Blocking stops a person from viewing your profile, messaging you, or seeing your posts
When you block someone on LinkedIn, they lose access to your profile entirely. They cannot see your work history, education, connections, or posts. They also cannot send you messages, connection requests, or InMail. If you were already connected, the connection is removed. The blocked person will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they will notice they can no longer find your profile or message you.
Blocking is permanent until you unblock the person. LinkedIn does not set an expiration date or a temporary block option. You can unblock someone at any time through the same settings where you manage your blocked list.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone removes them from your connections, hides your profile from them, and prevents them from messaging you.
- You can block a person from their profile, from a message thread, or from your blocked list settings.
- The blocked person does not receive a notification, but they will see that your profile is no longer visible to them.
- You can view your full list of blocked people and unblock anyone at any time through your privacy settings.
How to block someone from their LinkedIn profile
Open the person's profile page. Look for the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of their profile card (on desktop) or near their name (on mobile). Tap or click the menu icon to open a dropdown list of options.
Select Block from the menu. A confirmation window will appear asking you to confirm the block. Click or tap Block again to complete the action. The person is now blocked, and their profile will no longer be visible to you either.
How to block someone from a message conversation
Open the direct message thread with the person you want to block. Look for the three-dot menu icon at the top of the conversation window. Click or tap it to reveal options.
Select Block from the menu. Confirm the action when prompted. The conversation will remain in your message history, but the person cannot send you new messages, and you will not see their profile or activity on LinkedIn.
How to view and manage your blocked list
Go to your LinkedIn settings by clicking your profile photo in the top right corner and selecting Settings and privacy. Click Privacy in the left sidebar, then scroll down to find Blocking and hiding.
Under Blocked members, you will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Next to each name is an Unblock button. Click it if you want to remove someone from your blocked list. Once unblocked, that person can see your profile and message you again, but you will not automatically reconnect.
What happens when you block someone
The blocked person cannot search for you or find your profile on LinkedIn. Any previous messages between you remain in your inbox, but they cannot send you new messages or see when you were last active. If you had mutual connections, those connections can still see both of your profiles — blocking does not hide you from your mutual contacts.
If the person tries to visit your profile directly through a saved link or an old email, they will see a message saying the profile is not available. They will not know you blocked them specifically; they will only know they cannot access your profile.
Blocking versus other privacy options on LinkedIn
LinkedIn offers several privacy controls beyond blocking. Restricting a connection lets them stay in your network but limits what they can see on your profile — they cannot see your activity, endorsements, or recommendations. Unfollowing someone removes their posts from your feed without removing the connection. Hiding your activity prevents specific people from seeing when you view their profile or interact with their posts.
Blocking is the strongest action and is best used when you want complete separation from someone. Restricting or unfollowing works better if you want to reduce contact but maintain a professional connection. You can combine these options — for example, you might restrict someone's access while keeping them connected, or unfollow them while leaving the connection open.
Unblocking someone on LinkedIn
Return to Settings and privacy and click Privacy. Scroll to Blocking and hiding and find Blocked members. Locate the person you want to unblock and click the Unblock button next to their name. Confirm the action if prompted.
Once unblocked, the person can see your profile again and send you messages. You will not automatically reconnect — they will need to send a new connection request, and you will need to accept it. Unblocking does not restore old messages or undo any actions you took while they were blocked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
No, LinkedIn does not notify someone when you block them. They will only discover it if they try to visit your profile or search for you and cannot find you. They may suspect they were blocked if they previously could see your profile and suddenly cannot.
Can I block someone without removing the connection first?
No, blocking automatically removes any existing connection between you. If you want to keep someone in your network but limit what they see, use the restrict option instead of blocking.
What if I block someone by mistake?
Go to your blocked list in Settings and Privacy under Blocking and hiding. Find the person's name and click Unblock. They will be unblocked immediately, and you can send them a connection request again if you want to reconnect.
Can someone I blocked still see my posts if we have mutual connections?
No, blocked people cannot see your posts even if they are shared by mutual connections. Your posts will not appear in their feed, and they cannot view them through a mutual contact's activity.
Does blocking someone on LinkedIn block them on other Microsoft services?
No, blocking on LinkedIn only affects your LinkedIn account. It does not block them on Outlook, Teams, or other Microsoft products. You would need to manage those services separately if you want to block someone there as well.