Remove a connection in three steps

To remove a connection from LinkedIn, open your profile, find the person's name in your connections list, click the three dots next to their name, and select "Remove connection." The person will not be notified that you removed them, and they will no longer see you in their network. You can remove connections from a desktop browser or the mobile app using the same method.

LinkedIn does not limit how many connections you can remove or how often you can remove them. Once you remove someone, you can send them a new connection request later if you change your mind — there is no waiting period or penalty for removing and re-adding the same person. This flexibility means you can adjust your network whenever your professional relationships or priorities shift.

Key Takeaways

  • Removed connections will not receive a notification, but they may notice you are no longer in their network if they check.
  • Removing a connection does not delete your past messages or shared history on LinkedIn.
  • You can remove connections from your phone or computer using the same steps.
  • If you remove someone by mistake, you can send them a new connection request immediately with no penalty.
  • Removing a connection is different from blocking, which prevents someone from seeing your profile or contacting you.

How to remove a connection on desktop

Start by going to your LinkedIn profile. Click "Connections" near the top of your profile page to see your full connections list. This shows everyone connected to you, sorted by most recent by default.

Search for the person's name using the search box at the top of your connections list, or scroll through the list to find them manually. Once you locate their name, hover over their profile card and click the three dots (more options menu) in the upper right corner of their card. A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Click "Remove connection" from the dropdown menu. LinkedIn will ask you to confirm the removal. Click "Remove" again to finalize the action. The person is now removed from your network, and the change takes effect immediately.

How to remove a connection on mobile

Open the LinkedIn app on your phone and tap the "Me" icon at the bottom right of the screen. Tap "Connections" to view your full connections list.

Search for the person's name using the search box, or scroll to find them. Tap their profile card to open their profile. At the top of their profile, tap the three dots (more options menu). Select "Remove connection" from the menu and confirm the removal when prompted.

The mobile process works identically to the desktop version, so you can manage your connections from anywhere using either method.

What happens after you remove a connection

The person you removed will not receive a notification from LinkedIn. However, they may notice you are no longer in their network if they visit your profile or check their connections list manually. Your removal is silent on their end unless they actively look.

Your past messages with that person remain in your LinkedIn inbox and can still be read by both of you. Removing a connection does not erase your message history or any posts you have liked or commented on together. The person can still see those interactions on their own profile, and you can still see theirs.

If you remove someone and later want to reconnect, you can send them a new connection request at any time. There is no cooldown period or limit on how many times you can connect and disconnect from the same person. This means you can test different network configurations without consequences.

Reasons people remove connections

Some people remove connections to keep their network focused on active professional relationships. Others remove connections after leaving a job or ending a business relationship. You might also remove someone if you no longer want them to see your activity or profile updates.

LinkedIn does not track why you removed someone or penalize you for removing connections. You have full control over your network at all times, and your reasons for removing someone are private.

Difference between removing and blocking

Removing a connection and blocking a user are two different actions with different outcomes. When you remove a connection, the person can still see your public profile and send you a new connection request. When you block someone, they cannot see your profile, send you messages, or find you in search results.

To block someone on LinkedIn, visit their profile, click the three dots menu, and select "Block or report." Blocking is stronger than removing and is useful if you want to prevent someone from contacting you or viewing your activity. Use blocking when removing is not enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I removed them?

LinkedIn does not send a notification when you remove a connection. However, the person may notice if they check your profile or their own connections list and see that you are no longer connected.

Can I remove multiple connections at once?

LinkedIn does not have a bulk remove feature. You must remove connections one at a time using the three dots menu on each person's profile card.

What if I remove someone by mistake?

You can send them a new connection request immediately. There is no waiting period, and they will not know you removed them previously unless you tell them.

Do my messages disappear if I remove a connection?

No. Your message history remains in your inbox even after you remove the connection. Both you and the other person can still read past messages.

Can I remove a connection if they removed me first?

If someone removes you, they will no longer appear in your connections list, so there is nothing to remove. You can send them a new connection request if you want to reconnect.