LinkedIn’s Open to Work feature can be useful during a job search, but you may want to remove it after accepting a position, pausing your search or deciding to look for work privately. Before changing the setting, remember that removing the green Open to Work frame and disabling the complete feature are not always the same action. You can delete Open to Work, limit its visibility to recruiters or remove only the public photo frame. This guide explains how to make the appropriate change on desktop, iPhone and Android, along with troubleshooting steps if the option or updated setting does not appear.
Quick Answer: How to Remove Open to Work on LinkedIn
To remove Open to Work on LinkedIn:
- Sign in to LinkedIn.
- Select Me, followed by View Profile.
- Find the Open to Work box near the top of your profile.
- Select the pencil-shaped Edit icon.
- Scroll to the bottom of the window.
- Select Delete or Delete from profile.
- Confirm the deletion.
This action disables Open to Work; it does more than hide the green frame around your profile photo. According to LinkedIn Help, you may activate the feature again later, but LinkedIn will not save preferences that you delete.
What Happens When You Remove Open to Work on LinkedIn?
Deleting Open to Work removes the box from the introduction area of your profile and takes away the public green frame, if you were using it. It also stops showing recruiters the Open to Work signal and deletes the preferences you entered, such as desired job titles, locations and employment types.
The change does not delete your LinkedIn account, connections, Experience entries or other profile information. It also is not permanent: you can enable Open to Work again and enter new preferences whenever you resume your search.
Choose the action that fits your current job-search strategy. Removing the feature is not inherently better for your hiring prospects, just as keeping it active is not right for everyone.
| Action | Green frame | Recruiter signal | Preferences retained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delete Open to Work | Removed | Disabled | No |
| Switch to recruiters only | Removed | Remains active | Yes |
| Keep it public | Visible | Remains active | Yes |
How to Remove Open to Work on LinkedIn on Desktop
LinkedIn allows you to disable the setting directly from the top section of your profile in a desktop browser.
1. Open your LinkedIn profile
Sign in to LinkedIn and select the Me icon in the navigation bar at the top of the homepage. Choose View Profile from the menu. This opens the public-facing profile editor rather than the general settings page.
2. Find the Open to Work section
Look for the Open to Work box in the introduction area near the top of your profile, below your headline and contact details. Depending on interface updates, LinkedIn may use slightly different wording, but the box should show the job preferences you previously selected.
3. Edit the Open to Work preferences
Select the pencil-shaped Edit icon inside the box. A window will open showing details such as job titles, work locations, employment types, start date and visibility.
4. Select Delete from profile
Scroll to the bottom and select Delete or Delete from profile. Do not select Save if your goal is to disable the feature completely. Save keeps Open to Work active and only records edits to your preferences or visibility.
5. Confirm the removal
Confirm your choice if LinkedIn displays an additional prompt. Reload the profile and verify that the Open to Work box and green photo frame have disappeared. The official desktop route is Me → View Profile → Edit icon in the Open to Work box → Delete.
Editorial note: Place current screenshots after Steps 3 and 4, making sure no personal profile information is visible.
How to Remove Open to Work on LinkedIn Mobile
The LinkedIn app provides nearly the same controls as the desktop website, although the placement of an icon or the wording of a button can change between app versions.
How to remove Open to Work on iPhone
- Open the LinkedIn app and sign in if required.
- Tap your profile picture in the upper-left corner.
- Tap your profile picture again or choose View profile.
- Find the Open to Work box in the introduction section.
- Tap the pencil-shaped Edit icon in that box.
- Review the settings, then scroll to the bottom and tap Delete.
- Confirm that you want to remove the feature.
Return to your profile and check that the Open to Work section and public frame are no longer displayed. If you only want to conceal the frame, change the visibility instead of tapping Delete.
How to remove Open to Work on Android
Android follows essentially the same process: open the app, access your profile, edit the Open to Work box and tap Delete. A menu label or icon may appear in a slightly different position depending on the device, screen size and current version of the LinkedIn app.
If the Edit or Delete control is missing, install the latest app update and reopen LinkedIn. You can also sign in through a desktop browser and use the desktop route instead of repeating the process across multiple mobile menus.
How to Remove the Open to Work Frame on LinkedIn Without Disabling the Feature
You do not need to delete Open to Work simply because you no longer want the public green badge. LinkedIn lets you remove the frame while preserving selected job preferences.
Change visibility to recruiters only
Open your profile, find the Open to Work box and select its Edit icon. Under visibility, change All LinkedIn Members to Recruiters only, then save the change. The green frame will no longer appear publicly, but people who use LinkedIn Recruiter may still see your Open to Work signal and the career interests you chose to share.
Remove the frame through profile-photo settings
You can also use the profile-photo controls:
- Open your profile and select your profile photo.
- Select Frames.
- Choose the original photo.
- Select the option to share Open to Work with recruiters only, if prompted.
- Apply and save the change.
Be careful when choosing from the prompts. Remove Open to Work from profile disables the feature, whereas Share Open to Work with recruiters only removes its public display but retains the recruiter signal.
