How to Merge Duplicate LinkedIn Accounts: A Step-by-Step Guide

"I have two profiles. What can I do?” is probably one of the most frequent question I was asked by client executives when I worked at Linkedin.

I looked like a hero and it was great to strenghten the relationship.

The process to merge duplicate accounts has been simplified by Linkedin now.

Indeed, having multiple LinkedIn accounts can be confusing for you and others and may prevent you from fully leveraging the platform.

If you’ve discovered that you have duplicate LinkedIn accounts, it’s essential to consolidate them to maintain a single, strong professional presence.

Here’s a clear, step-by-step guide to merging duplicate LinkedIn accounts or closing unnecessary ones.

Step 1: Identify Your Duplicate Accounts

To determine whether you have more than one LinkedIn account, follow these steps:

1. Search for your name on LinkedIn.
2. Look at the profiles in the search results.
3. The profile with the “You” icon is the one you are currently signed into.
4. Any other profile containing your information but without the “You” icon is likely a duplicate account.

Step 2: Confirm Access to Both Accounts

Before you proceed with merging, ensure you have access to both accounts:

• If you can sign into both accounts, proceed to Step 3.
• If you forgot the password of one account, reset it via the LinkedIn password recovery page.
• If you don’t have access to the email address associated with the duplicate account, follow the identity verification process.

Step 3: Merge Two LinkedIn Accounts (If You Can Sign Into Both)

If you have login credentials for both accounts and want to merge them, follow these steps:

1. Ensure you have access to both accounts' primary email addresses.
2. Back up any important data from the account you wish to close. Since not all data will be transferred, download your data archive by:
• Clicking on your Me icon > Settings & Privacy.
• Navigating to Data Privacy > Get a copy of your data.
• Requesting and downloading your archive.
3. Note the LinkedIn URLs of both accounts.
• To find the public profile URL, go to the profile page and look under “Contact Info.”
4. Contact LinkedIn Support to request a merge.
• Visit LinkedIn Help.
• Provide your login credentials and URLs for both accounts.
5. Wait for LinkedIn to complete the merge.
• After submitting the request, LinkedIn will process the merge.

Important Notes:

• Only connections and the email address from the duplicate account will transfer.
• Profile content, endorsements, recommendations, saved articles, group memberships, and pending invitations will NOT be merged.
• You cannot merge accounts with zero connections or those with more than 30,000 connections.
• InMail credits and Premium subscriptions will not transfer. Cancel any paid features before merging.

Step 4: Closing a Duplicate Account Manually (If One Account Has Zero Connections)

If one of your accounts has zero connections, merging is not an option. Instead, you must close the duplicate account.

How to Close an Account:

1. Sign into the account you want to close.
2. Click on the Me icon at the top of your homepage.
3. Select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown.
4. Navigate to Account Management in the Account Preferences section.
5. Click Change next to Close account.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm closure.

Wait 48 hours after closing the account before adding the email address from the closed account to your remaining profile. This prevents creating another duplicate in the future.

Step 5: Managing an Account Without Access

If you can’t sign in because you lost access to the registered email address:

1. Try logging in using any previous work, school, or personal email addresses.
2. Attempt variations of known email addresses (e.g., @gmail.com, @googlemail.com).
3. If you remember the email but can’t access it, follow LinkedIn’s identity verification process to prove account ownership.

Final Considerations

• Multiple profiles are against LinkedIn’s policies. Keeping only one account ensures compliance and prevents confusion for your network.
• Back up your data before merging or closing accounts.
• Cancel subscriptions and remove job postings or advertisements before merging.
• If you are a group owner, transfer ownership before closing an account.

By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth transition to a single, optimized LinkedIn presence, allowing you to focus on growing your professional network effectively. Need help optimizing your LinkedIn profile? Reach out for a consultation!