Change the Information That Will Be Visible Online
This is where you can control what others see on your profile; you’re controlling your public view with this setting. Here is how to adjust this privacy option;
-
Log into your LinkedIn account.
-
Hit the “Me” icon from the navigation menu.
-
Select the option “Settings & Privacy”.
-
Choose the “Privacy” tab.
-
Select the option “Edit Public Profile”.
-
Then you click on “Edit Visibility” which by the right of the screen.
Free LinkedIn Accounts
Free accounts or Basic accounts as they’re called, will not be able to see a full list of the users that have viewed their profile.
They can however see the number of views their profile has generated; they can also see other data like the number of times the profile showed up in search, and can as well see not more than five users that have visited their profile.
If they have adjusted their privacy settings, you won’t be able to see much info about them, you might see something like “Someone from Canada” or “LinkedIn Member” viewing your profile.
We always advise our users to boost their Linkedin accounts by upgrading to the premium or Sales Navigator plans to get the best out of LinkedIn.
How to See Profile Views For Free LinkedIn Members?
Login to your LinkedIn and visit your profile page dashboard, you’ll be able to see data regarding the number of views the profile has generated. There isn’t much info though as a free member, here is what you’ll see;
-
The number of visits the profile has received.
-
The number of times your profile appeared on LinkedIn search results.
-
Five results for the users that viewed your profile.
This is the basic info you’ll see for your profile views data, let’s take a look at premium accounts.
LinkedIn Premium Accounts
For linkedin premium accounts, they’re able to see all the users that have viewed the profile so far within any specified period of time.
Even if some users have stayed anonymous, they’ll be listed as “Linked Member” or “someone from (location)” viewed your profile. If they have changed their privacy settings, there is not much data to be seen about them.
How To See Profile Views For Premium LinkedIn Users?
Log into your Linked account and navigate to the profile page, click on “Who viewed your profile” which can be seen under “Welcome” by your left. Here is the info displayed;
-
The list of all users who visited your LinkedIn profile for the last ninety days.
-
A graph showing weekly trends of your visitors, like whether they have dropped or increased.
-
And a weekly viewer insight for all your profile visitors.
Is Weekly Viewer Information Helpful?
LinkedIn makes viewing profiles important and that’s why they provide information regarding profile visitors and to some extent, notifications are sent whenever there are new profile views to premium members. What should you do with viewer information on LinkedIn then? and know what is an impression on linkedin to check your visibilty.
One thing is certain, most people that visited your profile are interested in you, it could be a hiring manager that wants to hire you, it can be that someone noticed your content/article and want to connect with the right companies or it’s an old colleague that visited your profile to get in touch with you.
Some users on the other hand are just spying on you, it could be your EX’s or just some random hater stalking your profile to see what you’re up to.
The best thing to do is predicting the reason why someone visits your profile on LinkedIn, especially if they have done it multiple times. If it’s a company or a recruiter, they definitely want to consider you to join their team even if they haven’t contacted you.
They’re reviewing your profile details to ensure that you’re the ideal candidate for them and in such a case you might want to get in touch with them.
Just go through your profile visitors and based on their connections or network, you’ll be able to make a guess as to why they’re on your profile and it’s good to always send connection requests to these users because they might help your career to the next level.
Should You Contact Your LinkedIn Profile Visitors?
If you believe they can be helpful, you should definitely consider sending them an InMail or a connection request. When you’re looking for a job it’s better to contact companies or recruiters that have once visited your profile page.
You should send them a message introducing yourself and why you want to connect with them, you don’t necessarily have to mention the fact that they visited your profile, just focus on the reason why you want to connect.
It’s not also a bad idea if you mentioned they’ve visited your profile, but if it’s a recruiter, you don’t need to start asking for a job. Just focus on the fact that you want to increase your knowledge and experience by interacting with them or their company.
If you're looking for ways to improve your LinkedIn profile, you might wonder how to download LinkedIn profile photo for your use in professional settings.
How To Browse LinkedIn Anonymously?
If you want to browse LinkedIn anonymously, you can change your settings. This means that your searches and profile views will be hidden on LinkedIn. Here is how to activate these setting;
-
Once you log into your LinkedIn account, you should hover to your “Profile Photo” and select the option “Privacy & Settings”.
