How to view LinkedIn profiles anonymously?

In recent times, development and demands have created a need for online platforms for job-hunting as well as offering jobs to potential candidates. One of the leading platforms for this is LinkedIn, where we can create our profile, make connections and view all the given data about each other. However, the notion of being caught while viewing a profile often hesitates many. So, what is the solution? Read on to learn all about it!

Is it possible to hide my identity while viewing a LinkedIn profile?

Yes, it is possible to not show your identity to the person whose profile you are visiting on LinkedIn in some ways. However, you need to be careful while doing that and should keep in mind that you do not misuse the collected data. 

Method 1: Make use of the Private mode on LinkedIn

LinkedIn has multiple features that have added to its popularity recently. One of these features is that of a ‘Private mode’. One can use it to view other profiles while keeping their own identity a secret. Now a profile can be viewed natively from an account, without notifying the other user. Follow these steps to enable this mode –

• Use a web browser to log in to your LinkedIn account, or log in using the application if you have it on your device. 
• Open your profile picture and choose “Settings and Privacy” from the drop-down menu that appears.
• Choose “Visibility” with an eye icon in front of it.
• Click on “Profile viewing options”.
• Now you can choose the ‘Private mode” from here and view any profile without notifying the user on the other end. 

Method 2: Use an Incognito Window in the browser

Web browsers come with an option of using the ‘Incognito mode’, to keep your history a secret. This method doesn’t allow the web to record your search history, or any data on your device. You can use this very mode to anonymously view a LinkedIn profile as well. 

• Open the web browser that you use and open the incognito window in it.
• Now in the search bar, search for the LinkedIn profile of the person along with their name. 
• The page will open on the screen where you can view the entire profile, and the user won’t get notified. 

Method 3: Create another LinkedIn account or use somebody else’s account for the search

It is possible that you already have another account on LinkedIn that you can use to view a particular profile without intimating them since the notification about this search will appear on their screen with the name linked with this profile. Also, you can ask for a friend’s account or use the account of a family member to keep your identity a secret and still view the profile that you wanted to view on LinkedIn.

While these are the possible ways, we suggest that you use these for positive reasons alone. Misusing data available on LinkedIn or any other platform for that matter, calls for serious legal action that can have severe repercussions.