Everyone who’s on LinkedIn knows how valuable of a platform it is for networking and building business relationships. But like any online platform, it also has its share of users who are there for less than savory reasons. Whether it's a pesky recruiter or someone whose updates are annoying, blocking someone on LinkedIn, can actually be a very helpful way to protect your privacy and keep your feed clean. Plus, it's super easy to do!
So, read on for our step-by-step instructions on how to block someone on LinkedIn and unblock them (for when you have a change of heart).
What Happens When You Block Someone on LinkedIn?
Before we dive into how blocking works, it's important to understand what happens when you do block someone on LinkedIn. Basically, when you put someone on your LinkedIn blocked list, that member will no longer be able to see your profile, contact you in any way, send you LinkedIn InMails, or see what content you've shared. And this goes both ways, meaning your connection will cease to exist and you won't appear to each other in the Who's Viewed Your Profile feature.
Keep in mind also that LinkedIn will not send any notification to this person to inform them that you've blocked them. If they've subscribed to a newsletter of yours, they will stop receiving it. Additionally, you will not get any notifications related to this person's LinkedIn events and you will not see each other in “People You May Know” and “People also viewed”. Last but not least, all endorsements and recommendations from that member will be removed and will not be reinstated should you decide to unblock them.
Learn more: How to write LinkedIn recommendations
How to Block People on LinkedIn in Three Different Ways
So, you've had a bad experience with a member who is negative or disruptive and wish to avoid being contacted by them by any means necessary. And, since LinkedIn is a more serious and formal networking site, you were probably wondering whether it's even possible to block people on LinkedIn. After all, it does have a significantly lower number of users compared to say, Facebook which measures its users by the billions, meaning less likely to have issues with trolls, and other unwanted characters and more likely to not have a block option.
But we're here to tell you that, yes, you can actually use block on LinkedIn, and depending on the device you use to access the site, there are several ways to go about it.
Block Someone on LinkedIn From Your Computer
- Log in to your LinkedIn account and go to the profile of the member you wish to block.
- Under their profile picture, you will see the "More" section, tap it and then select "Report/Block" from the dropdown.
- From the "Report" dropdown select, "Block [user name]".
- A pop-up window will appear asking you whether you are sure you wish to block this person. Tap the "Block" option to proceed.
And there you have it, that's all it takes to block someone on LinkedIn without them being none the wiser! Just remember, LinkedIn allows you to block up to 1,400 members. And, they also reserve the right to notify this member of your block if you're blocking someone who you've previously (or currently) shared a LinkedIn Recruiter account with.
Learn more: LinkedIn Recruiter cost
Block Someone on LinkedIn From Your Mobile
Of course, you can! With more than half of all LinkedIn traffic coming from a mobile device, it would be foolish of them not to offer this option. And the steps for blocking someone on LinkedIn are the same for both users of iOS and Android.
- Firstly, open LinkedIn and log in to your account.
- Find the member you wish to block on LinkedIn.
- Tap on the "More" tab located in the top right of the screen.
- From the dropdown menu, select "Report/Block".
- A new pop-up window will appear giving you the option to either report this user or block them.
- Choose "Block" and then confirm your selection by tapping "Block" again in the next pop-up window that appears.
And that's all there is to it! The person you've blocked won't be notified so they'll have no idea that you've taken this action.
Block People on LinkedIn Groups: How to Block a LinkedIn Group Member?
Just like you can block someone in group texts on iPhone or Android, you can block a LinkedIn group member that's causing trouble, is sharing content that is completely inappropriate, or worse, is using the group to spam other members. If you're the group owner or administrator, then you have the ability to remove or block LinkedIn members as you see fit. In fact, there are two ways in which you can go about doing this:
- Log in to your LinkedIn account and go to the group that you wish to block the member from.
- Go to the "Manage group" section in the top left rail.
- Locate the member you wish to block from the "Members" section.
- Select the "More" icon next to the specific member's name.
- Tap "Block from group" and press "Confirm" to finish.
Alternatively, you may also restrict or block someone from a LinkedIn group directly through their post or comment. Here's how:
- Find the post or comment written by the person you wish to block.
- Locate and tap the "More" icon next to the comment.
- Choose the "Block [name] from the group" option and from the pop-up that will appear, again select "Block".
You have now successfully blocked someone on your LinkedIn group. Be informed that members you've blocked will no longer be able to view the group, see its content or interact in any way with the contents of the group.
In addition, blocking someone on a LinkedIn group does not mean that you've blocked them from your LinkedIn profile. This member will still be able to see your personal profile, connect with you and send you messages, unless, of course, you decide to block them as a LinkedIn connection too.
How to Unblock People on LinkedIn
Blocking someone on LinkedIn is a pretty big deal. So, if you've blocked a user and now you want to unblock them, maybe because you've had a change of heart or because you need to connect with this person for business reasons, it's important to know how to do it. Here's a quick and easy guide on how to unblock member(s) on LinkedIn:
- Log in to your LinkedIn account and go to the "Me" section on your profile.
- Next, go to "Settings & Privacy".
- Choose "Visibility" from the menu on the left and select "Visibility of your profile & network".
- Go to "Blocking" and select "Change".
- In your LinkedIn blocked list, find the person you wish to remove and click "Unblock".
And that's it! Once you've followed these steps, the person you unblocked will be able to see your profile and connect with you again. Just keep in mind that if you unblock a person on LinkedIn, they will be able to see any content on your profile that was previously hidden from them. So, if there's something on your profile that you don't want this person to see, make sure to edit your privacy settings accordingly. Also, if you change your mind about unblocking them, you will have to wait 48 hours before you can block them again.
How to Block Someone on LinkedIn FAQs
Can you block someone on LinkedIn?
Yes, you can. If you have a personal connection that you want to block, there are several ways in which you can do it depending on the device you're using. The simplest way though to block people on LinkedIn is to go to their profile and select the "Block or report" option.
How can you tell if someone blocked you on LinkedIn?
If someone has blocked you on LinkedIn, you will no longer be able to see their profile or contact them in any way. Additionally, if you try to search for this person on LinkedIn, their name will not appear in the search results.
What happens if you block someone on LinkedIn?
Once you know how to block someone on LinkedIn and have completed the process, the connection you’ve blocked will no longer be able to see your profile or interact with you in any way. Additionally, if you have mutual connections, they will no longer be able to see any content that you've shared with those connections.
