How to Delete A LinkedIn Account in 2026

Difference Between Deleting and Deactivating a LinkedIn Account

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Before you do anything, it's important to know that how to delete a LinkedIn account and how to deactivate one are two very different things.

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Deactivating (Hibernating):

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• Your LinkedIn profile is hidden from search results and your network's feed.
  
  
• All your data — connections, messages, posts — is preserved.
  
  
• You can reactivate anytime by simply logging back in.
  
  
• No timeline pressure.

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Deleting (Closing Your Account):

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• Your profile is permanently removed from LinkedIn.
  
  
• All connections, messages, endorsements, and recommendations are gone.
  
  
• You get a 14-day grace period to change your mind.
  
  
• After 14 days, the data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

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Which one is right for you?

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LinkedIn's data retention policy means that even after you submit a deletion request, some data may be retained for legal or compliance reasons. 

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However, your public profile and personal information will be fully removed once the grace period ends.

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What to Do Before You Delete Your LinkedIn Account

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Don't rush into this. Here's what we always recommend doing before you figure out how to delete my LinkedIn account for real:

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• Download your LinkedIn data archive — go to Settings & Privacy → Data Privacy → Get a copy of your data. LinkedIn typically takes up to 24 hours to prepare the file. It includes your connections, messages, posts, and activity history.
  
  
• Export your contact list — your connections export includes names and email addresses, which is gold if you want to stay in touch off-platform.
  
  
• Notify key connections — let important contacts know where to reach you before you disappear.
  
  
• Disconnect third-party apps — go to Settings & Privacy → Sign-in & Security → Third-party applications and remove any connected tools.
  
  
• Cancel LinkedIn Premium manually — deleting your account does not automatically cancel your Premium subscription. Cancel it separately first to avoid being billed after deletion.
  
  
• Screenshot recommendations and endorsements — these are permanently deleted with your account and cannot be recovered, even if you reactivate within 14 days.

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How to Delete Your LinkedIn Account on Desktop (Step-by-Step)

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The exact path to delete your LinkedIn account permanently on a desktop browser:

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Step 1: Log in to your LinkedIn account at linkedin.com.

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Step 2: Click on your profile photo (Me icon) in the top-right corner → select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown.

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Step 3: In the left sidebar, click on Account Preferences.

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Step 4: Scroll down to the Account Management section → click Close Account.

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Step 5: LinkedIn will show you what you'll lose. Click Continue.

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Step 6: Select a reason for closing your account from the list (or choose "Other") → click Next.

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Step 7: Enter your password to confirm → click Done.

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What happens next: Your account is immediately deactivated. You'll receive a confirmation email. You have 14 days to log back in and reactivate if you change your mind. After that window closes, the deletion is permanent.

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💡 Pro tip: If you're having trouble finding the Close Account option, try using a different browser or clear your cache first.

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How to Delete Your LinkedIn Account on Mobile (Step-by-Step)

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Prefer doing it from your phone? Here's how to delete your account on LinkedIn via the app (works on both iOS and Android):

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Step 1: Open the LinkedIn app and log in.

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Step 2: Tap your profile photo in the top-left corner to open the sidebar.

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Step 3: Tap Settings (bottom-left on iOS, gear icon on Android).

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Step 4: Go to Account Preferences → scroll down to Account Management → tap Close Account.

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Step 5: Tap Continue on the warning screen.

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Step 6: Select your reason for leaving → tap Next.

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Step 7: Enter your password → tap Done.

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You'll get a confirmation notification in the app and a confirmation email shortly after. The same 14-day reactivation window applies here.

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👀 iOS vs. Android note: The navigation is nearly identical on both platforms. The main difference is where the Settings icon appears — bottom-left on iOS, top-right gear icon on Android.

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How Long Does It Take to Delete a LinkedIn Account?

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Here's the timeline breakdown so there are no surprises:

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• Immediately after submission: Your account is deactivated. Your profile is no longer visible to others.
  
  
• Within 14 days: You can still log back in and reactivate your account. Note that some data — like group memberships, endorsements, recommendations, and unread messages — will already be gone even if you reactivate.
  
  
• After 14 days: LinkedIn permanently deletes your account and all associated data from their servers. This cannot be undone.
  
  
• Google cache: Your profile may still appear in Google search results for a short period after deletion. This typically clears up within a few weeks as Google re-crawls the page.
  
