Key takeaways
- Blocking someone on LinkedIn is discreet: they receive no notification, and the two profiles, messages, and activity become invisible to each other.
- Blocking is a permanent, mutual action, so unfollowing, muting posts, or adjusting messaging and invitation settings may be better first steps.
- To block someone, visit their profile, select More → Report/Block, choose Block [member], and confirm.
- LinkedIn’s Private Mode lets you browse profiles anonymously, while blocking can also remove your identifying details from the person’s profile-view history.
- You can review or reverse blocks through Settings & Privacy → Visibility → Blocked members, but LinkedIn requires a 48-hour wait before blocking the same person again.
Blocking someone on LinkedIn is quieter than you might expect. There's no notification, no "so-and-so blocked you" message, no trace on the blocked person's end at all. If you're dealing with an unwanted solicitation, a pushy recruiter, or something closer to harassment, blocking is the cleanest way to make it stop.
This guide covers everything you need to know: what blocking actually does, how to do it, how to stay invisible even before you block, and what to do if you suspect someone has blocked you.
What happens when you block people on LinkedIn
Once you block a member, the two of you disappear from each other's LinkedIn entirely:
- You won't see their profile, posts, or comments, and they won't see yours.
- Any existing messages between you are removed, and they can't message you going forward.
- They can no longer view your profile, connections, or activity.
- They won't get any alert that you did it. The only record is on your own blocked list.
Blocking is mutual and immediate. It's also one of the more permanent actions on the platform, so it's worth treating as a last resort after muting or adjusting your privacy settings hasn't solved the problem.
Alternatives to blocking: How to quiet someone instead
Not every annoyance calls for a full block. If someone's posts are cluttering your feed but they're not actually bothering you, a lighter option might do the job:
- Unfollow them: Go to their profile, click Following, and select Unfollow. You'll stay connected and still be able to message each other, but their posts stop showing up in your feed. They won't be notified.
- Unfollow from the feed directly: Click the three dots in the top-right corner of any of their posts and select Unfollow [name], no need to visit their profile at all.
- Adjust who can message or invite you: Under Settings & Privacy → Visibility, you can limit who's able to send you connection requests or messages, which cuts down on unwanted contact without blocking anyone specific.
Unfollowing is the middle ground: it clears your feed without severing the connection or shutting off all visibility the way a block does. Save blocking for when someone needs to be cut off entirely.
How to block someone on LinkedIn
- Launch Shift and open the LinkedIn app.
- Go to the profile of the person you want to block.
- Click More (below their profile picture).
- Select Report/Block from the dropdown.
- In the What do you want to do? pop-up, choose Block [member].
- Click Block to confirm.
That's it. No notification goes out, and your name won't show up anywhere on their end.
Blocking someone on LinkedIn without them knowing
If you've already viewed someone's profile with your name visible and then blocked them, you're covered — blocking retroactively strips your identifying details from their "Who's Viewed Your Profile" list. Your visit might still count toward their total viewer number, but your name, headline, and photo won't be attached to it.
Private Mode is for a different situation: When you want to look at someone's profile without blocking them, say, you're just curious, or not ready to cut ties yet. To browse without leaving a trace:
- Click your profile photo and select Settings & Privacy.
- Go to Visibility in the left menu.
- Select Profile viewing options.
- Switch to private or anonymous browsing.
With that turned on, you can look at someone's profile, and even block them afterward without leaving a trace either way.
How to see your blocked list
Want to check who you've already blocked? Here's where that list lives:
- Click the Me icon at the top of your homepage.
- Choose Settings & Privacy.
- Under the Visibility tab, click Blocked members to view everyone currently on your list.
How to unblock someone
If you want to reverse a block, the steps are nearly identical:
- Click the Me icon at the top of your homepage.
- Choose Settings & Privacy.
- Under the Visibility tab, click Blocked members to view everyone currently on your list.
- Find the person on your list and select Unblock.
One catch: LinkedIn makes you wait 48 hours before you can re-block someone you've just unblocked. If you're tempted to unblock someone just to peek at their profile, know that you can't immediately block them again.
How to know if someone blocked you
LinkedIn doesn't send a notification or display a blocked label anywhere, so you won't get a direct answer. What you'll usually notice instead:
- Their profile disappears from your search results and connection list.
- Old messages between you vanish from your inbox.
- Trying to visit their profile directly returns a "page not found" or similar error.
None of these on their own is definitive. Profiles get deactivated, deleted, or set to private for plenty of reasons that have nothing to do with blocking. But if all of these happen at once for someone you were previously connected with, a block is the likely explanation.
Can you block a company on LinkedIn?
Not the same way you'd block a person. LinkedIn's blocking feature only applies to individual member profiles, not Company Pages. If you want to stop seeing updates from a company, your options are to unfollow the Page or mute its posts in your feed, which will quiet things down, even though it's not a true block.
How to unfriend (remove a connection from) someone on LinkedIn
LinkedIn doesn't use "friends" like Facebook or "followers" like other social media. It uses connections, and removing one is a lighter, less final step than blocking. It severs the connection without cutting off all visibility the way blocking does. To remove a connection:
- Go to the person's profile.
- Click More (or the three dots) below their profile picture.
- Select Remove Connection.
- Confirm by clicking Remove.
They won't be notified when you remove them, but unlike blocking, they can still view your public profile and send you a new connection request later.
Quick answers to questions about LinkedIn blocking
Can I block people on LinkedIn?
Yes, you can block people so you do not see them and they do not see you on LinkedIn. Go to their profile, click the three dots below their personal information, and select Report / Block.
How do I block someone on LinkedIn?
Go to their profile, click the three dots below their profile information, and select Report / Block. Follow the prompts to confirm.
How do I block someone on LinkedIn without visiting their profile?
You cannot block someone without going to their profile. However, you don't need to hide your identity first: Blocking someone retroactively removes your identifying details from their "Who's Viewed Your Profile" list, even if you viewed it with your name visible. If you'd rather not leave a visible trace at all in the moment (for instance, if you're not sure yet whether you'll block them), you can turn on Private Mode. Select Me, then Settings & Privacy, then Visibility, then set Profile viewing options to private.
How do I unfriend someone on LinkedIn?
To remove a friend without blocking them, go to My Network and select Connections. Search by name and click the three dots to the right of their name. Select Remove connection. It's that easy.
How does unblocking someone on LinkedIn work?
From any page, select your profile photo and select Me, then Settings & Privacy. Go to Visibility to view your blocked users. Select Blocked members. Click Unblock. If you want to reconnect with them, you'll have to send them a request.
