How to Delete Your LinkedIn Account Permanently

LinkedIn is one of the most widely used professional networking platforms in the world — but not everyone wants to stay on it. Whether you're stepping back from social media, concerned about data privacy, or simply no longer using the platform, deleting your LinkedIn account is a straightforward process with a few important details worth understanding before you pull the trigger.

What Happens When You Delete Your LinkedIn Account

Deleting your LinkedIn account is a permanent action. Unlike deactivating or hiding your profile, deletion removes your account data, connections, messages, endorsements, and recommendations from the platform entirely.

LinkedIn does offer a grace period of approximately 20 days after you submit a deletion request. During that window, your account is closed but not yet fully removed — meaning you can log back in to cancel the deletion if you change your mind. After that period expires, the data is permanently purged and cannot be recovered.

A few things to know before deleting:

• Your profile disappears immediately from search results once deletion is initiated
• Messages you've sent may still appear in other users' inboxes, though your name may show as a former member
• Premium subscriptions need to be cancelled separately — deleting your account does not automatically cancel billing
• Any LinkedIn Learning progress or certificates will be lost if they're tied to your account

How to Delete Your LinkedIn Account on Desktop

The deletion option is buried a few layers deep in LinkedIn's settings, but once you know where to look, the process takes under two minutes.

1. Log in to LinkedIn at linkedin.com
2. Click your profile photo in the top-right corner
3. Select Settings & Privacy
4. In the left-hand menu, click Account preferences
5. Scroll down to find Account management
6. Click Close account
7. LinkedIn will ask you to select a reason for leaving — choose whatever applies
8. Enter your password to confirm
9. Click Done

After completing these steps, you'll receive a confirmation email. The 20-day countdown begins immediately.

How to Delete Your LinkedIn Account on Mobile 📱

The mobile process works similarly but navigates slightly differently depending on whether you're using iOS or Android.

1. Open the LinkedIn app and tap your profile photo
2. Tap Settings (gear icon)
3. Scroll to Account preferences
4. Tap Account management
5. Select Close account
6. Choose your reason and confirm with your password
7. Tap Done

One important note: you cannot initiate account deletion through the LinkedIn mobile app on all versions. If you don't see the option, switch to a desktop browser or use the mobile browser version of linkedin.com — LinkedIn's full settings menu is consistently available there.

Before You Delete: Things Worth Considering

Export Your Data First

LinkedIn allows you to download a copy of your data before closing your account. This includes your connections list, messages, profile information, and more. It's worth doing if you want to keep a record of your network or contacts.

To do this, go to Settings & Privacy → Data privacy → Get a copy of your data. LinkedIn will prepare the file and email you a download link, which typically arrives within 24 hours.

Deactivation vs. Deletion — What's the Difference?

LinkedIn doesn't offer a traditional "deactivate" option the way Facebook or Instagram do. Your choices are essentially:

If you're unsure whether you want to leave permanently, adjusting your privacy settings to limit your visibility is a softer alternative. You can make your profile unsearchable, turn off activity broadcasts, and stop receiving emails — without committing to full deletion.

Cancel Any Active Subscriptions First

This is one of the most commonly overlooked steps. LinkedIn Premium, Recruiter, Sales Navigator, and LinkedIn Learning subscriptions are billed separately and are not automatically cancelled when you delete your account. Cancel your subscription first through Settings → Subscriptions, then proceed with account deletion.

What Affects How Smoothly the Process Goes

For most users, the deletion process is quick and uneventful — but a few variables can complicate things:

• Single sign-on (SSO) accounts: If your LinkedIn account was created through a Google, Apple, or employer SSO login, you may need to set a LinkedIn password first before the deletion process will let you confirm
• Company page ownership: If you're the sole admin of a LinkedIn Company Page, you'll need to either delete the page or assign another admin before your personal account can be fully closed
• Learning certificates tied to employer accounts: Some LinkedIn Learning access is managed through employer licenses — deletion of your personal account may not remove corporate-tier data in the same way

The Part That Depends on You

The mechanics of deleting a LinkedIn account are the same for everyone. But whether it makes sense for you to delete versus deactivate, archive, or simply step back depends on how your account is structured — whether it's linked to a company page, a paid subscription, an employer SSO system, or an active professional network you might want to return to someday.

Understanding those variables in your own setup is what determines whether a clean deletion is the right move, or whether a more partial approach better fits your situation.