Google Play, open the Play Store, tap your profile icon → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions, select LinkedIn, and cancel.
This is where many people get tripped up. If your billing shows "Apple" or "Google Play" on your bank statement rather than LinkedIn directly, the app store is handling the subscription — and that's where you need to go to cancel.
How to Close (Delete) Your LinkedIn Account Entirely 🗑️
Deleting your account removes your profile, connections, recommendations, and all associated data. This is permanent and cannot be undone after a short grace period.
Steps to Delete on Desktop
- Click your profile photo → Settings & Privacy
- Scroll to the Account management section
- Select Close account
- LinkedIn will ask for a reason and may show a summary of what you'll lose
- Confirm with your password and submit
After submission, LinkedIn typically holds your data for a brief window (often around 20 days) in case you change your mind. After that, deletion is permanent.
Before You Delete — Things Worth Knowing
- Download your data first. Go to Settings → Data Privacy → Get a copy of your data. This lets you export your connections list, messages, and profile content.
- Premium subscriptions must be cancelled separately. Closing your account while still on Premium doesn't always stop billing, particularly for app store subscriptions. Cancel Premium first, confirm the cancellation, then close the account.
- Recruiter and Sales Navigator accounts are separate products with their own cancellation paths — often tied to corporate billing rather than your personal account.
Key Differences at a Glance 👀
| Action | What It Does | Affects Billing? | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancel Premium | Removes paid features, keeps free account | Yes — stops charges | Yes, you can re-subscribe |
| Close Account | Deletes profile and all data | No — must cancel Premium separately | Only within grace period |
| Uninstall App | Removes app from device | No effect on subscription | N/A |
Variables That Affect Your Cancellation Process
Not everyone will follow the exact same steps. Several factors determine which process applies to you:
- How you originally subscribed — directly through LinkedIn, through Apple, or through Google Play
- Your subscription type — individual Premium tiers vs. enterprise tools like Sales Navigator or Recruiter Lite
- Your device and OS — some settings menus look different on iOS, Android, and desktop browsers
- Whether you're on a free trial — trial cancellations have specific timing requirements to avoid being charged when the trial ends
- Your region — billing policies, refund eligibility, and account closure rules can differ by country
A person who signed up for Premium through a LinkedIn promotion on desktop has a different cancellation path than someone who tapped "upgrade" inside the iPhone app during a free trial.
Understanding exactly how and where your subscription was created is the single most important variable in making sure the cancellation actually goes through — and that the charges stop.