If you’ve ever been locked out of an old email address, you know how quickly a small oversight can turn into a major headache. Now imagine that email is still connected to your LinkedIn account. You try to reset your password, confirm a security alert, or respond to a recruiter, and nothing arrives. That’s when people start searching for how to change LinkedIn primary email and realizing they should have done it sooner.
Your email address is more than just a login detail. It’s the main way LinkedIn reaches you. If it’s outdated, insecure, or no longer accessible, you’re putting your account at risk. The good news is that LinkedIn makes this update fairly straightforward once you know where to click. Below is a clear and practical guide that walks you through the exact process, explains why it matters, and helps you avoid common problems along the way.
Why should you check your primary email on LinkedIn
Your primary email address is LinkedIn’s main communication channel. Password resets, security alerts, job notifications, and connection requests all go there first. If you don’t control that inbox anymore, you could miss important messages or even lose access to your account.
Many people sign up for LinkedIn using a work email. Years later, they change jobs and forget to update it. Others want to move away from an old inbox filled with spam. Whatever the reason, learning how to change LinkedIn primary email helps you stay in control and reduces unnecessary stress. This small update can make a big difference in account security and peace of mind.
How to change LinkedIn primary email step by step
The process only takes a few minutes, but you’ll need access to your LinkedIn account and an email inbox. Follow these steps carefully.
First, log in to LinkedIn and go to your settings. On the top of your homepage, click the Me icon, which usually displays your profile photo. From the dropdown menu, select Settings & Privacy.
Next, look at the left side of the page and click Sign in & security. This area manages how you access your account and how LinkedIn confirms your identity. From there, click Email addresses.
You’ll see all email addresses currently linked to your account, along with one marked as primary. To continue the process of how to change LinkedIn primary email, click Add email address. For security reasons, LinkedIn may send a verification code to your current primary email or ask you to approve the action through the LinkedIn app.
After that, enter the new email address you want to use and type in your LinkedIn password. Click Submit to move forward. Then check your email inbox. LinkedIn will send a message asking you to verify the new address. Open it and follow the instructions to confirm.
Once the email is verified, return to the Email addresses section in your LinkedIn settings. Click Make primary next to the new email address. At this point, you’ve successfully completed how to change LinkedIn primary email.
Removing an old or unused email address
After setting your new primary email, it’s a good idea to remove the old one, especially if you no longer have access to it. Keeping unused emails attached to your account can create security risks. To remove an email, go back to the Email addresses section and click Remove next to the address you want to delete. LinkedIn will not allow you to remove your only email address, so make sure the new one is already set as primary. This final cleanup step helps ensure your account stays secure and easy to manage.
Knowing how to change LinkedIn primary email is one of those simple tasks that often gets overlooked until it’s too late. Updating your email improves security, ensures you receive important messages, and keeps your account fully under your control. If you haven’t checked your LinkedIn email settings in a while, now is a smart time to do it. A few clicks today can save you hours of frustration later.
