How to Export LinkedIn Connections (and Why Emails Are Missing)

Exporting your LinkedIn connections gives you a spreadsheet of the people in your network: a useful backup, and a starting point if you want to follow up with contacts outside LinkedIn. The process is a few clicks, but the file isn't always what people expect, especially when it comes to email addresses. Here's how to export, what you'll get and what you won't.

Export your connections step by step

1. Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
2. Select Settings & Privacy.
3. Click Data privacy on the left.
4. Under How LinkedIn uses your data, click Get a copy of your data.
5. Choose the archive option that includes connections.
6. Select Request archive.
7. Watch your primary email inbox for LinkedIn's download link.

LinkedIn doesn't give a processing time on its help page, so allow a little while for the email to arrive, and check your spam folder if it doesn't.

What you will and won't get

You get	You don't get
Your 1st-degree connections	2nd or 3rd-degree contacts
Email addresses, where people allow it	Emails for people who keep theirs private
Names in most languages	Reliable display of extended character sets like Chinese, Japanese or Hebrew

Why many email addresses are missing

This surprises almost everyone. LinkedIn says email addresses only appear for connections who have allowed their connections to see or download their email address. Many people don't, so expect plenty of blank email cells. It's a privacy setting on their side, not a problem with your export, and there's no way around it.

Names that come out garbled

LinkedIn notes that the CSV and vCard formats don't support every character, so names in languages with extended character sets, such as Chinese, Japanese or Hebrew, may not display correctly. If your network includes many international contacts, check those rows before importing the file anywhere else.

What to do with the file

• Keep it as a backup of your network, stored somewhere private.
• Use it to remind yourself who you're connected to when planning outreach.
• Import it into a CRM to keep notes on key relationships.
• Spot gaps: industries or companies where you know almost nobody yet.
• Compare it with your client list to see which customers you haven't connected with.

A word on using your connections' details

Being connected on LinkedIn isn't the same as agreeing to receive marketing emails. Don't add exported email addresses to a newsletter list unless people have opted in. The better use is personal follow-up: a one-to-one message to someone you've worked with, or a note to reconnect. If you're thinking about automating outreach, read my roundup of LinkedIn automation tools first, and check LinkedIn's own user agreement before you use any automation on your account.

Turning the list into conversations

Once you have the file, sort it by company or by the date you connected and pick out the people worth a fresh conversation: past clients, people you met at events, and anyone in the industries you want to work with more. Then message them on LinkedIn itself, where the relationship already exists, with something specific rather than a sales pitch. A note congratulating someone on a new role, or sharing an article you think they'd find useful, does far more than a blanket 'let's catch up'. Ten thoughtful messages a week will do more for your business than the spreadsheet ever will on its own.

Duplicate accounts

If you've ended up with two LinkedIn accounts, LinkedIn suggests closing the extra one and bringing your connections into the account you keep. Sort this out sooner rather than later, as people may be connecting with the wrong profile and messages can end up in an inbox you never check.

Download your other data too

The same Get a copy of your data page lets you download other parts of your LinkedIn data, such as your messages, verifications, contacts and account history. If you're doing a full backup, it's worth requesting the larger archive in one go.

Make your network more valuable

A list of names only helps if you nurture the relationships behind it. Endorse people whose work you rate, comment on their posts, and send a short message when you see news about them. My guide on endorsing someone on LinkedIn is a good place to start, and these LinkedIn statistics show how people use the platform.

Keep the file safe

Your export is personal data about other people, so treat it carefully. Store it in a private, secure place, don't email it around, and delete old copies once you have a newer one. If you share it with an assistant or a CRM, make sure they handle it securely too.

My verdict

Me, Settings & Privacy, Data privacy, Get a copy of your data, choose the archive with connections, Request archive, then wait for the email. Expect missing email addresses, that's people's privacy choice, and use the list for real relationship-building, not bulk email.

Frequently asked questions

How do I export my LinkedIn connections?

Click Me, then Settings & Privacy, Data privacy, Get a copy of your data, choose the archive with connections and select Request archive.

Why are email addresses missing from my LinkedIn export?

LinkedIn says emails only appear for connections who allow their connections to see or download their email address.

Can I export 2nd-degree connections from LinkedIn?

No. LinkedIn says you can't export contacts who aren't 1st-degree connections.

How do I get my LinkedIn connections file?

LinkedIn emails a download link to your primary email address once the archive is ready.

Why are some names garbled in my LinkedIn export?

LinkedIn says CSV and vCard don't support extended character sets such as Chinese, Japanese or Hebrew.