Are you concerned about how to make LinkedIn private?
Do you want to make sure that your profile is only accessible to certain people?
Fortunately, LinkedIn offers various privacy settings that allow you to control who can view your profile and activity.
In this article, we will guide you through the steps to make your LinkedIn profile private.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool for networking and job searching, but it’s important to remember that your profile is public by default.
This means that anyone can view your profile, including your current employer, colleagues, and potential recruiters.
However, you have the option to make your profile private, which means that only your connections can see your full profile and activity.
This can be especially useful if you’re currently employed and don’t want your job search to be public knowledge.
To make your LinkedIn profile private, you’ll need to adjust your privacy settings.
This includes changing who can see your activity feed, connections, and profile information.
We’ll walk you through each step so that you can customize your privacy settings to your liking.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of how to make your LinkedIn profile private and protect your personal information.
Post Contents
- 1 Logging into LinkedIn
- 2 Understanding LinkedIn Settings
- 3 How to Make LinkedIn Private
- 4 Understanding Profile Viewing Options
- 5 Managing LinkedIn Partners and Permitted Services
- 6 Exploring Private Profile Characteristics
- 7 Applying AI to LinkedIn Privacy
- 8 Privacy Concerns for Politicians on LinkedIn
- 9 Key Takeaways
Logging into LinkedIn

To access your LinkedIn account, you need to log in first.
Follow these simple steps to log in to your LinkedIn profile:
- Open your preferred browser and go to the LinkedIn website.
- Enter your email address or phone number and password in the respective fields.
- Click on the “Sign in” button to log in to your LinkedIn account.
If you have forgotten your password, click on the “Forgot password?” link and follow the prompts to reset it.
It is important to note that you should only log in to your LinkedIn account on devices that you trust and avoid using public computers or unsecured networks to access your profile.
This will help keep your account secure and prevent unauthorized access to your personal information.
Once you have successfully logged in to your LinkedIn account, you can start managing your privacy settings to make your profile private and only accessible to logged-in users.
Understanding LinkedIn Settings
As a LinkedIn user, you have control over the information that is displayed on your profile and who can see it.
By managing your LinkedIn settings, you can keep your profile private and secure.
There are two main categories of settings: General Settings and Privacy Settings.
General Settings
General Settings include basic information such as your name, email address, and password.
You can also manage your language, location, and email preferences.
To access General Settings, click on your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen and select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
Privacy Settings
Privacy Settings are where you can control who can see your profile and activity on LinkedIn.
This includes your connections, endorsements, and recommendations.
You can also choose whether or not to allow others to see when you’ve viewed their profile.
To access Privacy Settings, click on your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen and select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
In Privacy Settings, you can choose who can see your activity feed, which includes updates, posts, and comments.
You can also control who can see your connections, which is important if you don’t want your current employer to know that you’re networking with recruiters.
Another important feature is the ability to control who can see your email address and phone number.
By default, only your connections can see this information.
However, you can choose to hide it from everyone or only show it to your first-degree connections.
LinkedIn also offers the ability to block users who are harassing or spamming you.
You can block someone by going to their profile and clicking on the three dots in the top right corner of their profile.
By understanding LinkedIn settings, you can ensure that your profile is private and secure.
Take the time to review your settings and make any necessary changes to protect your privacy.
How to Make LinkedIn Private

If you’re looking to make your LinkedIn profile more private, there are a few steps you can take to limit the visibility of your profile and browsing activity.
Here’s how to make LinkedIn private:
Editing Your Public Profile
Your public profile is the version of your LinkedIn profile that is visible to people who are not connected with you on LinkedIn.
To edit your public profile:
- Log in to LinkedIn and select your profile menu.
- Click “Settings & Privacy.”
- Click “Visibility” on the left-hand side.
- Next to “Edit your public profile,” click “Change.”
- Toggle the options on or off to control what information is visible on your public profile.
Changing Visibility Settings
You can also control who can see your activity on LinkedIn by adjusting your visibility settings.
