LinkedIn Open to Work: How to Turn It On or Off
Turn on LinkedIn's #OpenToWork for recruiters only or for everyone, or remove it. What each setting shows, and what LinkedIn's own data says about the frame.
Open to Work is LinkedIn's way to tell recruiters, or everyone, that you're looking for a job. To turn it on, click Me, then View profile. Click the Open to button and choose Finding a new job. Add the job titles and places you want, pick who can see it, and click Save. If you share it with all LinkedIn members, LinkedIn adds the #OpenToWork frame to your photo.
We read LinkedIn's help page and its posts on Open to Work on October 24, 2026.
About 22,200 people search "opentowork" each month, 12,100 search "open to work linkedin," and 6,600 want to know how to remove it.
Who can see that you're Open to Work?
| Setting | Who sees it | Photo frame |
|---|---|---|
| All LinkedIn Members | Everyone, "recruiters and people at your current company" included | Yes |
| Recruiters only | "People using LinkedIn Recruiter only" | No |
| Visible only to you | Just you. LinkedIn uses it to tailor your job recommendations | No |
LinkedIn Help, "Let recruiters know you're Open to Work," read October 24, 2026.
Recruiters only comes with a catch. LinkedIn takes "steps to prevent LinkedIn Recruiter users who work at your current company from seeing your shared career interests, but we can't guarantee complete privacy." It works out your company from the job you've marked "I am currently working here."
How do you turn on Open to Work?
On a computer:
- Click the Me icon at the top of LinkedIn, then View profile.
- Click the Open to button and choose Finding a new job.
- Fill in what you want and choose who can see it.
- Click Save.
In the app, tap your profile photo, then tap it again to open your profile. Tap Open to in your introduction card, tap Finding a new job, fill it in and tap Save.
You can also start from the Jobs tab. Click Preferences in the left-hand rail, then the arrow next to Open to work. There you set job titles, location types, locations, start date, employment types and who can see it.
In India, LinkedIn also lets you add your notice period and expected annual salary. Those stay "visible to recruiters only, regardless of your Open To Work visibility setting."
How do you remove Open to Work on LinkedIn?
- Go to your profile.
- Click or tap the Edit icon on the Open to Work box at the top.
- Select Delete.
Think before you delete. "You can re-enable it at any time, but your previous preferences won't be saved," LinkedIn says.
Want the frame gone while recruiters can still find you? Edit the box and change who can see it to Recruiters only. The frame only shows when you share with all members.
Why did your Open to Work disappear?
LinkedIn may have turned it off. "If we notice that you stop responding to InMails from recruiters, we'll email you to confirm that you're still open to work," its help page says. Without a reply, LinkedIn removes the feature "until you manually enable it again."
Does the Open to Work frame help?
LinkedIn's own numbers say yes:
| Date | What LinkedIn reported |
|---|---|
| June 2020 | The #OpenToWork photo frame launched |
| October 28, 2020 | 3 million+ members had tried it. Members with the frame got "on average 40% more InMails from recruiters" and were "20% more likely" to hear from the wider community |
| October 29, 2020 | Turning on Open to Work made a recruiter message twice as likely ("2X") |
| September 5, 2024 | LinkedIn repeated the 40% figure to Fortune, which put badge users at 40 million |
LinkedIn blog posts of October 28 and 29, 2020, read October 24, 2026, and Fortune, September 5, 2024, as Google showed it.
Not everyone agrees. Fortune's 2024 headline read "LinkedIn's #opentowork badge can hurt your job search," and a 2026 Reddit post argues the banner just signals "that you're unemployed." Recruiters can find you either way, since LinkedIn lets them filter for "candidates who are #OpenToWork."
So pick by your situation. If you have a job, Recruiters only keeps it quieter. If you're between jobs, the public frame tells your network to send leads your way.
Frequently asked questions
What does #OpenToWork mean?
That the person is looking for a job. LinkedIn adds the frame when someone shares Open to Work with all members.
Can your employer see Open to Work?
If you share it with all LinkedIn members, yes. With Recruiters only, LinkedIn tries to hide it from recruiters at your company, but it "can't guarantee complete privacy."
How do you remove Open to Work on LinkedIn?
Open your profile, click the Edit icon on the Open to Work box and select Delete. Your saved preferences go with it.
Can you keep Open to Work without the frame?
Yes. Change who can see it to Recruiters only.
Why did Open to Work turn off by itself?
LinkedIn removes it if you stop answering recruiter InMails and don't confirm by email that you're still looking.
Does Open to Work hurt your chances?
LinkedIn's data shows more recruiter messages with it on. Some job seekers worry the public frame signals unemployment, and Recruiters only avoids that.
Polishing the rest of your profile? See our guides on how to add your resume to LinkedIn and the LinkedIn banner size. Hclout sells LinkedIn followers. Our guide on buying LinkedIn followers covers prices and LinkedIn's rules.
Sources
- LinkedIn Help, "Let recruiters know you're Open to Work," read October 24, 2026
- LinkedIn blog, "How LinkedIn is Helping Millions of People Get Back to Work" (October 28, 2020) and "To Find Your Next Job More Quickly, Tell Your Community You're Open to Work" (October 29, 2020), read October 24, 2026
- Fortune (September 5, 2024), Reddit r/jobsearchhacks (January 30, 2026) and Coursera (December 30, 2025), as Google showed them on October 24, 2026
- Google results for "linkedin open to work," US, October 24, 2026 (our read)
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 24, 2026
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