Your LinkedIn profile is your digital first impression, but the version you see isn’t always what others see. Depending on your privacy settings, someone visiting your page may only see partial information, a limited headline, or even just your photo.
That’s why learning how to view your LinkedIn profile as others see it is crucial. LinkedIn lets you preview exactly how your profile appears to other users whether they’re connections, recruiters, or the public.
This guide will show you how to use LinkedIn Profile Preview, LinkedIn Profile visibility settings, and profile preview mode to control what’s visible to recruiters, connections, or the public, ensuring your profile always reflects your best professional self.
To view your LinkedIn profile as others see it:
- Log in to your LinkedIn account.
- Click Me 🔻 at the top right of your homepage.
- Select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown menu.
- In the left sidebar, open the Visibility tab.
- Click Edit your public profile, which opens your public profile settings.
- You’ll now see a live preview of how your profile appears to others.
How to Adjust What Others See on LinkedIn
Once you’ve seen your profile preview, it’s time to refine what others actually see.
- Go to Settings → Visibility → Edit your public profile.
- Under Edit Visibility, toggle on or off the sections you want to be public.
- Photo
- Headline
- Experience
- Education
- Featured posts
- You can also change LinkedIn Profile visibility to “Connections only” or “Anyone.”
If you’re applying for jobs, make your core information publicly visible. Recruiters often use search filters that rely on these sections being open.
Using Your Public Profile Preview for Insights
The LinkedIn Profile Preview gives you a clear window into how your professional presence performs. It shows who’s visiting your page and how your updates influence visibility. When you combine this data with the profile preview mode, you gain a complete picture of who views your profile and what they actually see when they get there.
A steady increase in profile views usually reflects that your LinkedIn visibility settings, keywords, and engagement are performing well. A decline, however, can signal that your profile needs refinement; perhaps your headline lacks specific keywords, or your privacy settings are limiting visibility in search results.
Regularly checking how your profile is perceived by others or LinkedIn Public Profile Preview helps you track these trends and adjust your strategy before opportunities slip by. Treat it as an ongoing performance review for your digital reputation as a way to measure how effectively your profile attracts the attention you want.
Pro Tips for Optimizing Your LinkedIn Visibility

Check after every update
Whenever you change your headline, add new experience, or update skills, use the LinkedIn profile preview mode to see how your page looks to others. This ensures your updates display correctly across all LinkedIn Profile visibility levels.
Balance privacy with visibility
Keep your core information, such as your headline, current role, education, and featured posts, visible to everyone. This openness helps recruiters and collaborators quickly understand your expertise.
Optimize for recruiters
If you’re searching for new opportunities, activate the Open to Work feature and include specific, role-based keywords in your About section. Profiles that use relevant search terms appear more often in recruiter searches.
Audit your LinkedIn profile visibility settings regularly
Visit your LinkedIn profile privacy settings every few months to ensure they still match your goals. Use the public profile preview feature to confirm that what others see aligns with the story you want your profile to tell.
Profiles that stay consistent, keyword-focused, and regularly reviewed naturally attract more attention not just from recruiters, but from peers, clients, and partners who value professionalism and clarity.
Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile With AI
Managing LinkedIn Profile visibility and profile presentation is just one step; building a consistent, impactful presence is next.
With FinalLayer, you can craft polished LinkedIn posts, professional summaries, and personalized profile updates that elevate your personal brand all in minutes.
Final Thoughts
Controlling how your LinkedIn profile appears to others is one of the simplest yet most powerful steps you can take toward professional visibility.
By combining this feature and adjusting the visibility settings and routinely checking LinkedIn public profile preview mode, you take charge of your narrative, deciding not just who can find you, but what they see when they do.
Keep your profile updated, preview it regularly, and fine-tune your settings.
On LinkedIn, your visibility is your credibility.