By the tiswa editorial team, from the official sources listed at the end of this guide. How we write our guides
You want to make LinkedIn profile private, or at least look at other people’s profiles without leaving a trace. Students ask this most often before they research a company or a manager ahead of an interview. The honest answer is that LinkedIn gives you two separate controls. One hides you when you view someone. The other decides whether your profile is visible at all. Understand both before you touch either, because each one has a cost.
Two controls, not one
Private mode works in one direction. It changes what other members see when you open their profile. Public profile visibility is a different setting: it decides who can see your profile at all, including people who are not signed in and search engines. If you mix the two up, you may hide your whole profile when you only wanted to browse quietly.
The distinction matters for job search. If you are applying for a co-op or summer placement, a recruiter needs to find you, so hiding the profile works against you. If you are reading the profiles of people you know, or of a company you are considering, privacy while you browse is reasonable. The mistake is using one setting to solve the problem of the other.
Browse quietly with private mode
This is useful before an interview, when you want to read a manager’s background without that person seeing your name. The path sits under Settings & Privacy, in the Visibility section, then Profile viewing options. Menu names can shift a little between the app and the desktop site, so search the settings for “profile viewing” if the exact label is not where you expect.
- Open your settings
Tap your photo and choose Settings & Privacy.
- Go to Visibility
Open the Visibility section, then Profile viewing options.
- Pick what others see
Choose between your name and headline, private profile characteristics, or private mode, depending on what you want to show.
- Check the result
Open a profile from a second account or a friend’s phone and confirm the label shown matches your choice.
In private mode, viewers see the words “LinkedIn Member” instead of your name. The trade-off is that you also lose the detailed viewer information you would normally see about who visited your own profile. Decide whether you need that list before you switch the setting off, and whether quiet browsing is all you want.
What a recruiter sees when they look you up
When a recruiter reaches your name, they do not read everything. They look first at the photo and headline, then at the opening lines of your About section, and then at projects and skills. If your profile is visible but thin, hiding it will not help. The better fix is a profile that tells a clear and honest story about what you can do.
Hide the profile itself
Public profile visibility is the setting that matters for job search. Switching “Your profile’s public visibility” off hides your profile from people who are not signed in and from search engines. You can also hide individual sections while the profile stays public. That is the middle ground: a visible profile with the parts you prefer to keep out of view removed.
Which setting fits your situation?
| Situation | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Reading a company page or a manager’s profile before an interview | Private mode | Viewers do not see your name |
| Applying for a co-op or summer placement | Keep the profile public | Recruiters need to find you and read your work |
| Rewriting sections that are not ready | Hide those sections | The rest of the profile stays useful |
| Leaving LinkedIn for a long time | Close or hibernate the account | Visibility toggles are not a full exit |
Notice the last row. Hiding a profile is not the same as leaving. If you plan to stop using LinkedIn completely, read the account closing guide first, and download your data before you close anything.
A quick decision list
- Only browsing other people’s profiles? Private mode is enough.
- Looking for a placement and want companies to find you? Keep public visibility on.
- Profile still incomplete? Hide the unfinished sections, not the whole profile.
- Planning to stop using LinkedIn for good? Read the closing and hibernation options first.
A reply for when a recruiter cannot see you
Sometimes a recruiter writes to say they cannot find your profile. A short, calm reply explains the situation and gives them another route to your details. Keep the tone friendly rather than defensive, because the goal is to keep the conversation going.
Hello [recruiter name], Thank you for reaching out. My profile is hidden from non-members, which is my own setting, so the page may not open for you. My name is [full name]. I study [major] at [university] and I am looking for a training placement in [field]. You can reach me here or at [email], and I will send my CV directly. Best regards, [your name]
The mistake most students make
Many students switch everything off, then wonder why nobody contacts them. A better habit is to keep the profile visible, hide only what is unfinished, and review it before you apply for anything. If your profile is still empty, start with the student profile guide. A private setting cannot make up for a weak profile.