To change your visibility settings:
- Log in to LinkedIn and select your profile menu.
- Click “Settings & Privacy.”
- Click “Visibility” on the left-hand side.
- Under “Visibility of your activity feed,” click “Change.”
- Choose who you want to share your activity with, or toggle off the option entirely to make your activity private.
Enabling Private Mode
Private mode allows you to browse LinkedIn without your activity being visible to other users.
To enable private mode:
- Log in to LinkedIn and select your profile menu.
- Click “Settings & Privacy.”
- Click “Visibility” on the left-hand side.
- Under “Visibility of your profile & network,” click “Change” next to “Profile viewing options.”
- Select “Private mode” to browse LinkedIn privately.
Keep in mind that private mode also means that you won’t be able to see who has viewed your profile.
Additionally, some LinkedIn features may not be available in private mode.
Understanding Profile Viewing Options
When you view someone’s LinkedIn profile, they can see that you’ve viewed their profile unless you change your profile viewing options.
Understanding profile viewing options is essential to keep your LinkedIn activity private.
Anonymous Access
Anonymous access is a profile viewing option that allows you to view someone’s profile without revealing your identity.
When you enable anonymous access, your name and headline will be hidden from the person whose profile you’re viewing.
However, you’ll still be able to see their name and headline.
To enable anonymous access, follow these steps:
- Click on the “Me” icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
- Click “Visibility” on the left rail.
- Under “Visibility of your profile & network,” click “Change” next to “Profile viewing options.”
- Select “Private profile characteristics” to enable anonymous access.
Private Mode
Private mode is another profile viewing option that allows you to view someone’s profile without revealing your identity.
When you enable private mode, your name, headline, and other profile information will be hidden from the person whose profile you’re viewing.
To enable private mode, follow these steps:
- Click on the “Me” icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
- Click “Visibility” on the left rail.
- Under “Visibility of your profile & network,” click “Change” next to “Profile viewing options.”
- Select “Private mode” to enable private mode.
It’s important to note that when you enable private mode, you won’t be able to see who’s viewed your profile.
Additionally, if you’re a LinkedIn Premium member, you won’t be able to see who’s viewed your profile even if you don’t enable private mode.
Understanding profile viewing options is essential to keep your LinkedIn activity private.
By enabling anonymous access or private mode, you can view someone’s profile without revealing your identity.
Managing LinkedIn Partners and Permitted Services
When you use LinkedIn, you may choose to connect with third-party applications or services.
These are called “permitted services.”
While these services can be useful, they may also access your LinkedIn data.
It is important to manage your permitted services to ensure your data is secure and not being used inappropriately.
To manage your LinkedIn partners and permitted services, follow these steps:
- Log in to LinkedIn and go to your profile menu.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the drop-down menu.
- Click on “Data privacy” on the left rail.
- Under the “Other applications” section, click “Change” next to “Permitted Services.”
- Here you will see a list of all the services you have connected to LinkedIn. To disconnect a service, click “Remove” next to the service name.
It’s important to note that disconnecting a service may impact any data that has been shared with that service.
Be sure to review the terms and conditions of each service before connecting it to your LinkedIn account.
LinkedIn partners are companies that work with LinkedIn to provide services to members.
These partners may also have access to your data.
To manage your LinkedIn partners, follow these steps:
- Log in to LinkedIn and go to your profile menu.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the drop-down menu.
- Click on “Data privacy” on the left rail.
- Under the “Partners” section, click “Change” next to “LinkedIn Partners.”
- Here you will see a list of all the partners that have access to your data. To revoke access, toggle the switch next to the partner’s name to the off position.
By managing your LinkedIn partners and permitted services, you can ensure that your data is secure and only being used by trusted sources.
Be sure to review your settings regularly to make sure you are comfortable with the level of access granted to third-party services.
Exploring Private Profile Characteristics
When you set your LinkedIn profile to private mode, you have two options for what others will see when you view their profiles: private profile characteristics and private mode.
