Published by the Zolyp team ·
How do you export your LinkedIn connections?
On a computer:
- Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- Select Settings & Privacy.
- Click Data privacy on the left.
- Under How LinkedIn uses your data, click the data download link.
- Select the larger data archive, which includes connections, verifications, contacts and account history.
- Click Request archive.
- Open the email sent to your primary email address and use its link to download the files.
- LinkedIn's two help pages name the link differently: Get a copy of your data on one, Download your data on the other.
- Data downloads aren't available in the mobile app. LinkedIn also advises using your own computer, not a public one.
Sources: LinkedIn Help: Export connections from LinkedIn, checked 15 October 2026; LinkedIn Help: Download your data, checked 15 October 2026
How long does a LinkedIn data download take?
LinkedIn's download page gives two timings. Its introduction says a single category arrives within minutes and the larger download within 24 hours, but its list of files puts connections, messages and contacts in a group marked available within 48 hours. The download link works for 72 hours.
| File | What it contains | Listed as available within |
|---|---|---|
| Connections | Name, public profile URL, email (if allowed), company, position and date connected | 48 hours |
| Contacts | Contacts you imported, with names, phone numbers and emails | 48 hours |
| Messages | Messages sent, received and archived, with dates and content | 48 hours |
| Shares | Your posts and reposts, with dates, links and visibility | 48 hours |
| Invitations | Invitations sent and received, with names, dates and messages | 10 minutes |
| Endorsements and recommendations | Those you've given and received | 10 minutes |
| Company follows | Pages you follow and when | 10 minutes |
Source: LinkedIn Help: Download your data, checked 15 October 2026
What can't you export from LinkedIn?
LinkedIn's limits:
- Only first-degree connections. You can't export people you aren't connected to.
- Email addresses only for connections whose privacy settings let you download them.
- No People You May Know or Who's Viewed Your Profile data, and no other members' personal data.
- Only the files that apply to you. No certifications on your profile means no certifications file.
- CSV and vCard files don't support every character, so names in languages such as Chinese, Japanese or Hebrew may not export properly.
- For anything not in the files, LinkedIn has a Data Access Request Form; a reply can take several days. Members in the EU, EEA and Switzerland can also use LinkedIn's Member Portability APIs.
Sources: LinkedIn Help: Export connections from LinkedIn, checked 15 October 2026; LinkedIn Help: Download your data, checked 15 October 2026
Why is my LinkedIn export missing things?
Common problems:
| Problem | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Email addresses missing | Those connections don't allow downloads of their email | Ask them directly |
| No download option on your phone | It isn't available on mobile | Use a desktop browser |
| Download link doesn't work | Links expire after 72 hours | Request the archive again |
| No email yet | The larger archive takes longer | Check your primary email and allow up to 48 hours |
| Some names look garbled | CSV and vCard don't support every character set | Check those contacts on LinkedIn |
| A file you expected isn't there | You only get categories that apply to your account | Nothing to fix |
Sources: LinkedIn Help: Export connections from LinkedIn, checked 15 October 2026; LinkedIn Help: Download your data, checked 15 October 2026
When is it worth downloading your data?
LinkedIn mentions a few moments:
- Before closing your account, because you can't get the data back afterwards.
- Before merging a duplicate account, since only its connections and email address move across.
- When you're moving connections from a duplicate account to the one you're keeping.
Sources: LinkedIn Help: Download your data, checked 15 October 2026; LinkedIn Help: Merge or close duplicate accounts, checked 15 October 2026; LinkedIn Help: Export connections from LinkedIn, checked 15 October 2026
Where Zolyp fits
Zolyp, which publishes this guide, is our own product, so weigh this section with that in mind. Your connections list helps with one-to-one follow-up, which Zolyp doesn't do: it doesn't import contacts or send messages. It writes and schedules your LinkedIn posts, so the people on that list see you're active. LinkedIn is one of the 9 platforms it publishes to (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads), and you approve the week before anything goes live. Plans that create the posts start at $29 a month, with a 3-day free trial.
Common questions
Can I export LinkedIn connections with email addresses?
Only for connections who allow it in their privacy settings. Others appear without an email address.
Can I export LinkedIn connections on my phone?
No. LinkedIn says data downloads aren't available on mobile, so use a computer.
How long is the LinkedIn download link valid?
72 hours. After that, request the archive again.
Can I export second-degree connections or search results?
No. You can only export your first-degree connections.
What format is the LinkedIn connections export?
LinkedIn's export page refers to CSV and vCard formats.