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How to Add a Background Image to Your LinkedIn Profile

by LinkedIn Profile, LinkedIn Training

In this article you will learn how to add a background image to your LinkedIn profile.

As you start to take your online reputation and personal branding more seriously, the photography you use will become more important. With your LinkedIn Profile, you can have a headshot photo AND a background image, which should have the same look and feel as your organisation’s website and the banner pages on your social media profiles. Here’s how you can make the most of this feature for your LinkedIn Profile.

How to Access the Background Image on Your LinkedIn Profile

how to add a background image to your linkedin profileThe background image of your LinkedIn profile appears above the top section of your profile. You are best to make changes from your desktop. While 60% of users access LinkedIn from their profiles, if you are dealing with corporate decision makers, I encourage you to make any profile changes from your desktop, and then view these from your mobile, so you understand how your public profile can be viewed from both options.

Check how your profile looks from LinkedIn’s App or via the linkedin.com website. As with most browsers, the display of the image may change based on the size of your web browser window and screen resolution.  To access and update the background image follow these steps:

  1. Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
  2. Click View profile.
  3. Click Update background photo at the top of your profile and select an image from your computer to upload.
  4. Click Upload photo.
  5. Click Save.

Dimension Requirements for Background Images for Your LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn specifies the following requirements for background images:

  • File type JPG, GIF or PNG
  • No larger than 4MB
  • Recommended pixel dimensions are 1584 x 396

If your background image appears blurry or pixelated, LinkedIn suggests choosing an image with a file size as close to the maximum as possible, as images with larger file sizes typically look better. Photos will also look better than images with logos.

Troubleshooting Background Images for Your LinkedIn Profile

If your image is still blurry or pixelated, LinkedIn suggests you may want to run it through a compression tool such as Trimage for Windows or ImageOptim for Mac before uploading it to LinkedIn, but they can not provide support for use of these third party tools.

A reader who read this blog has also suggested Website planet’s tool that allows you to compress both jpeg and png files and each picture can be up to 50 MB in size.

Karen Hollenbach

Karen Hollenbach

As the Founding Director of Think Bespoke I help individuals and organisations unlock their potential with LinkedIn. Sign up to my E-insights for LinkedIn tips.

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