LinkedIn Account Restricted: Causes & Solutions [2025]

Nicolas Fernandez
🦁 Expert Growth, Outbound & AI : +10k meetings booked | 153 customers

Locked out of your LinkedIn account — and no idea why?

Yeah, it’s frustrating. But here’s the thing: it happens more often than you’d think. The good news? Most of them can be reversed.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

✅ Why your LinkedIn account got restricted

✅ How to unlock it quickly

✅ The best practices to avoid future restrictions

Let’s get your LinkedIn life back on track.

Meme showing bad tactics and a LinkedIn safety guide to avoid account restrictions

What to Do If My LinkedIn Account Is Restricted?

First rule: stay calm.

This isn’t the end. It’s usually fixable, especially if you act fast.

When LinkedIn restriction happens on your account, you’ll typically get a message with some context. This restriction means you temporarily lose access to certain features or, in some cases, your entire account

Either way, your next move matters.

Pro Tip: The sooner you act, the better your chances of recovery.

Here’s what you should do:

1️⃣ Contact LinkedIn: Reach out to customer support through the LinkedIn Help Center. Explain that your account is restricted and request assistance.

2️⃣ Review Policies: Familiarize yourself with LinkedIn's user agreement and community policies to understand potential violations.

3️⃣ Prepare to Appeal: If necessary, be ready to provide additional information or documentation to support your case.

By following these steps, you can start the process to regain access to your account.

How to Regain Access to a Restricted Account?

Getting your account back isn’t automatic — but it’s doable if you follow the right steps.

1️⃣ Verify Your Identity: LinkedIn might ask you to confirm you're the rightful owner of the account. This often involves providing a government-issued ID. Ensure you submit clear, readable copies to avoid delays.

LinkedIn account restriction notice asking for identity verification
Pro Tip: Use high-resolution images of your ID to expedite the identity verification process.

2️⃣ Contact Support: If you haven't already, reach out to LinkedIn support. They can provide specific instructions tailored to your situation. Be courteous and concise in your communication.

3️⃣ Follow Up: Persistence can pay off. If you don't hear back within a few days, send a polite follow-up message. Remember, the support team handles numerous requests, so a gentle nudge can help.

Why Is My LinkedIn Account Temporarily Restricted?

A temporary restriction is LinkedIn’s way of saying: "Something doesn’t look right".

Common reasons include:

🕵️‍♂️ Suspicious Activity: Unusual login attempts or behavior can trigger security measures.

📉 Low Acceptance Rate: Sending too many connection requests that go unanswered can raise red flags.

📈 Too Many Connection Requests: Aggressively expanding your network might seem like a good idea, but it can look spammy.

🛡 Violating User Agreement: Posting inappropriate content or not adhering to the user agreement can lead to restrictions.

Understanding these factors can help you avoid future issues.

GIF showing LinkedIn detecting suspicious activity and temporarily restricting an account as a consequence
Pro Tip: Regularly review LinkedIn's community policies to stay compliant.

What Causes Permanent Restrictions on LinkedIn?

Now this is the serious stuff.

Permanent restrictions mean your account might not come back.

Here’s what puts you at risk:

❌ Severe Violations: Sharing offensive or illegal content, harassment, or impersonation can lead to a permanent ban.

❌ Repeated Offenses: Continuously violating the terms of service despite warnings.

❌ Using Automation Tools: Employing unauthorized tools to scrape data or automate actions violates LinkedIn's policies.

⚠️ Once an account is permanently restricted, regaining access is challenging. It's crucial to adhere to the user agreement to maintain your presence on the platform.

How to Avoid Getting My LinkedIn Account Restricted?

Prevention is better than cure. 

Here are some best practices and safety tips to keep your account in good standing:

✅ Avoid Suspicious Activities: Steer clear of behaviors that could be interpreted as spam or harassment. This includes overdoing connection requests or sending unsolicited messages.

✅ Personalize Your Outreach: When connecting with others, customize your messages. This shows genuine intent and increases your acceptance rate.

✅ Use Approved Tools: If you’re considering automation for lead generation, ensure you're using tools that comply with LinkedIn's policies. For instance, cloud-based solutions like Pronto — a LinkedIn Sales Navigator scraper Chrome extension — can be safer alternatives.

Pro Tip: Regular engagement with your network keeps your account active and less likely to be flagged.

