Yes, you can use LinkedIn on your phone! LinkedIn offers both a mobile website and mobile apps that allow you to access many of the same features that are available on the desktop version. Here are some quick answers to common questions about using LinkedIn on a phone:
Is there a LinkedIn app I can download?
Yes, LinkedIn offers official apps for both iOS and Android devices. The LinkedIn mobile app allows you to complete many of the same tasks as the desktop website, such as viewing profiles, managing connections, messaging contacts, sharing updates and articles, searching jobs, receiving notifications, and more.
What features are available on LinkedIn mobile?
Here are some of the key features available on the LinkedIn mobile app and mobile site:
Profile Management
- View and edit your profile
- Connect with other members
- View profiles and connections of other members
- Engage with posts and content from your connections
Messaging
- Direct message connections
- Participate in group conversations
- Receive notifications for new messages
Job Search
- Search and view job listings
- Receive alerts for new job listings
- Apply for jobs directly through the app
Content Sharing
- Share articles, images, and updates
- Comment on posts from connections
- Like and react to content
Notifications
- Get real-time notifications
- View relationship updates, messages, mentions, comments, and more
What features are missing from the mobile app?
While the LinkedIn mobile app offers many commonly-used features, there are some limitations compared to the desktop experience:
- Can’t send InMail messages
- Can’t create long-form posts
- Advanced profile customization is limited
- Can’t access LinkedIn analytics or ad tools
- Group management options are limited
For the full suite of LinkedIn tools, it’s recommended to use the desktop website. But the mobile app covers the key functionality needed by most users on the go.
How do I get the LinkedIn mobile app?
Downloading the LinkedIn mobile app is easy:
On iPhone
- Open the App Store on your iOS device
- Search for “LinkedIn”
- Tap the Get or Install button next to the official LinkedIn app
- Tap open when the install is complete
On Android
- Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device
- Search for “LinkedIn”
- Tap the Install button next to the official LinkedIn app
- Tap Open when the install is finished
Be sure to enable notifications so you don’t miss important updates!
What are the system requirements for LinkedIn mobile?
LinkedIn’s mobile apps are compatible with most modern smartphones, but here are the minimum system requirements:
Operating System | Minimum Version |
---|---|
iOS | 11 |
Android | 5.0 |
So as long as you have a reasonably modern device running iOS 11+ or Android 5.0+, you should be able to use the LinkedIn app. The app will also work on both smartphones and tablets running these OS versions.
Should I use the mobile app or mobile site?
The LinkedIn mobile app generally provides a better experience than the mobile website. Here’s a quick comparison:
LinkedIn Mobile App
- Designed specifically for mobile
- Touch-optimized interface
- Quick access from your smartphone’s home screen
- Get push notifications
- Easier sharing options
LinkedIn Mobile Website
- Requires opening a web browser first
- Navigation can be difficult on a small screen
- No push notifications
- Sharing options not as seamless
Unless you have a specific reason not to, the LinkedIn mobile app generally provides the best experience for most users. The mobile site can still be accessed if needed by going to www.linkedin.com from any mobile web browser.
What are some tips for using LinkedIn on my phone?
Here are some top tips for getting the most out of LinkedIn on your mobile device:
- Enable push notifications in the app settings so you never miss an important update.
- Connect your LinkedIn account to your phone’s contacts list to see when your connections update their profiles.
- Tailor your homepage feed by following companies, topics, and influencers you are interested in.
- Use the search function to quickly find people, jobs, companies, groups, and content.
- Set up your profile for recruiters by adding a recent photo, description, experience, and more.
- Use the LinkedIn messaging feature to communicate with connections.
- Share relevant articles, images, and updates to build your professional brand.
Taking a few minutes to optimize your LinkedIn mobile settings can really enhance your experience. Don’t forget to also update your LinkedIn profile so you can stay up-to-date with your network on the go.
How can I optimize LinkedIn on my phone?
