On Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks, it is very easy to “unfriend” someone. For some reason it is very difficult to figure out how to delete connections on LinkedIn.
If you think about it, LinkedIn was originally intended to be a social network for professionals who only connected with people they know and trust. But, similar to other social media, users today are more open and might connect with someone on LinkedIn that they might not know too well. This is similar to how they might follow someone who seems interesting on Twitter or Instagram without personally knowing them.
Sometimes, for whatever reason, we might want to delete a LinkedIn connection that doesn’t make sense anymore. After all, if you think of connecting to someone as their joining your virtual world, if the relationship does not work out because you feel you are being spammed or for another reason, you do have the option of removing them as a LinkedIn connection. Connecting with someone on LinkedIn is not a marriage by any means! Hopefully this gives those who want to build out a larger network or even those who want to start slowly connecting to people that you virtually meet on LinkedIn some sense of security in doing so.
There are two primary ways in how to delete connections on LinkedIn.
1. Delete Connections When Visiting Their Profile
This is by far the easiest way in how to delete connections on LinkedIn. After all, there is probably an incident that makes you want to remove a LinkedIn connection, so inevitably you will probably end up visiting that person’s profile to make sure you want to remove them. If you are concerned that they might find out that you visited their profile, make sure you visit their profile with your privacy settings showing you as an anonymous visitor.
Once you have landed on their profile, press the right arrow where you see a “Send a message” prompt, and you should see the “Remove connection” option at the very bottom as pictured below:
2. Delete Connections From My Network Connections view
How to delete connections on LinkedIn if you already have a list of people you want to remove as a LinkedIn connection or you want to scroll through your LinkedIn connections and decide who to remove? This option is for you!
If you navigate to the My Network tab, you will see how many connections you have on the top left corner. Pressing on that number will land you on the Connections view that appears below:
You have the ability here to search for connections by either first name, last name, or the default recently added.
For every connection you will see a Message button to the right followed by three dots. Pressing the three dots will provide you the magical Remove Connection button.
Removing a LinkedIn connection through either of the above two methods will yield the same result.
The beauty of understanding how to delete connections on LinkedIn is that:
- Your contact will not be informed that you removed them from your connections.
- Should your disconnected connection wish to invite you to connect again, even after you remove them as a connection, they will get an error message saying something to the effect that “This user cannot be invited at this time”. If they contact you directly about this be prepared to explain (I have been in the same situation in the past so you will have to explain in your own words).
- You can re-invite the person you disconnected from, in which case the connection will be fully restored as if you never removed them.
Moving Forward
Now that you know how to delete connections on LinkedIn, you should have the confidence that should, for whatever reason, you want to delete one of your LinkedIn connections, the option is there. And it is easy to do as well.
Looking for more advice on LinkedIn? Check out my blog post on LinkedIn profile tips or download my new free ebook Maximizing LinkedIn for Business.
Looking to disconnect from the wrong types, perhaps a LinkedIn LION that started to send you spam, but still build your LinkedIn connections? Here’s an interesting infographic with tips on how to connect with the right people on LinkedIn:
Infographic source: WhoIsHostingThis?
@nealschaffer
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Arvid Grobæk says
September 8, 2014 at 12:19 amHow do I get ride of LINKEdln totaly ?
Neal Schaffer says
September 8, 2014 at 8:44 amYou will have to delete your account, which you can do on LinkedIn.com. If you don’t know how to, please contact LinkedIn Customer Service.
Alex Jones says
April 29, 2014 at 3:23 amGlad I’m not the only one. The reason it’s being asked all the time, is because it’s not very bloody obvious how to do it. I’ve searched and searched several times and STILL can’t work out how to do it. It’s a bit worrying that this social media platform, designed to connect PROFESSIONALS, can’t even take care of something as basic as Unconnecting with someone. If it was simple, the question wouldn’t be asked all time would it?
Neal Schaffer says
April 29, 2014 at 8:49 amAgree Alex!
virgo47 says
March 26, 2013 at 1:04 pmThanks for this blogpost. Google easily suggests “linkedin how to unconnect” and it leads to this post – obviously, people are asking for it. And as many other says – it should be on the screen where I see someone’s profile. That other way – “go and find the function, then select what you want to do that function with” – reminds me older Nokia mobile phones that had functions split to those that were available contextually and to those that you had real trouble to use (although you needed them quite often). Very silly indeed.