✅ Stay Updated: LinkedIn's policies can change. Regularly reviewing the community policies helps you stay compliant.

LinkedIn Privacy Policy update effective September 18, 2024, for global and EU users

Can I Create a New LinkedIn Account After Restriction?

Technically? Yes.

Should you? Not so fast.

If your account is permanently restricted, there are caveats:

⚠️ Policy Compliance: Creating a new account after a permanent ban can violate LinkedIn's policies. They may detect and restrict the new account as well.

⚠️ Recover Access: Before starting over, attempt to recover your original account. Contact customer support and inquire about possible reinstatement.

⚠️ Professional Identity: Remember, your LinkedIn profile is tied to your professional identity. Maintaining a consistent presence is important for networking.

Pro Tip: If you must create a new account, ensure all previous issues are resolved and avoid past mistakes.

What Are the Common Reasons for LinkedIn Account Restrictions?

Keep your profile safe and avoid account restrictions by steering clear of these common mistakes:

🕵️‍♂️ Suspicious Activity: Unusual patterns, like logging in from multiple locations simultaneously.

🚫 Fake News: Sharing misinformation or unverified content.

🐟 Spammy Content: Excessive self-promotion or irrelevant posts.

🤖 Automation Tools: Using unauthorized software to automate actions like messaging or connecting.

💥 Connection Requests: Sending too many requests in a short period, especially to people you don't know.

By being mindful of these issues, you can maintain a healthy LinkedIn presence.

Pro Tip: Quality over quantity. Focus on meaningful connections rather than numbers.

Conclusion

Getting a LinkedIn account restriction is annoying — but not the end of the world.

Here’s how to keep your professional presence intact:

⏱ Act promptly when faced with a restriction

🛡 Understand and adhere to LinkedIn's user agreement and community policies

🕵️ Avoid activities that may seem suspicious or spammy

🛠 Use tools like Pronto to stay within safe usage boundaries

Your network is an asset. Protect it by staying informed, professional, and engaged.

Remember to keep your profile safe by avoiding these frequent mistakes:

Reason for Restriction Temporary Restriction Permanent Restriction Details
🕵️‍♂️ Suspicious Activity ✅ Yes ⚠️ Potentially Unusual logins or behavior (e.g., multiple locations, login attempts)
📜 Violation of User Agreement ⚠️ Possibly ✅ Yes Breaking terms of service or community guidelines repeatedly
🤖 Unauthorized Automation Tools ✅ Yes ✅ Yes Use of unapproved bots or scraping tools (e.g., mass messaging software)
🚫 Sharing Inappropriate or Illegal Content ✅ Yes ✅ Yes Includes harassment, impersonation, offensive or unlawful content
🌀 Repeated Offenses ❌ No ✅ Yes Continued violations despite prior warnings
🗞️ Sharing Misinformation (Fake News) ✅ Yes ✅ Yes Posting false or unverified information
🐟 Spammy Content ✅ Yes ⚠️ Potentially Excessive self-promotion or irrelevant posting
💥 Aggressive Connection Behavior ✅ Yes ⚠️ Potentially Too many unsolicited or ignored connection requests
📰 Creating New Account After a Ban ❌ No ✅ Yes (Policy Violation) Starting over post-ban violates LinkedIn rules, and the new account may be flagged

Starting over post-ban violates LinkedIn rules, and the new account may be flagged

Stay sharp. Stay compliant. And keep building your professional brand — one smart connection at a time.

If you want to learn more about LinkedIn Sales Navigator limits, visit our guide. 

Was this article helpful?
Thank you for your feedback!
It helps us improving our guide.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

+30 Sales Hacks

Generate tons of meetings in one month.

More Tips To Boost Your Lead Generation

Bypass Search Limits

Hit the LinkedIn Sales Navigator search limit? Discover 3 strategies to bypass restrictions and boost your lead generation.

Down? How to Check

Facing LinkedIn Sales Navigator down? Get 6 expert troubleshooting tips and real-time status checks to quickly resolve issues and boost your sales efforts.

GDPR

Master LinkedIn Sales Navigator GDPR compliance with 5 key tips to protect data and enhance your sales strategy. Stay compliant today!

Max Messages Sent

How many messages can I send on LinkedIn Sales Navigator? Learn your exact limits, from 100 weekly requests to 30 InMail credits!