  
• Third-party sites: Websites or tools that scraped your LinkedIn data may still show your info. You'd need to contact those platforms separately to have it removed.

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To cancel a deletion request, simply log back into LinkedIn within the 14-day window and click "Reactivate."

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Common Issues When Deleting a LinkedIn Account (And How to Fix Them)

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Running into a wall? Some of the most common problems people face when trying to delete my LinkedIn account and how to work through them:

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📢 Can't find the Close Account option 

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Try clearing your browser cache, switching to a different browser, or using the desktop version instead of mobile. Sometimes the option doesn't load correctly on older browsers.

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📢 Forgot your password 

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Click "Forgot Password" on the login page to reset via your email. Once you reset and log in, follow the deletion steps as normal.

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📢 LinkedIn Premium not canceling 

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Cancel Premium separately before initiating account closure. Go to Settings & Privacy → Subscriptions → Cancel Premium. Don't rely on the account closure flow to do this automatically.

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📢 Account linked to a Company Page 

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If you're the sole admin of a LinkedIn Company Page, you need to either assign a new admin or close the page before you can delete your personal account. LinkedIn won't let you leave a company page with no admin.

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📢 SSO or third-party login (Google/Apple) 

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If you signed up through Google or Apple, you'll still need to set a LinkedIn password before deleting. Go to Settings & Privacy → Sign-in & Security → Change Password to set one, then proceed with deletion.

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Alternatives to Deleting Your LinkedIn Account

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Deletion is permanent. Before you go through with it, here are some options worth considering:

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• Hibernate your account — this temporarily hides your profile, pauses all notifications, and keeps your data intact. It's the best option if you just need a break. Find it under Settings & Privacy → Account Preferences → Account Management → Hibernate Account.
  
  
• Make your profile private — you can turn off your public profile visibility so you don't show up in Google searches or LinkedIn search results, without deleting anything.
  
  
• Clean up and go quiet — remove content you don't want public, update your privacy settings, and simply stop posting. Your profile stays, but you're basically invisible.
  
  
• Start fresh with a new account — if the issue is your current profile, you can delete it and create a new one. Just know that LinkedIn only allows one account per person.

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One thing worth mentioning: A lot of professionals who delete their LinkedIn accounts end up regretting it, especially when they need to job hunt or reach out to old contacts. If you're not 100% sure, hibernation is always the safer first step.

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Before You Leave LinkedIn — How Cleverly Helps Businesses Generate Leads on LinkedIn

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Something worth considering: if you're thinking about deleting LinkedIn because it hasn't delivered results for your business, that's almost always a strategy problem, not a platform problem.

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LinkedIn is still the #1 channel for B2B lead generation when it's used the right way. The issue is most people approach it without a clear ICP, use generic messaging, and give up before the outreach gains traction.

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That's exactly what we solve at Cleverly.

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We're a done-for-you LinkedIn lead generation agency that uses data from thousands of outbound B2B campaigns to send proven, personalized messages to your ideal clients on LinkedIn — and get positive replies straight to your inbox.

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Here's how we help B2B companies turn LinkedIn into a consistent pipeline source:

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• LinkedIn Lead Generation — we build your targeting list, write your outreach sequences, and run your campaigns end-to-end so you're not spending hours in your inbox.
  
  
• LinkedIn Appointment Setting — our dedicated response handlers manage your inbox, nurture leads, and book meetings directly on your calendar.
  
  
• LinkedIn Content & Ghostwriting — we build out your content strategy and write posts that position you as the go-to in your space.
  
  
• LinkedIn Profile Optimization — we turn your profile from a resume into a lead-converting landing page.

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We've helped 10,000+ clients generate leads with companies like Amazon, Google, Uber, PayPal, Slack, and Spotify. That's resulted in $312 million in pipeline revenue and $51.2 million in closed revenue through LinkedIn outreach alone.

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LinkedIn lead generation services start at just $397/month.

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Before you close that account — see what LinkedIn can actually do when it's run the right way. Book a free strategy call with Cleverly.

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Conclusion

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Deleting your LinkedIn account is a straightforward process once you know the steps. The key things to remember:

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• Download your data and cancel LinkedIn Premium before you submit the deletion request.
  
  
• You have a 14-day window to reactivate — after that, it's permanent.
  
  
• Hibernation is always the safer first move if you're not completely sure.
  
  

If LinkedIn hasn't been working for your business, it's worth exploring a smarter approach before walking away from the platform entirely.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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