How to Delete Your LinkedIn Account [Permanently]

Want to delete your LinkedIn account permanently? Have you found an old account that is no longer relevant to you? Do you want to delete your current account and start fresh? No matter what reason you have to erase your LinkedIn account permanently, this tutorial shows you how.

Despite being a social network, LinkedIn is an excellent place to hang out and is full of positive people trying to develop careers and create networks of professional contacts. It helps that LinkedIn is full of professionals rather than random people and that the members are primarily workers, industry professionals, and career subjects.

There are many reasons you might want to delete your LinkedIn account, from going dark to resetting your career. While most social networks try to retain your info as a terrier will hold onto a ball, LinkedIn is different. It will freely let you hibernate or delete your account.

Note that a deletion request will always succeed, but it gets considered a request because you can reinstate your LinkedIn account within a certain period.

Permanently Deleting Your LinkedIn Account

If you decide to delete your LinkedIn account permanently, it also removes your profile, pics, contacts, and everything related to your LinkedIn life. You can use this shortcut to close your LinkedIn account, which states that you have 14 days to reinstate it and that all recommendations and endorsements you’ve collected will disappear forever.

The page also mentions that you must cancel your “Premium” status and any owned LinkedIn group first before attempting to delete your account. After you complete those processes, your account becomes a LinkedIn Basic account that you can delete.

When using the LinkedIn account closing page, click on the button towards the top that says “Close Account,” then you’re into the closure wizard, which guides you through the account removal process.

Other ways to close your account include using a browser or using the mobile app. Here’s how to do both.

How to Delete Your LinkedIn Account using a Browser

Many users find it easier to close their LinkedIn account by using a desktop browser. Here’s how to do it.

1. Log in to LinkedIn and click on your profile icon.
   
2. Select “Settings & Privacy.”
   
3. Click on “Account Preferences” in the menu on the left-hand side, then select “Account Management.”
   
4. Scroll down and click on “Change” in the “Close Account” section.
   
5. From the list provided, select one of the reasons for closing your account. Then, type a description of the reason for the closure (this is required). Finally, click “Next” at the bottom.
   
6. Type in your password to verify your account, then select “Close Account.”
   

You will still see a warning about data deletion and the ever-so-popular statement, “We’re sorry to see you go,” but LinkedIn won’t make too much of a fuss about you leaving.

How to Delete Your LinkedIn Account using the App

You can also delete your LinkedIn account from the app if you so decide. The process is much the same as using a browser.

1. Log into the LinkedIn app.
   
2. Tap your “profile icon” in the upper left-hand corner.
   
3. Select “Settings” at the top.
   
4. Choose “Account Preferences.”
   
5. Select the “Close Account” option at the bottom of the Account tab.
   
6. Tap on “Continue” and add your reason for leaving.
7. Enter your password to confirm the action, then select “Done.”
8. A notification appears talking about data loss and being sorry to see you go, but your account gets set for permanentl deletion once you continue.

How to Reopen Your LinkedIn Account

Account closure isn’t permanent until 14 days have passed. Beforehand, the account gets placed in a cue for deletion—a safety mechanism. From day one, after the delete request, your account resides in a removal queue. You have up to 14 days to change your mind about closing your LinkedIn Basic account, should you decide to reinstate it. Again, the word “Basic” assumes you have already canceled any “Premium” status, “Premium” account license, or LinkedIn group. After 14 days have passed, your account is officially gone forever (on your end anyhow)!

If you decide to reopen your LinkedIn account within the 14-day limit, follow the steps below.

1. Sign in to LinkedIn as you used to.
2. Select Reactivate from the options you see once logged in.
3. Wait for the confirmation email LinkedIn sends to your registered email account
4. Acknowledge the reactivation from the email.

Once you successfully reinstate your LinkedIn account, it becomes reactivated immediately. If you try this process after 14 days of your deletion request, reactivation will fail, and you will genuinely have permanently deleted your LinkedIn Basic account.

LinkedIn is refreshingly clear about data policies, and they’re fair about deleting your account and your data. While most data gets deleted, the Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) say some will be retained but anonymized.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I temporarily deactivate my account?

Absolutely! Select the option to “Hibernate Account” rather than close your LinkedIn account. This option removes your profile so that other users cannot see it. However, others can see the name “A LinkedIn member” when viewing your messages or sending you one, viewing your posts and comments, and seeing recommendations and endorsements you’ve made.

LinkedIn does not state a time limit for how long you can hibernate your account, but it does say you can reactivate it after 24 hours. When you’re ready to reinstate your account, simply log in. Your account comes out of hibernation with all messages, content, and profile information intact.

If I permanently delete my LinkedIn account, can I recover any information?

Unfortunately, not after 14 days. If you’ve deleted your account and feel that you’ve lost critical information or would like to reinstate it, this isn’t possible after the first 14 days.

What happens to your data after you close your LinkedIn account?

Most social networks are notorious for harvesting as much data as they can get away with and are very reluctant to surrender it when you want to leave. As for LinkedIn, Section 4.3 in LinkedIn’s terms and conditions is very clear what happens. The data is kept for around 30 days and then deleted.