-
If you’re on mobile, you should also click on the profile photo and then click on “View Profile Settings”.
-
Then you click on “Visibility” located on the left and select “Profile viewing options” and also select “Change”, these options are also available on your mobile device.
-
You’ll then see the private mode option, you should switch it ON by checking the small radio icon.
What Happens When You Switch To Private Mode?
Basically, two things happen when you turn on your LinkedIn account to private mode, one is that you’re browsing anonymously, that’s other LinkedIn users cannot identify you.
By default when you join LinkedIn you’re sharing your information with others including your searches and so on, but by going private, you’re anonymous to other users.
The second effect of LinkedIn Private mode is that you can navigate the platform without leaving a trail. LinkedIn by default shows profile visitors, going private means you’re blocking users from viewing you as their profile visitor.
They can see that a visitor has landed on their profile but they’ll have no idea you’re the one, their name will be hidden from them.
Is LinkedIn Private Mode For All Accounts?
Yes, LinkedIn private mode is available for both basic (free) and premium LinkedIn accounts. However, there are some differences in how private mode functions for free users versus premium users.
For free LinkedIn accounts, enabling private mode allows you to view profiles anonymously, meaning your name and profile information won’t be visible to the profile owner when you visit their page.
In this mode, the person whose profile you’ve viewed will only see a generic notification such as “Someone from [location] viewed your profile,” which ensures that your identity remains concealed.
For premium LinkedIn accounts, private mode offers all the same benefits of anonymity; however, it also includes the added advantage of being able to see who viewed your profile, even when someone else is browsing in private mode. This is a key feature for those who want to maintain privacy while still gaining insight into who is engaging with their profile.
So, while private mode is available to everyone, premium users get an enhanced experience, giving them the ability to maintain their privacy while gaining valuable insights into their profile's visibility. If you're someone who values privacy but also wants to know who’s interested in your profile, LinkedIn Premium might be a good investment.
Both free and premium accounts can switch their account to private mode on LinkedIn and the step is the same.
Related Reading
What are the Downsides of LinkedIn Private Mode?
When you turn to LinkedIn private mode, you’re anonymous to other LinkedIn users. Likewise, you will not be able to see how viewed your profile when you activate the private mode feature as well. Switching to LinkedIn private mode will definitely affect your Interactions on the network.
If you’re on LinkedIn seeking to network other minded people within your career or business, it’s not advisable to change your account to private.
The LinkedIn private mode option will affect your network because you’re not able to see users that viewed your profile and these are the ones that are interested in connecting with you.
You have buried that information once you turn on the private mode feature, this means your networking is affected negatively.
Even the users that search your name won’t be visible to you which is also another way your networking is affected. This restriction is for basic users, when you upgrade to LinkedIn premium though, you can view profile visits while yours will remain hidden on their profile.
LinkedIn Premium costs around $29.99/month for the Premium Career plan, with additional plans like Premium Business and Sales Navigator offering more features and higher prices.
Using the private mode feature should be temporary, it’s OK when you’re trying to visit some profiles and you don’t want to be identified, after that, you should turn back your account to normal mode where you’re able to interact with other LinkedIn users and you’ll be visible on LinkedIn searches as well.
How To Make Use Of LinkedIn Private Mode?
LinkedIn's Private Mode offers enhanced privacy by allowing you to browse profiles without revealing your identity. This feature is useful for those who want to research potential connections or companies without notifying the profile owners.
By activating Private Mode, you can control the visibility of your activity, offering a more discreet experience while maintaining your professional network
Beginners
For LinkedIn users that are just starting out on the platform, they can switch to private mode. This will take the time to browse the platform privately since they’ll be visiting a lot of profiles trying to figure out which ones to connect with.
You can stay anonymous for a while building your network. If you’re also working at a job and you’re searching for better opportunities, and you don’t want your working colleagues to know, you might as well switch to private mode.
You’ll have to understand that changing to private mode will affect your visibility in search results and most companies will conduct a search when looking for employees. You might want to think twice about this.