Recruiters-only visibility is more discreet, but it is not completely confidential. LinkedIn takes steps to prevent Recruiter users associated with your current employer and related companies from seeing your shared career interests. However, it cannot guarantee total privacy because company associations and recruiter information may not always be identified correctly.
Should You Delete Open to Work or Use Recruiters Only?
The right choice depends on whether you have finished, paused or simply made your job search more private. Use the following situations as a decision guide rather than treating the green frame as universally beneficial or harmful.
| Situation | Appropriate option |
| You have accepted a new position | Delete Open to Work |
| You have paused your search | Delete it or use private preferences |
| You are employed and searching discreetly | Consider Recruiters only |
| You want help from your entire network | Keep All LinkedIn Members selected |
| You only dislike the green frame | Switch to Recruiters only |
| You want personalised job recommendations without signalling availability | Consider Visible only to you |
The public setting makes your status visible to LinkedIn members, including recruiters, colleagues and people connected with your current company. It may be helpful when you actively want referrals, introductions and opportunities from your wider network.
Recruiters only provides a lower-profile alternative while keeping your job interests available through LinkedIn Recruiter. Visible only to you can retain preferences for personalised job recommendations without sharing an availability signal. If you have completed your search and no longer need the preferences, deletion is the clearest option. None of these choices indicates how serious, selective or employable a candidate is.
Why Can’t I Remove Open to Work on LinkedIn?
If the normal steps do not work, identify whether the issue concerns the Open to Work box, the Delete control or only the photo frame.
The Open to Work box is missing
The feature may already be disabled. LinkedIn may also show a different interface label as it updates the platform. Check the Jobs tab and open Preferences → Open to work to see whether any related visibility or job-preference setting remains active.
The Delete option is not visible
Open the editing window and scroll all the way to the bottom. On a small screen, the Delete control may sit below the fields currently displayed. If the mobile app presents an incomplete menu, use LinkedIn in a desktop browser.
The green frame still appears
Try the following checks:
- Refresh the profile page.
- Close and reopen the LinkedIn app.
- Review the profile-photo Frames settings.
- Update the app.
- Sign out and sign back in.
- View the profile in another browser or on another device.
The change does not appear on another device
Open to Work is an account-level setting, so you do not normally have to remove it separately on desktop, iPhone and Android. Reload LinkedIn on the other device and ensure that you are viewing the same account. If the outdated display remains after basic checks, consult LinkedIn Help rather than repeatedly enabling and deleting the feature.
What to Update After Removing Open to Work
Removing Open to Work changes an availability setting; it does not revise the rest of your profile. Review these areas so that your information reflects your current situation:
- Current position and employment dates
- Profile headline
- About section
- Contact information
- Skills
- Recent achievements
- Job preferences
- Profile photo
- Notifications concerning profile changes
If you have accepted a role, wait until the offer, start date and relevant employment details are confirmed before announcing the move publicly. When you are ready, add the new position to the Experience section and decide whether to notify your network. Deleting Open to Work does not add the role, close an old Experience entry or publish a job announcement for you.
If you are still searching privately, keep your headline and About section focused on professional value rather than repeating “seeking opportunities.” Include relevant role terms, industry knowledge, tools, specialist skills and measurable achievements so recruiters can understand your experience even without a public frame.
Finally, inspect your remaining job preferences. Settings used for recommendations, applications or resume sharing may be separate from Open to Work and should be reviewed individually rather than assumed to have changed with it.
Conclusion
Delete Open to Work when you want to disable the feature, remove only the green frame when public visibility is the concern, or choose recruiters-only visibility for a more discreet search. After making the change, review the Open to Work box, your profile photo and job preferences to confirm that LinkedIn now reflects the visibility choice you intended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LinkedIn notify people when I remove Open to Work?
Removing the setting is not the same as publishing a post or announcing a profile update. It removes the relevant box, visibility signal and frame based on the option selected. Review your profile-update notification settings separately before changing employment information.
Can recruiters still see that I am open to work?
Not through the Open to Work signal after you delete the feature completely. Recruiters using LinkedIn Recruiter may still see it if you remove the public frame by changing visibility to Recruiters only instead.
Can my current employer see Open to Work?
If All LinkedIn Members is selected, the status and green frame can be seen by LinkedIn members, including people at your company. For Recruiters only, LinkedIn attempts to hide shared career interests from Recruiter users associated with your employer and related companies, but does not guarantee complete privacy.
Can I turn Open to Work back on later?
Yes. You can activate the feature again and decide who can see it. However, LinkedIn says that preferences deleted with the feature are not saved, so you will need to enter the desired roles, locations, work types and other details again.
How do I remove only the green Open to Work badge?
Edit the Open to Work box and change visibility from All LinkedIn Members to Recruiters only. Alternatively, open your profile-photo settings, select Frames and return to the original photo while choosing the recruiters-only option when prompted. Do not select complete removal if you want the private signal to remain active.