But what exactly are private profile characteristics?
Private profile characteristics are parts of your profile that are visible to others when you view their profiles in private mode.
These include your job title, industry, and location.
Essentially, they allow others to see just enough information about you to understand why you might be viewing their profile.
To explore your private profile characteristics, you can follow these simple steps:
- Log in to your LinkedIn account and click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu.
- Click on “Visibility” in the left-hand menu.
- Under “Profile Viewing Options,” select “Your Private Profile Characteristics.”
- Save your changes.
Now, when you view other profiles in private mode, they will see your job title, industry, and location.
This can be helpful if you want to network with others in your industry or if you’re looking for job opportunities.
Keep in mind that while private profile characteristics allow others to see some information about you, they do not reveal your name or any other identifying details.
If you want to remain completely anonymous when viewing profiles, you’ll need to switch to private mode.
Applying AI to LinkedIn Privacy
Did you know that LinkedIn uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help protect your privacy?
LinkedIn’s AI algorithms are designed to detect and prevent spam, fake profiles, and other suspicious activity on the platform.
Here are a few ways AI is used to help keep your LinkedIn profile private and secure:
Detecting Suspicious Activity
LinkedIn’s AI algorithms can detect suspicious activity on the platform, such as fake profiles, spam messages, and other types of malicious behavior.
This helps to keep your profile and personal information safe from potential threats.
Personalized Privacy Settings
LinkedIn’s AI algorithms can also help personalize your privacy settings based on your activity on the platform.
For example, if you frequently connect with recruiters, LinkedIn may suggest that you make your profile more visible to recruiters while keeping it private from other users.
Protecting Your Data
LinkedIn’s AI algorithms can also help protect your data by detecting and preventing unauthorized access to your account.
This includes monitoring your login activity and alerting you if there are any suspicious logins or changes to your account.
Using Python for Privacy
LinkedIn’s AI algorithms are powered by a variety of programming languages, including Python.
Python is a popular language for data analysis and machine learning, which makes it an ideal choice for building AI algorithms that can help protect your privacy on LinkedIn.
Privacy Concerns for Politicians on LinkedIn
If you’re a politician, LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to connect with your constituents and other professionals in your field.
However, it’s important to be aware of the privacy concerns that come with using the platform.
Firstly, posting political content on LinkedIn can turn off followers and even risk your reputation.
Many people use LinkedIn as a professional networking site and don’t want to see political posts or comments.
It’s best to keep your political views to yourself or share them on other platforms that are more appropriate.
Secondly, LinkedIn’s privacy settings can be confusing, and it’s easy to accidentally share too much information.
Make sure to review your privacy settings regularly and adjust them to your comfort level.
For example, you may want to limit who can see your connections or turn off the “activity broadcast” feature so that your connections aren’t notified every time you make a change to your profile.
Finally, be aware of the risks of cyberattacks and identity theft.
Politicians are often targeted by hackers, and LinkedIn is no exception.
Take steps to protect your account, such as using a strong password and enabling two-factor authentication.
Key Takeaways
When it comes to managing your privacy on LinkedIn, there are a few key takeaways to keep in mind:
- You can make your LinkedIn profile private, but this may limit your visibility to potential employers and networking opportunities.
- LinkedIn offers a range of privacy settings that allow you to control who can see your profile, activity, and other information.
- It’s important to be respectful of other people’s privacy on LinkedIn, and to use Private Mode selectively.
- Optimizing your profile, connecting with others, engaging with content, and attending events can all help you network effectively on LinkedIn.
Overall, making your LinkedIn profile private can be a useful tool for protecting your privacy and limiting who can see your information.
However, it’s important to weigh the potential benefits against the potential drawbacks, and to use LinkedIn’s privacy settings to control your visibility and protect your information.
By following these key takeaways and using LinkedIn’s privacy features wisely, you can ensure that your LinkedIn profile is an effective tool for networking and building your professional brand.