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LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network, and that makes it one of the most valuable targets for attackers. A compromised LinkedIn account gives criminals access to your professional identity, your connections’ contact information, and a trusted platform for launching phishing attacks disguised as job offers, business proposals, or recruitment outreach. LinkedIn’s 2012 data breach exposed over 100 million passwords, and the platform remains a top target for credential stuffing and social engineering. This guide, part of our Password Manager Guides & Tutorials series, walks you through changing your LinkedIn password on desktop and mobile, then hardening your account against the threats that specifically target professional networks.
When and Why to Change Your LinkedIn Password
LinkedIn accounts are prime targets for several reasons that make password hygiene especially important:
- Professional phishing. Attackers use compromised LinkedIn accounts to send convincing job offers, partnership proposals, and recruitment messages. Because LinkedIn is inherently a platform for connecting with strangers professionally, recipients are less suspicious of messages from unknown accounts than they would be on other platforms.
- Business email compromise. A compromised LinkedIn account reveals your employer, title, colleagues, and business relationships – exactly the information needed to craft targeted phishing emails to your coworkers or clients.
- Credential stuffing from past breaches. LinkedIn’s massive 2012 breach and subsequent data scraping incidents mean that old LinkedIn credentials are widely available in breach databases. If you have not changed your password since then, or if you reused that password elsewhere, you are exposed.
- Recruitment and job scams. Fake recruiters using stolen accounts lure victims with lucrative job postings, then collect personal information (Social Security numbers, banking details) under the guise of “onboarding.”
Change your LinkedIn password immediately if you notice suspicious activity, receive a breach notification, suspect password reuse with another compromised service, or have not updated it in over a year.
Before You Start
Prepare before making the change:
- Your current LinkedIn password. Required for the standard password change process. If you have forgotten it, see the reset section below.
- Your password manager. Open PanicVault or your preferred manager to generate a strong replacement and save it immediately.
- Your recovery email and phone number. Verify these are current in your LinkedIn settings. Go to Settings → Sign in & security → Email addresses and Phone numbers to confirm.
- An awareness of active sessions. LinkedIn signs you out of all sessions when you change your password, so expect to re-authenticate on your phone, tablet, and any other device where you use LinkedIn.
How to Change Your LinkedIn Password on Desktop (Web)
Step 1: Go to LinkedIn settings
Open linkedin.com in your browser and sign in. Click your profile icon (your photo) in the top navigation bar, then select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown menu.
Step 2: Navigate to Sign in & security
In the left sidebar of the settings page, click Sign in & security. This section manages your password, two-step verification, and active sessions.
Step 3: Click Change password
Find the Change password option and click it. LinkedIn may prompt you to verify your identity before proceeding.
Step 4: Enter your current and new password
Fill in the form:
- Current password: Your existing LinkedIn password.
- New password: A randomly generated password from your password manager. Use at least 20 characters with uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.
- Re-type new password: Confirm the new password.
Step 5: Save the change
Click Save password. LinkedIn confirms the update and signs you out of all other active sessions. This is intentional – it ensures any unauthorized sessions are terminated.
Step 6: Update your password manager
Open PanicVault or your password manager and update the LinkedIn entry with your new password. Verify the URL field contains linkedin.com so AutoFill works correctly on LinkedIn sign-in pages.
How to Change Your LinkedIn Password on Mobile App
Step 1: Open LinkedIn app settings
Launch the LinkedIn app on your iPhone or Android device. Tap your profile picture in the top-left corner, then tap Settings (gear icon). On some app versions, you may need to tap Settings & Privacy directly.
Step 2: Navigate to Sign in & security
Tap Sign in & security in the Account section of the settings menu.
Step 3: Tap Change password
Tap Change password. The app may ask you to verify your identity with your current password or a verification code.
Step 4: Enter your passwords
Enter your current password, then enter and confirm your new password. Use PanicVault’s password generator on your mobile device to create the new password. On iOS, you can use the AutoFill integration to accept the suggested strong password.
Step 5: Save and sync
Tap Save or Done. Update the LinkedIn entry in your mobile password manager. If your password manager syncs via cloud storage, the new credential will be available across all your devices within seconds.
What Makes a Strong LinkedIn Password
Given the high value of LinkedIn accounts for professional phishing and business email compromise, your replacement password should be exceptionally strong:
- At least 20 characters. LinkedIn supports long passwords. Since your password manager autofills it, there is no convenience cost to length.
- Randomly generated. Use your password manager’s built-in generator. Do not create passwords based on patterns, dictionary words, or personal information. Our strong password guide explains why human-created passwords are predictable.
- Unique to LinkedIn. Never use the same password on LinkedIn and any other service. If your LinkedIn password matches your Gmail or Microsoft password, a single breach compromises both accounts.
- Free of professional keywords. Do not include your company name, job title, industry terms, or any information visible on your LinkedIn profile. Attackers try these first in targeted attacks.
Store It in a Password Manager
Properly storing your new LinkedIn password is essential for both security and convenience:
- Open PanicVault or your preferred password manager and locate your LinkedIn entry.
- Replace the old password with the new one. If you used the in-app generator, the new password may already be saved.
- Verify the URL is set to
https://www.linkedin.comso AutoFill activates on LinkedIn sign-in pages. - Store your 2FA backup codes in the same entry as a secure note (see 2FA setup below).
- Add a date note for your records, noting when the password was last changed. This is valuable during password audits.
- Confirm sync across devices. Open your password manager on another device and verify the updated LinkedIn entry is there.
Not using a password manager yet? Read our first-time setup guide to get started. A password manager is the single most impactful security tool you can adopt.
What to Do If You Forgot Your LinkedIn Password
If you cannot remember your current LinkedIn password:
- Go to the LinkedIn sign-in page at linkedin.com or open the LinkedIn app.
- Click or tap “Forgot password?” below the sign-in form.
- Enter your email address or phone number. LinkedIn uses this to locate your account.
- Check for the reset link. LinkedIn sends a password reset link to your email (not a code). Open the email and click the link.
- Create a new password. Use your password manager’s generator to create a strong, random password of at least 20 characters.
- Save it immediately. Store the new password in PanicVault or your preferred password manager before doing anything else.
- Enable 2FA. Once you are back in your account, set up two-step verification immediately.
If you no longer have access to the email address on your LinkedIn account, you will need to go through LinkedIn’s identity verification process, which may require submitting a government-issued ID. Keep your account recovery information current to avoid this scenario.
Harden Your LinkedIn Account After the Password Change
LinkedIn accounts warrant additional security measures beyond a strong password:
- Enable two-step verification. Go to Settings → Sign in & security → Two-step verification. Choose an authenticator app (TOTP) over SMS for better security. PanicVault can generate TOTP codes and store them alongside your LinkedIn password.
- Review active sessions. Under Sign in & security → Where you’re signed in, review all active sessions and sign out of any you do not recognize.
- Check your email addresses. Verify that only your email addresses are listed. An attacker who has added their own email can use it to reset your password later.
- Review connected apps. Under Data privacy → Other applications, revoke access for any third-party apps you no longer use.
- Be cautious with connection requests. Fake profiles are a primary vector for LinkedIn-based attacks. Verify connection requests from people you do not know, especially if they claim to be recruiters or executives.