Recruiters
If you’re a recruiter wanting to hire employees, you’ll end up receiving a lot of messages once you start browsing profiles. In order to peacefully recruit the ideal candidates, you can switch to Private Mode to stay anonymous. Additionally, LinkedIn Read Receipts can help maintain your privacy while interacting with candidates. When you read their messages,
After Reverting to a Public Account, Can Users See Your Visits and Search History?
Whatever happens, when you’re in private mode, even after reverting to public view won’t reveal your history. You are always safe to return to the default mode of your LinkedIn account without the worries of getting exposed to previous actions.
I Don’t Want to Switch to Private Mode. Is There Another Option to Stay Anonymous?
You have two options if you don’t want to switch to private mode and you want to remain anonymous. The first one is that you log out of your LinkedIn account before making searches or visiting any profile.
If you don’t want to log out, you can open incognito mode or a private browser and then visit the profiles you wish to visit.
The second option is to open a separate LinkedIn account with a different name; they might see who viewed their profile, but they have no idea it’s not a real account.
You have to be careful, though, when creating another LinkedIn account; ensure to use a different email address, phone number, and IP address. Then you can continue visiting profiles as much as you want without getting detected.
Conclusion
Whether you're curious about someone's career journey or conducting professional research, viewing LinkedIn profiles anonymously is entirely possible, with or without an account. However, there are limitations to what you can access, depending on the profile owner’s privacy settings and whether you're logged in.
Private Mode offers a useful way to browse discreetly, especially for recruiters, job seekers, and those who value privacy. But it comes at a cost—reduced visibility, fewer networking opportunities, and limited access to insights. Additionally, for those who want to automate profile visits and network-building tasks, LinkedIn automation tool can be a great resource.
These tools allow for efficient, anonymous interaction with profiles while maintaining privacy, though they should be used cautiously to avoid violating LinkedIn's terms of service.
Ultimately, how you choose to explore LinkedIn depends on your goals. If building connections and growing your presence is your focus, consider staying public. But if discretion is key to your purpose, switching to Private Mode or using incognito options offers the anonymity you need.
Use these tools wisely, and always stay respectful of others’ privacy while making the most of your LinkedIn experience.
Change the Information That Will Be Visible Online
This is where you can control what others see on your profile; you’re controlling your public view with this setting. Here is how to adjust this privacy option;
-
Log into your LinkedIn account.
-
Hit the “Me” icon from the navigation menu.
-
Select the option “Settings & Privacy”.
-
Choose the “Privacy” tab.
-
Select the option “Edit Public Profile”.
-
Then you click on “Edit Visibility” which by the right of the screen.
Free LinkedIn Accounts
Free accounts or Basic accounts as they’re called, will not be able to see a full list of the users that have viewed their profile.
They can however see the number of views their profile has generated; they can also see other data like the number of times the profile showed up in search, and can as well see not more than five users that have visited their profile.
If they have adjusted their privacy settings, you won’t be able to see much info about them, you might see something like “Someone from Canada” or “LinkedIn Member” viewing your profile.
We always advise our users to boost their Linkedin accounts by upgrading to the premium or Sales Navigator plans to get the best out of LinkedIn.
How to See Profile Views For Free LinkedIn Members?
Login to your LinkedIn and visit your profile page dashboard, you’ll be able to see data regarding the number of views the profile has generated. There isn’t much info though as a free member, here is what you’ll see;
-
The number of visits the profile has received.
-
The number of times your profile appeared on LinkedIn search results.
-
Five results for the users that viewed your profile.
This is the basic info you’ll see for your profile views data, let’s take a look at premium accounts.
LinkedIn Premium Accounts
For linkedin premium accounts, they’re able to see all the users that have viewed the profile so far within any specified period of time.
Even if some users have stayed anonymous, they’ll be listed as “Linked Member” or “someone from (location)” viewed your profile. If they have changed their privacy settings, there is not much data to be seen about them.
How To See Profile Views For Premium LinkedIn Users?
Log into your Linked account and navigate to the profile page, click on “Who viewed your profile” which can be seen under “Welcome” by your left. Here is the info displayed;
-
The list of all users who visited your LinkedIn profile for the last ninety days.
-
A graph showing weekly trends of your visitors, like whether they have dropped or increased.
