Fair Value Measurements - Level 3 Rollforward (Details) - Other (income) expense [Member] - Other derivative financial instrument [Member] $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Level 3 other derivative financial instrument—December 31, 2014	$ 0
Cumulative-effect of adopting new authoritative guidance on derivatives and hedges	2,800
Fair value adjustments	8,800
Level 3 other derivative financial instrument—December 31, 2015	$ 11,600

Fair Value Measurement With Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Liability Change In Accounting Guidance

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lnkd_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityChangeInAccountingGuidance
Namespace Prefix:	lnkd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationCalculationRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized on the income statement for financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityGainLossIncludedInEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of financial instrument classified as a liability measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis=us-gaap_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: