How do you get a job? Many job seekers will tend to LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a world-known social platform centering on professional networking. It can help users connect with employers, colleagues, and industry professionals. However, when you browse others’ profiles, they will be reminded that someone has visited them. There may be privacy concerns.
LinkedIn Private Mode can relieve such privacy worries. It can allow you to view profiles anonymously. So how to turn on it? This article will explain everything about LinkedIn Private Mode for you.
What Is Private Mode on LinkedIn?
Private Mode on LinkedIn is a feature that can make you look through profiles without revealing their identity. Typically, when you view someone’s profile, they will receive a notification and can see who visited their page.
With Private Mode on, your name, title, and even profile characteristics are all hidden. You appear as an “Anonymous LinkedIn Member”. The users you have seen only can see “An anonymous person viewed your profile”.
The LinkedIn Private Mode particularly matters if you are a recruiter, job seeker, or a professional who plans to conduct market research or competitor analysis without exposing yourself to the related populations.
How to Turn on Private Mode LinkedIn?
You can turn on the LinkedIn Private Mode on your mobile device or your desktop. Most of the steps are similar but there are some differences. Check the following steps to enable Private Mode on LinkedIn.
Turn on LinkedIn Private Mode on Mobile Devices
Step 1. If you don’t have the LinkedIn app on your phone, you can download the LinkedIn app from the Apple App Store or Google Store.
Step 2. Launch the LinkedIn app on your phone and sign up or log in if you already have an account.
Step 3. Tap on your profile picture, then choose “Settings”.
Step 4. Find the “Visibility” menu and select “Profile Viewing Options”.
Step 5. Directly choose “Private Mode” in the third choice. Now, you can view others’ profiles completely anonymously.
Turn on LinkedIn Private Mode on Desktop Devices
Step 1. Search for the LinkedIn official website on your browsers and log in.
Step 2. Find “Me” in the top-right corner and click on your profile picture.
Step 3. Select “Settings & Privacy” from the shown menu.
Step 4. Find the third “Visibility” tab from the settings menu and choose “Profile viewing options”.
Step 5. In the “Profile Viewing”, select the option that reads “Private Mode” to browse privately.
How to Turn Off LinkedIn Private Mode?
If you want to increase your visibility and attract recruiters’ attention, it’d be better to turn off the LinkedIn Private Mode. However, there is no direct button to turn off the Private Mode. You need to navigate the same route as the turning-on process: Profile>Settings & Privacy>Visibility>Profile Viewing.
You can switch to the first option, “Your name and headline”. In this mode, others can see all your details when you visit them.
Or you can switch to the second option, “Private profile characteristics”. This mode is also called “Semi-Private Mode”. Others will see “Someone in the XXX industry from somewhere”.
Both of the options can help you turn off the full Private Mode.
Why Can’t I Access LinkedIn Private Mode?
If you’re unable to access LinkedIn features like the Private Mode, there are two main reasons, regional restriction and LinkedIn account type.
The first reason is geo-restriction. In some regions, LinkedIn is not accessible. You need a VPN tool to unblock LinkedIn. The most recommended VPN provider is LightningX VPN.
LightningX VPN can help you change your real IP address with a virtual one. What’s more, it offers 2000+ servers in more than 50 countries. You can choose a server where LinkedIn is available, for example, the US, the UK, Japan, Singapore, etc. When you connect to LightningX VPN, you can smoothly access LinkedIn Private Mode.
Tips:
LightningX VPN is safe, stable, and fast. Not only can it help you unlock geo-protected content, but it can also protect your online privacy. LightningX VPN has advanced encryption technology such as encryption protocols like Shadowsocks, Vless, and WireGuard. This can protect your private information from hackers.
Free to download and try, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Download LightningX VPN to access LinkedIn without limits and protect your online privacy!
The second reason is the LinkedIn account type. If you have a free account, you can turn on Private Mode. However, you might not have access to some advanced features like seeing who viewed your profile while in Private Mode.
Instead, as a Premium user, you can enjoy more features. For instance, you are capable of browsing in Private Mode and still viewing the profiles of others if they have visited you. Therefore, if you want to access more LinkedIn features, you can consider subscribing the LinkedIn Premium.
Related: How Much Is LinkedIn Premium? Is It Worth It?
Is LinkedIn Private Mode Really Private?
LinkedIn Private Mode keeps you unknown to the users being visited. However, it is not completely private. LinkedIn still will record your browsing activity. Additionally, LinkedIn Premium users may still see anonymous information such as industry or company.
When Private Mode is turned on, you also won’t be able to view a list of “Who has viewed your profile.”. For further anonymous browsing, it’s recommended to use Incognito Mode and clear your browser cache.
FAQs – LinkedIn Private Mode
Q1. Can people still see that I viewed their profile in Private Mode?
No, they won’t see your name, job title, and profile picture. However, LinkedIn Premium users may see limited anonymous data, such as industry or company.
Q2. Do I need LinkedIn Premium to use Private Mode?
No. Private Mode is available to all users though you have a free account. However, free users can’t see detailed information about their own profile viewers, either.
Final Thoughts
This article mainly explains what LinkedIn Private Mode is, and how to turn on and turn off this mode. If you can’t access LinkedIn features, it might be due to geographic restrictions. Try to use LightningX VPN to bypass those restrictions and protect your LinkedIn privacy.