Neal Schaffer says
March 27, 2013 at 11:37 amYou’re very welcome – I’m only sorry that LinkedIn doesn’t make it easier for everyone!
EmailTray says
October 11, 2012 at 9:21 amThe problem with that “Remove Connections” link is that it could possibly mean “Remove All of My Connections”. I do this sort of thing for a living (find navigation errors where users will be afraid or not understand where to go and why). LinkedIn product managers should change that to something like “Remove a Connection” or otherwise make it clear that clicking on that link won’t delete all your connections at once and irrevocably. This may seem funny but, if LinkedIn was a smaller company or an eCommerce company, this kind of awkward phrasing could mean everything.
Neal Schaffer says
October 12, 2012 at 6:54 pmExcellent advice – we can only hope that the powers that be are listening!
Neal Schaffer says
August 28, 2012 at 9:51 pmActually there IS a “Remove Connections” link on this URL:
http://www.linkedin.com/connections?trk=hb_tab_connections
If you don’t see it you should contact LinkedIn Customer Service.
G777 says
August 28, 2012 at 4:12 amUseless advice, since there is no “Remove Connections” link. Better luck next time.
Jo Redbud says
July 10, 2012 at 3:38 amThank for this – you were #1 on google with the search terms “how do i disconnect from someone on linkedin”
Neal Schaffer says
July 20, 2012 at 12:12 pmCoolness! New post on this subject coming soon…
Neal Schaffer says
April 30, 2012 at 10:31 amYes – without them knowing it!
Karen Diefenbach says
April 29, 2012 at 6:23 amWhen you remove the contact from your list are you likewise deleted from their list?
Donald Macleay says
April 18, 2012 at 8:02 amYeah, they could take a look at any other social networking site. Having to go to the other page, and then choose to remove and then find the name again without a search function,…. well, you really have to want to get rid of the person badly …
Neal Schaffer says
April 18, 2012 at 8:27 amI hear ‘ya…
Lori Naz says
April 16, 2012 at 7:54 amThank you for your informative article. I looked up this information month’s ago and even the FAQ’s on Linkedin said it wasn’t possible. the information you provided was very useful. I appreciate it.
Neal Schaffer says
April 16, 2012 at 10:18 pmYou’re very welcome Lori! If you have a burning LinkedIn question that hasn’t been answered elsewhere, please let me know so that I can write a blog post on it! Thanks!
Chris Belke1 says
March 31, 2012 at 9:34 pmI am not a linked in member but foolishly i agreed to be linked in to just two other people, now I keep getting requests and wate of time emails from these two people of who they are linked in with. I want out. How do I get of this roundabout????????
Neal Schaffer says
April 1, 2012 at 10:06 amGo to your LinkedIn account settings and cancel your account – or disconnect from those connections of yours!
Neal Schaffer says
April 1, 2012 at 10:08 amChris,
I don’t know your exact situation, but probably what you should do is one of the following:
– Cancel your account (in your Settings screen)
– Disconnect from your connections
– Adjust your settings so that you don’t accept introduction requests
Does this help?
Neal Schaffer says
April 1, 2012 at 10:08 amChris,
I don’t know your exact situation, but probably what you should do is one of the following:
– Cancel your account (in your Settings screen)
– Disconnect from your connections
– Adjust your settings so that you don’t accept introduction requests
Does this help?
SouthOfBoston69 says
February 29, 2012 at 1:55 pmI understand a connection can “disconnect” from your connections list. Can that same person delete a letter of recommendation they previously sent to you and was posted on your profile? It appears a letter has disappeared from a “disconnection” of mine. My feeling is once someone gives you a letter, it belongs to you, not only the writer. Please let me know how I can retreive this letter. Thanks.
Neal Schaffer says
March 1, 2012 at 7:23 amI believe that through Manage Recommendations you cannot delete past recommendations, but you can hide them from display. That is probably what happened…
Hottie Von Dottie says
December 30, 2011 at 11:58 amThanks a bunch! That really helped me. It’s simple, but not always easy to find that important, little button… ;-)
Neal Schaffer | Social Media says
January 4, 2012 at 9:45 amI hear ‘ya!
nealschaffer says
March 10, 2010 at 4:36 pmUnder the current LinkedIn paradigm, that is not possible. And if you think about it, you normally are disconnecting from someone for a reason, no?
nealschaffer says
March 10, 2010 at 9:36 amUnder the current LinkedIn paradigm, that is not possible. And if you think about it, you normally are disconnecting from someone for a reason, no?
