How to Make Your LinkedIn Feed Less Distracting
A practical guide to LinkedIn's own feed settings: unfollow without disconnecting, "I don't want to see this", feed sort, notification settings, and short, intentional sessions.
BOSLA AI Team6 min read
You open LinkedIn to reply to a recruiter. Then a viral post, a poll, three "humbled to announce" updates and a video you didn't ask for. The message can wait, apparently.
LinkedIn is a work tool with a recommendation feed attached. To make your LinkedIn feed less distracting, unfollow people without disconnecting, hide posts with "I don't want to see this", switch the feed sort when it's available, trim your notifications, and open the app with a clear purpose. Here is how to do each one.
Key takeaways
- Unfollow keeps your connection but removes their posts from your feed. Nobody is notified.
- "I don't want to see this" on a post is a direct signal to LinkedIn's recommendations.
- Feed sort (most relevant vs most recent) has moved and changed over time. Check whether your version offers it.
- Notification settings are where most of the interruptions come from. Turn off the categories you don't need.
- Intentional sessions matter as much as settings: decide what you came for, do it, leave.
- LinkedIn's menus change. If a setting below looks different, search for it in Settings & Privacy.
Why does my LinkedIn feed feel so noisy?
Your feed isn't only posts from your connections. LinkedIn also shows posts your network reacted to or commented on, suggested posts from people you don't know, content from pages and groups, and promoted posts. The recommendation system ranks all of this by what it predicts will keep you engaged, which is not always what helps your work.
The more connections you have, the louder this gets. Accepting someone at a conference doesn't mean you want their daily thoughts. For a deeper look at how ranking works, see our guide on how recommendation algorithms shape your feed.
How do I make my LinkedIn feed more relevant? A step-by-step guide
1. Unfollow without disconnecting
This is the most useful control on LinkedIn. You stay connected, so you can still message each other and they still see your profile. Their posts simply stop appearing in your feed.
To do it, open the three-dot menu (…) at the top of one of their posts and choose Unfollow [name]. You can also do it from their profile. At the time of writing, LinkedIn doesn't notify people when you unfollow them.
To review many at once, look under Settings & Privacy → Account preferences → Feed preferences (names may vary). You'll usually find a list of people and pages you follow, and options to unfollow in bulk.
2. Use "I don't want to see this"
When a post doesn't belong in your feed, tap the three-dot menu and choose I don't want to see this (the wording may differ slightly). LinkedIn often asks why. Picking a reason, such as "not relevant to me", gives the system a clearer signal than skipping past.
Do this consistently for the first week. Single taps change little; repeated signals usually do.
3. Hide posts your network reacted to
Many distracting posts reach you because a connection liked or commented on them. If one person's activity keeps filling your feed with unrelated content, unfollowing them (step 1) solves it. For posts from pages or creators you never followed, use "I don't want to see this" so LinkedIn learns the pattern.
4. Switch the feed sort, if you have it
LinkedIn has offered a toggle between Most relevant (ranked by the algorithm) and Most recent (closer to time order). Its location and availability have changed over time, and it may not appear on every version of the app or website. If you see a Sort by option at the top of the home feed, try Most recent. It tends to show fewer suggested posts and more from people you chose.
If the option isn't there, steps 1 and 2 do most of the same work.
5. Follow fewer, better sources
Cleaning up is half the job; choosing is the other half. Follow a handful of pages, newsletters and people whose posts are directly useful to your role. Use LinkedIn's search and Saved items for everything else, so you go to content when you need it instead of waiting for the feed to bring it.
6. Trim your notifications
Notifications are where LinkedIn reaches into your day. Open Settings & Privacy → Notifications. At the time of writing, settings are grouped into categories such as conversations, posting and commenting, network updates, jobs, and news. Go through each category and turn off what you don't need. Many people keep messages and job alerts, and turn off "people you may know", trending news and reactions to others' posts.
Check email notifications too. They are often managed separately, under the same section or under email preferences. Then review LinkedIn's settings on your phone itself.
7. Open LinkedIn with a purpose
Settings reduce noise. Habits decide how long you stay. A few that work well:
- Name the task first. "Reply to two messages" or "post an update" is a session with an end.
- Start from Messaging or Notifications, not the home feed, when you're there for a specific reason.
- Use the desktop site for focused work. Writing a post or searching for a person is often calmer on a larger screen.
- Set a natural end point, such as when your coffee is done, rather than scrolling until the feed runs out. It won't.
Our guide on reducing digital distractions during the workday has more ideas for keeping work apps in their place, and using the internet intentionally covers the wider habit.
How long does it take for LinkedIn's feed to improve?
Unfollowing works right away. Changes from "I don't want to see this" build up over days, because the recommendation system keeps learning from what you read, react to and skip. Give it one to two weeks of consistent choices before judging the result.
Conclusion
LinkedIn doesn't need to be another feed that pulls you away from work. Unfollow without disconnecting, tell the algorithm what doesn't belong, sort for recency when you can, and decide which notifications deserve to interrupt you. Then open the app with a task, and close it when the task is done.
If you'd like a hand with this, the BOSLA AI browser extension works on LinkedIn and helps you choose what you see there. The FAQ has the details.
Frequently asked questions
Does LinkedIn notify someone when I unfollow them?
At the time of writing, no. You stay connected, and they can still message you and see your profile. Only their posts leave your feed.
What is the difference between unfollowing and removing a connection on LinkedIn?
Unfollowing hides someone's posts while keeping the connection. Removing a connection ends it, so you'd need to reconnect to message each other freely.
How do I hide a specific post on LinkedIn?
Open the three-dot menu on the post and choose "I don't want to see this". LinkedIn may ask for a reason, which helps it show fewer similar posts.
Can I see LinkedIn posts in chronological order?
LinkedIn has offered a "Most recent" sort option, but its availability and location have changed. Check the top of your home feed for a sort option.
How do I stop so many LinkedIn notifications?
Go to Settings & Privacy, then Notifications, and turn off the categories you don't need. Review email notifications and your phone's settings too.
