LinkedIn is the professional world’s favorite social network – perfect for building relationships, landing new opportunities, and growing your career. But what happens when your LinkedIn network becomes a little… messy?
Whether it’s an ex-boss watching your every move, a spammy connection flooding your inbox with pitches, or someone whose values just don’t align with yours anymore, sometimes you need to hit that digital “unfriend” button.
Thankfully, LinkedIn lets you remove connections quietly and professionally – without any awkward drama.
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Here’s how (and when) to remove a connection on LinkedIn – plus how to do it gracefully and why it might be one of the best career-cleaning moves you’ll make this year.
Why Would You Want to Remove a LinkedIn Connection?
Your LinkedIn network should represent people you trust, admire, or share professional goals with. When your feed or inbox becomes cluttered with irrelevant, negative, or even suspicious activity, it might be time to reevaluate your connections.
Here are some legit reasons to cut someone loose:
1. You’re On a Stealth Job Hunt
If you’re job searching while still employed, you might not want current coworkers – or your boss – seeing all the recruiter connections or profile updates. Disconnecting can help keep things low-key.
2. They’re Spamming or Selling Constantly
We all have that one connection who thinks LinkedIn is a 24/7 sales platform. If you’re constantly dodging DMs or seeing irrelevant content, it’s okay to move on.
3. They Share Harmful or Offensive Content
You’re on LinkedIn to grow professionally, not argue about conspiracy theories. If someone regularly shares inappropriate or hateful content, it’s time to hit “remove.”
4. You Don’t Remember Why You Connected
If you scroll through your connections and think, “Who is this?” – that’s a sign. An unclear or outdated connection doesn’t add value to your network.
How to Remove a LinkedIn Connection (Without Them Knowing)
Good news: LinkedIn doesn’t notify people when you remove them. So you can trim your network without hurting feelings or causing confusion.
Step-by-Step Guide to Remove a Connection:
- Log in to LinkedIn
- Click on “My Network” at the top
- Select “Connections” in the left-hand sidebar
- Use the search bar to find the person you want to remove
- Click the three dots (…) next to their name
- Select “Remove connection”
- Confirm the action
That’s it! The person is now removed from your network.
Will They Know You Disconnected?
Nope – LinkedIn keeps it private.
However, the person might eventually notice:
- You’re no longer visible as a connection
- Your shared content no longer appears in their feed
- You may pop up again in the “People You May Know” section
If they send another invite later and say, “Weren’t we connected?”, just respond politely:
“I’m not sure what happened – LinkedIn can be quirky sometimes!”
You can either reconnect or simply click Ignore.
When Not to Remove Someone From LinkedIn
While it’s smart to keep your network relevant, don’t go overboard. Some connections – while not super active – can be valuable long-term.
Avoid disconnecting if:
- You just landed a new job and want a “fresh start”
- The person has a large network or shares useful industry insights
- You may need a future referral, collaboration, or recommendation
Pro Tip: If you don’t want to see someone’s posts, you can just unfollow them instead of disconnecting. This keeps the connection while silencing the content.
What Happens After You Remove a Connection?
- They’re removed from your list of 1st-degree connections
- You’ll no longer see each other’s private content
- They won’t receive a notification
- Any past messages remain in your inbox
- You’ll need to re-send a connection request to add them back later
Why Cleaning Up Your LinkedIn Network Matters
A well-curated LinkedIn network helps:
- Improve your content feed with more relevant posts
- Boost your engagement by interacting with like-minded professionals
- Increase your visibility to the right recruiters and connections
- Protect your reputation by avoiding ties to spammy or inappropriate accounts
Think of it like spring cleaning for your career – clearing out clutter to make space for meaningful opportunities.
You don’t owe anyone a permanent spot in your LinkedIn network. Just like in real life, your professional relationships evolve.
What matters is that your connections reflect who you are, what you value, and where you’re headed.
So if you need to disconnect from someone? Do it – with confidence, class, and zero drama.
And remember, LinkedIn is a tool for you – not the other way around.