-
And a weekly viewer insight for all your profile visitors.
Is Weekly Viewer Information Helpful?
LinkedIn makes viewing profiles important and that’s why they provide information regarding profile visitors and to some extent, notifications are sent whenever there are new profile views to premium members. What should you do with viewer information on LinkedIn then? and know what is an impression on linkedin to check your visibilty.
One thing is certain, most people that visited your profile are interested in you, it could be a hiring manager that wants to hire you, it can be that someone noticed your content/article and want to connect with the right companies or it’s an old colleague that visited your profile to get in touch with you.
Some users on the other hand are just spying on you, it could be your EX’s or just some random hater stalking your profile to see what you’re up to.
The best thing to do is predicting the reason why someone visits your profile on LinkedIn, especially if they have done it multiple times. If it’s a company or a recruiter, they definitely want to consider you to join their team even if they haven’t contacted you.
They’re reviewing your profile details to ensure that you’re the ideal candidate for them and in such a case you might want to get in touch with them.
Just go through your profile visitors and based on their connections or network, you’ll be able to make a guess as to why they’re on your profile and it’s good to always send connection requests to these users because they might help your career to the next level.
Should You Contact Your LinkedIn Profile Visitors?
If you believe they can be helpful, you should definitely consider sending them an InMail or a connection request. When you’re looking for a job it’s better to contact companies or recruiters that have once visited your profile page.
You should send them a message introducing yourself and why you want to connect with them, you don’t necessarily have to mention the fact that they visited your profile, just focus on the reason why you want to connect.
It’s not also a bad idea if you mentioned they’ve visited your profile, but if it’s a recruiter, you don’t need to start asking for a job. Just focus on the fact that you want to increase your knowledge and experience by interacting with them or their company.
If you're looking for ways to improve your LinkedIn profile, you might wonder how to download LinkedIn profile photo for your use in professional settings.
How To Browse LinkedIn Anonymously?
If you want to browse LinkedIn anonymously, you can change your settings. This means that your searches and profile views will be hidden on LinkedIn. Here is how to activate these setting;
-
Once you log into your LinkedIn account, you should hover to your “Profile Photo” and select the option “Privacy & Settings”.
-
If you’re on mobile, you should also click on the profile photo and then click on “View Profile Settings”.
-
Then you click on “Visibility” located on the left and select “Profile viewing options” and also select “Change”, these options are also available on your mobile device.
-
You’ll then see the private mode option, you should switch it ON by checking the small radio icon.
What Happens When You Switch To Private Mode?
Basically, two things happen when you turn on your LinkedIn account to private mode, one is that you’re browsing anonymously, that’s other LinkedIn users cannot identify you.
By default when you join LinkedIn you’re sharing your information with others including your searches and so on, but by going private, you’re anonymous to other users.
The second effect of LinkedIn Private mode is that you can navigate the platform without leaving a trail. LinkedIn by default shows profile visitors, going private means you’re blocking users from viewing you as their profile visitor.
They can see that a visitor has landed on their profile but they’ll have no idea you’re the one, their name will be hidden from them.
Is LinkedIn Private Mode For All Accounts?
Yes, LinkedIn private mode is available for both basic (free) and premium LinkedIn accounts. However, there are some differences in how private mode functions for free users versus premium users.
For free LinkedIn accounts, enabling private mode allows you to view profiles anonymously, meaning your name and profile information won’t be visible to the profile owner when you visit their page.
In this mode, the person whose profile you’ve viewed will only see a generic notification such as “Someone from [location] viewed your profile,” which ensures that your identity remains concealed.
For premium LinkedIn accounts, private mode offers all the same benefits of anonymity; however, it also includes the added advantage of being able to see who viewed your profile, even when someone else is browsing in private mode. This is a key feature for those who want to maintain privacy while still gaining insight into who is engaging with their profile.
So, while private mode is available to everyone, premium users get an enhanced experience, giving them the ability to maintain their privacy while gaining valuable insights into their profile's visibility. If you're someone who values privacy but also wants to know who’s interested in your profile, LinkedIn Premium might be a good investment.
Both free and premium accounts can switch their account to private mode on LinkedIn and the step is the same.