GoodPeopleJapan says
March 10, 2010 at 2:15 amOK so what if you want to disconnect from someone, but you want 'them' to have the option of reconnecting…?
nealschaffer says
December 17, 2009 at 8:30 amActually they both lead you to the same screen, so either one will do!
LSR says
December 17, 2009 at 8:13 amThe “Connections” screen? You mean “Contacts” on the left hand side of the screen?
Neal Schaffer says
April 25, 2009 at 12:39 amShiyung,
I am an open networker and will accept your invite! Please feel free to send me an invite! And if I can help you out any way let me know!
Cheers,
Neal
shiyun chung says
April 14, 2009 at 1:25 pmHmm, this is interesting.
Both of you are very helpful for the new LinkedIn user.
Especially clear out all those cynical views on social networking.
I like to connect to both of you. If I just send a simple invite, what will be the msg I will get?
Thanks,
shiyun chung says
April 14, 2009 at 9:25 pmHmm, this is interesting.
Both of you are very helpful for the new LinkedIn user.
Especially clear out all those cynical views on social networking.
I like to connect to both of you. If I just send a simple invite, what will be the msg I will get?
Thanks,
Steven Burda says
April 2, 2009 at 8:31 pmrecently – yes.
Steven Burda says
April 2, 2009 at 2:33 pm“You can re-invite the person you disconnected from, in which case the connection will be fully restored.”
This is not so. YOU CANNOT re-invite the person after disconnecting.
-Steven
Md.Shafiqul Islam says
December 6, 2014 at 10:16 amExectly I do how to remove some connection.
Neal Schaffer says
April 2, 2009 at 12:52 pmI actually experimented with this with a friend of mine and I was able to disconnect and then invite, so it still works. I think that LinkedIn must have placed the restriction on you because of the artificial ceiling they put on your connections…
Neal Schaffer says
April 2, 2009 at 8:52 pmI actually experimented with this with a friend of mine and I was able to disconnect and then invite, so it still works. I think that LinkedIn must have placed the restriction on you because of the artificial ceiling they put on your connections…
Steven Burda says
April 2, 2009 at 12:31 pmrecently – yes.
Neal Schaffer says
April 2, 2009 at 3:12 pmSteven,
Unless things have changed recently, I was able to do this for one of my connections just a few months ago. Have you experienced this recently?
Cheers,
Neal
Steven Burda says
April 2, 2009 at 6:33 am“You can re-invite the person you disconnected from, in which case the connection will be fully restored.”
This is not so. YOU CANNOT re-invite the person after disconnecting.
-Steven
Scott Allen says
March 28, 2009 at 4:18 pmLinkedIn should realize from how often that question gets asked how utterly counter-intuitive this is. Where it SHOULD be is on the profile of the person your connected to. It should be an available action there — “Disconnect from this person.”
Michelle C. says
September 10, 2013 at 3:10 amExactly! I just searched this question, not because I feel I’ll break someone’s heart as the article seems to suggest, but because it’s not obvious how to do it.
Neal Schaffer says
September 11, 2013 at 9:10 amThanks Michelle – since the user interface has changed I owe you all a new blog post – coming soon!
Amy Zirkle says
September 29, 2014 at 9:33 amThis is no longer an option there is no “remove connection” on there any longer.
Neal Schaffer says
September 29, 2014 at 10:57 amHi Amy, thanks – I confirmed that at some point recently LinkedIn removed the ability to remove a connection directly from their profile. They might reinstate that link at anytime, but until then you can still remove connections from the Connections application. I confirmed that the “Remove Connection” link is still active there.
Neal Schaffer says
March 28, 2009 at 4:34 pmScott,
You are bang on. I think LinkedIn really needs to revamp the entire User Interface. There is too much bouncing around different screens in order to accomplish something on LinkedIn. This definitely contributes to the poor user performance that we feel everyday. Not to mention that you can’t delete your Inbox messages, leading to more data in the servers than LinkedIn needs. Definitely time for an overhaul.
On a separate note, it is an honor to receive a comment from you on my blog. “I Am Not a Number” is a classic article in Networking circles. I often blog about the “virtual network” which is an extension of your “virtual handshake”. Thank you and looking forward to further communications with you!
Scott Allen says
March 28, 2009 at 8:18 amLinkedIn should realize from how often that question gets asked how utterly counter-intuitive this is. Where it SHOULD be is on the profile of the person your connected to. It should be an available action there — “Disconnect from this person.”