How To Delete A LinkedIn Profile: Easy Guide 2022

Written By Alex Cherry

This article will give you everything you need to know about deleting your Linkedin account. Maybe your Linkedin profile is out of date and you no longer use it, or you just want to take break from the virtual world and online networking. Maybe you’re just getting too many notifications. There’s many reasons you might want to close your Linkedin profile. 

The simple way to delete your Linkedin profile

To delete your LinkedIn profile, you can go directly to your Account Preferences page on Linkedin. Scroll down and click on ‘Close Account.’ Select the reasons you want to close your account, fill in your password, and delete the account.

Before you delete your LinkedIn profile, be sure that you know all the consequences. Let’s understand that first.

What are the consequences of deleting your LinkedIn Profile?

This is what will happen when you close your Linkedin account:

  • Your profile will no longer appear on LinkedIn.
  • You will not be able to access your account’s information, relations, and networks.
  • You will lose all the references or endorsements you received on your profile.

Therefore, it is advisable to take a backup to avoid losing any critical data before deleting your LinkedIn profile. 

4 Reasons Why You Should Delete your LinkedIn Profile:

1) You’re not using it- Empty profiles that aren’t being used properly can sometimes look worse than not having a profile at all. It may be better to just delete your profile if you don’t find yourself using it.

2) It’s outdated and no longer reflects your professional self

3) You’ve found a better network for your industry

4) Personal reasons- maybe you’re taking a break from your career or no longer feel the need to network online

Why You Should Consider Keeping your Linkedin

LinkedIn is a networking site that allows users to connect with other professionals in their field. It has many advantages over other networking sites, including:

  1. LinkedIn is a great way to make connections with people in your field. You can search for people by name, company, or keyword, and then send them a message asking to connect.
  2. LinkedIn is a great resource for finding jobs. You can search for jobs by keyword or location, and see which companies are hiring.
  3. LinkedIn is a great place to find out about new opportunities. You can subscribe to various groups on LinkedIn, and get notifications about new opportunities as they become available.
  4. LinkedIn is a great place to build your professional reputation. You can share your expertise by writing articles, participating in discussions, and answering questions from other members.
  5. There is a lot of great business content to read and learn from.

How to back up your LinkedIn Profile Data? 

Here are the steps on how you can back up your LinkedIn data before deleting your account.

Step 1 – Click on your profile picture from the top of your LinkedIn homepage.

Step 2 – Select ‘Settings and Privacy’ from the dropdown menu

Step 3 – Click the ‘Data Privacy’ tab on the left rail

Step 4 – Under ‘How LinkedIn uses your data, select ‘Get a copy of your data’

Step 5 – Check the boxes for the data you want 

Step 6 – Click ‘Request Archive’

If you select specific data, you will receive an email from LinkedIn within a few minutes. Whereas if you have chosen a larger download, you will receive an email from them within 24 hours. Please note that this feature is only available on a personal computer.  

Here are some of the other ways to delete your Linkedin Account

How to delete your LinkedIn account on mobile

Here are the simple steps on how to delete a LinkedIn account from mobile:

Step 1 – Tap on your LinkedIn profile picture

Step 2 – Click on ‘Settings’ 

Step 3 – Select ‘Account Preferences’ 

Step 4 – Under ‘Account Management’, tap on ‘Close Account’ 

Step 5 – Click on ‘Continue’ to proceed 

Step 6 – Select the reason to close the account

Step 7 – Enter your LinkedIn password and click ‘Done’

How to remove your Linkedin account from Google Search?

Fortunately, LinkedIn has an option to hide your LinkedIn profile from Google Search Engine. 

Here’s how you do it.

Step 1 – Click on your profile picture.

Step 2 – Select ‘Settings and Privacy’ under the dropdown menu

Step 3 – Tap on ‘Visibility’

Step 4 – Click on ‘Edit Your Public Profile’

Step 5 – Turn off ‘Your Profile’s Public Visibility’

Step 6 – Wait for Google to make the changes

Once you adjust the settings, you should see a pop-up that your settings have been updated. Here onwards, search engines will no longer be able to find your LinkedIn profile. 

How to delete your LinkedIn account without a password?

There can be instances when you don’t have your LinkedIn password or forgot your password. But you don’t have to worry about it, as you can still delete your LinkedIn profile without a password. 

Here are the steps that you need to follow.

Step 1 – Go to the LinkedIn website 

Step 2 – Click on ‘Sign in’

Step 3 – Click on ‘Forgot Your Password’

Step 4 – Enter your email address or phone number and click on ‘Reset Password’

Step 5 – You will receive an OTP (One Time Password) to verify your identity

Step 6 – Enter the OTP and click on the ‘Submit’ button

Step 7 – Now, you will be asked to enter a new password, enter them twice and click on ‘Submit’

Step 8 – Go back to the LinkedIn homepage and login into your account

Step 9 – Tap on the profile picture and choose ‘Settings and Privacy’

Step 10 – Click on ‘Accounts Preference’

Step 11 – Scroll down to ‘Account Management’ and select ‘Close Account’ under it.

Step 12 – Select a reason to close your account.

Step 13 – Enter your password and click ‘Close account’

Can I reactivate my Linkedin profile after deleting it?

If you want to reset your LinkedIn, you can log in to the page with your registered email address, enter your password and sign in. You can also click on the link that you received during the closure of your account. Click reactivate to initiate the process.

How long does it take for a LinkedIn account to close?

LinkedIn account closure typically takes about a week. The account closure process involves verifying the user’s identity and confirming that the account is not in use. Though LinkedIn may erase your profile within 24 hours, it might take up to 30 days to clear all the associated data from their servers.

Why can’t I close my LinkedIn account?

If you cannot delete your LinkedIn account, the most probable reason is that LinkedIn has already disabled the button designated for closing the account. In such instances, try performing the action from your computer rather than mobile. You can also try to clear the cache from your computer before reattempting the LinkedIn account deletion. If you still fail to delete your account, contact the LinkedIn account support team, and ask for their guidance. This will help you solve the issue faster.