Related Reading
What are the Downsides of LinkedIn Private Mode?
When you turn to LinkedIn private mode, you’re anonymous to other LinkedIn users. Likewise, you will not be able to see how viewed your profile when you activate the private mode feature as well. Switching to LinkedIn private mode will definitely affect your Interactions on the network.
If you’re on LinkedIn seeking to network other minded people within your career or business, it’s not advisable to change your account to private.
The LinkedIn private mode option will affect your network because you’re not able to see users that viewed your profile and these are the ones that are interested in connecting with you.
You have buried that information once you turn on the private mode feature, this means your networking is affected negatively.
Even the users that search your name won’t be visible to you which is also another way your networking is affected. This restriction is for basic users, when you upgrade to LinkedIn premium though, you can view profile visits while yours will remain hidden on their profile.
LinkedIn Premium costs around $29.99/month for the Premium Career plan, with additional plans like Premium Business and Sales Navigator offering more features and higher prices.
Using the private mode feature should be temporary, it’s OK when you’re trying to visit some profiles and you don’t want to be identified, after that, you should turn back your account to normal mode where you’re able to interact with other LinkedIn users and you’ll be visible on LinkedIn searches as well.
How To Make Use Of LinkedIn Private Mode?
LinkedIn's Private Mode offers enhanced privacy by allowing you to browse profiles without revealing your identity. This feature is useful for those who want to research potential connections or companies without notifying the profile owners.
By activating Private Mode, you can control the visibility of your activity, offering a more discreet experience while maintaining your professional network
Beginners
For LinkedIn users that are just starting out on the platform, they can switch to private mode. This will take the time to browse the platform privately since they’ll be visiting a lot of profiles trying to figure out which ones to connect with.
You can stay anonymous for a while building your network. If you’re also working at a job and you’re searching for better opportunities, and you don’t want your working colleagues to know, you might as well switch to private mode.
You’ll have to understand that changing to private mode will affect your visibility in search results and most companies will conduct a search when looking for employees. You might want to think twice about this.
Recruiters
If you’re a recruiter wanting to hire employees, you’ll end up receiving a lot of messages once you start browsing profiles. In order to peacefully recruit the ideal candidates, you can switch to Private Mode to stay anonymous. Additionally, LinkedIn Read Receipts can help maintain your privacy while interacting with candidates. When you read their messages,
After Reverting to a Public Account, Can Users See Your Visits and Search History?
Whatever happens, when you’re in private mode, even after reverting to public view won’t reveal your history. You are always safe to return to the default mode of your LinkedIn account without the worries of getting exposed to previous actions.
I Don’t Want to Switch to Private Mode. Is There Another Option to Stay Anonymous?
You have two options if you don’t want to switch to private mode and you want to remain anonymous. The first one is that you log out of your LinkedIn account before making searches or visiting any profile.
If you don’t want to log out, you can open incognito mode or a private browser and then visit the profiles you wish to visit.
The second option is to open a separate LinkedIn account with a different name; they might see who viewed their profile, but they have no idea it’s not a real account.
You have to be careful, though, when creating another LinkedIn account; ensure to use a different email address, phone number, and IP address. Then you can continue visiting profiles as much as you want without getting detected.
Conclusion
Whether you're curious about someone's career journey or conducting professional research, viewing LinkedIn profiles anonymously is entirely possible, with or without an account. However, there are limitations to what you can access, depending on the profile owner’s privacy settings and whether you're logged in.
Private Mode offers a useful way to browse discreetly, especially for recruiters, job seekers, and those who value privacy. But it comes at a cost—reduced visibility, fewer networking opportunities, and limited access to insights. Additionally, for those who want to automate profile visits and network-building tasks, LinkedIn automation can be a great resource.
These tools allow for efficient, anonymous interaction with profiles while maintaining privacy, though they should be used cautiously to avoid violating LinkedIn's terms of service.
Ultimately, how you choose to explore LinkedIn depends on your goals. If building connections and growing your presence is your focus, consider staying public. But if discretion is key to your purpose, switching to Private Mode or using incognito options offers the anonymity you need.
Use these tools wisely, and always stay respectful of others’ privacy while making the most of your LinkedIn experience.
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