LinkedIn notifies users when someone views their profile.
It’s important to know that the person you visit also receives a notification about your visit.
Luckily, LinkedIn has a private mode that lets you check out profiles without anyone knowing.
What is LinkedIn Private Mode?
Private mode on LinkedIn identifies you as a “LinkedIn Member” when viewing other LinkedIn users’ profiles.
This ensures that you remain anonymous while browsing through other users’ profiles, maintaining your privacy throughout the experience.
LinkedIn gives you three ways to appear when you view someone’s profile;
Public Mode: This is the default mode, where others can see your full name, job title, and profile photo.
Semi-Private Mode: You show up as something like “Designer at Google” or “Student at Harvard” without revealing your name.
Private Mode: You appear as “LinkedIn Member – This person is viewing profiles in private mode.” Here, you’ll be nameless, jobless, and without a title; even Premium users won’t know who you are; you’ll be invisible!
Keep in mind that while people can’t see you when you’re visiting their profile in private mode, you also won’t be able to see people visiting your profile. Tit for tat.
How to Turn On LinkedIn Private Mode
On Desktop:
Click your profile photo
Select “Settings & privacy” and go to the “Visibility” section
Find “Profile viewing options”
Choose “Private mode”
On Mobile:
Tap your profile picture
Go to Settings > Visibility > Profile viewing options
Select Private mode
Just Something to Keep in Mind
Private mode does help you stay invisible, but remember that it also means you will not be able to see who viewed your profile while it’s on.
Additionally, if you’re using the free version of LinkedIn, your old viewer history will be deleted when you switch to private mode.
How to Turn Off Private Mode
Go back to “Settings & Privacy”
Click on Visibility, then Profile viewing options
Choose “Your name and headline” or “Private profile characteristics.”
You’ll be visible again instantly, although it may take a while.
What is Semi-private mode?
In this mode, people won’t see your name, but they will get a clue about you, like your job title or company.
Example “Engineer at Google”
Difference between Private and Semi-private mode
Semi-private mode is different from full private mode, where they see nothing at all about you (just “LinkedIn Member”)
So, if you want to stay low-key but still let people know what you do, semi-private is the best option
Why Use Private Mode on LinkedIn?
There are lots of situations where staying all invisible might be important;
Polishing Your Profile: Maybe when you want to check out others in your field for inspiration, before your own profile is ready.
- Keeping Your Info Private: Sometimes you might just want to keep your activity private.
Planning Your Network: Before connecting with someone, you might want to learn about them. You can just choose to research quietly.
Lead Generation: If you’re in sales or business development, researching people privately first keeps you informed about them before reaching out.
Spying on Competitors: Private mode helps you check out what others in your space are doing without being known.
Recruiters & Talent Hunters: Some recruiters use it to quietly research talent before they reach out.
- Finding a job while still employed: When searching for new job opportunities while employed, it’s best to use private mode to prevent your current employer or colleagues from noticing your activity on recruiters or company profiles.
Conclusion
When you really need privacy and control, this feature can be very helpful to you, as it gives you the freedom to check people’s profiles without them being notified.
But, remember that staying private forever might not be good for you since LinkedIn is a social media for networking and might cause you to miss out on some opportunities
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does LinkedIn private mode do?
LinkedIn private mode lets you view other people’s profiles without them knowing who you are.
2. Can someone see if I viewed their LinkedIn profile in private mode?
No, if you’re using private mode, the person you viewed will only see “LinkedIn Member” with no other details about you.
3. Can I still see who viewed my profile if I’m in private mode?
Only if you have LinkedIn Premium, while free accounts lose access to the history of their viewers when in private mode and won’t see who viewed them when they switch to private mode
4. What’s the difference between private mode and semi-private mode on LinkedIn?
In private mode, nothing about you is revealed, while in semi-private mode people can see info like your job title or company, but not your name
5. Will people be notified if I view their profile in private mode?
No, they won’t get a notification or know you visited their profile
