Download before you delete
Closing an old profile is irreversible in one specific way: once the account is closed, you no longer have access to its data. If you might ever need a record of what the profile contained, export it first. This is your own account data, not a way to collect information about other members.
The official desktop path
LinkedIn lets members request their own data from Settings and Privacy, Data Privacy, How LinkedIn uses your data, then Download your data; members can select relevant data categories. Source
LinkedIn recommends downloading on a personal rather than public computer; the download feature is currently not available on mobile. Source
What the archive will not contain
Two common assumptions are wrong. The export is not a record of who viewed your profile, and it is not a list of People You May Know.
The archive excludes People You May Know and Who Has Viewed Your Profile. After closing the account, a member no longer has access to their LinkedIn account data. Source
Closure-readiness checklist
| Step | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Account identity | You are signed in to the old profile, not a newer or work account |
| Categories | You selected the data categories you actually need |
| Device | You requested the download on a personal computer |
| Archive review | The file opens and contains what you expected before you close anything |
| Closure readiness | You have kept a recovery method you control until closure is complete |
A missing email is not proof of a hidden account
People often treat an absent connection-confirmation email as evidence that a second, hidden profile exists. It is not. Mailbox retention, spam filtering, changed notification settings and the age of the address all affect what remains in an inbox. A username or profile match is a lead, not proof of ownership. If you need to audit where an old handle appears, TraceSeek checks public username matches across 3,000+ platforms; it cannot export LinkedIn data or change privacy settings.
Key facts
- LinkedIn members can request their own data from Settings and Privacy, Data Privacy, How LinkedIn uses your data, then Download your data, and can select relevant data categories.
- LinkedIn recommends downloading on a personal rather than public computer, and the download feature is currently not available on mobile.
- The LinkedIn archive excludes People You May Know and Who Has Viewed Your Profile.
- After closing a LinkedIn account, the member no longer has access to their LinkedIn account data.