There are a few key steps to optimize LinkedIn for mobile usage:
- Make sure you have the latest version of the app installed.
- Configure your app notifications so you receive real-time alerts.
- Edit the “Interests” in your app settings to tailor your feed.
- Save data usage by enabling “Downloads only on WiFi” in the app settings.
- Enable Touch ID or Face ID if your device supports it for quick, secure access.
- Connect your contacts and calendars to integrate with LinkedIn.
- Unfollow noisy or irrelevant groups and companies to refine your feed.
Also be sure to prune connections that aren’t relevant and tailor your profile keywords so you can be easily found by the right people.
Can I post long articles from my phone?
Posting longform articles directly from the LinkedIn mobile app is limited. While you can write short updates or share links, the mobile text editor doesn’t fully support drafting very long posts.
If you need to publish a long article, it’s better to use LinkedIn’s desktop website, where you have more robust formatting and editing capabilities. You can draft the post on desktop and then use the mobile app to share it once it’s published.
Some workarounds for posting long content from mobile include:
- Draft the post in a text editor or word processor first, then copy/paste it into the LinkedIn mobile editor.
- Write the post on a blogging platform like WordPress or Medium, then share the link on LinkedIn mobile.
- Use LinkedIn’s “Publish on LinkedIn” bookmarklet on desktop to post from other sites.
But for most long posts, using the desktop website will provide the best publishing experience and flexibility.
Can I access analytics on mobile?
LinkedIn’s analytics and advertising tools are not fully available on mobile devices. Key analytics features like Company Page, Campaign Manager, and Ad Analytics can only be accessed on LinkedIn’s desktop website.
However, some basic analytics can still be viewed on mobile:
- See top followers and visitor demographics for your profile.
- View follower growth and engagement metrics for your Company Page.
- Check your webpage visitation and posting metrics.
So while you can monitor some high-level totals and trends on mobile, detailed analytics and reporting will require logging in on desktop. If you want to analyze audience insights or manage ads, be sure to set aside time to access these features on the desktop site.
Is LinkedIn mobile optimized for my smartwatch or other wearable?
Currently there is no official LinkedIn app available for smartwatches or other wearables like fitness trackers. LinkedIn’s mobile experience is fully optimized for smartphones and tablets only.
However, you can get mobile alerts from the LinkedIn app on supported smartwatches while paired with your smartphone:
- See notifications of new messages, mentions, and reactions.
- View profile views and connection requests.
- Get notified when your network updates profiles.
But any meaningful interaction still requires opening the LinkedIn app on your paired mobile device. There is no way to fully use LinkedIn on a smartwatch itself right now.
Third-party developers have created some unofficial LinkedIn apps for smartwatches, but with limited functionality. For now, smartwatches are best used just for screening notifications, while mobile devices handle the actual LinkedIn usage.
Can I post my resume directly from my phone?
Posting your resume directly from the LinkedIn mobile app is unfortunately not possible currently. The resume upload feature is only available on LinkedIn’s desktop website.
However, there are couple of workarounds:
- Draft your profile on desktop first, then sync it to mobile.
- Update your profile sections on mobile to match your resume content.
- Take a screenshot of your resume and upload as a background photo.
The profile sync will pull your desktop profile changes to mobile, allowing you to make additional edits on-the-go. Manually adding your resume details to the profile sections is time-consuming but effective. And a resume screenshot can provide a quick visual representation.
For regular resume access, you’re best off uploading it directly via desktop LinkedIn and then viewing it from your mobile profile. But in a pinch, the workarounds above can help job seekers showcase their resume from their phone when needed.
Can I integrate a calendar on mobile?
Yes, you can integrate a calendar with the LinkedIn mobile app on both iOS and Android devices. Connecting your calendar allows you to see upcoming events and meetings alongside LinkedIn notifications and feed updates.
On iPhone
Go to your iOS Settings > Calendar > Accounts, and toggle on the LinkedIn calendar under your account. This links your device calendar with your LinkedIn activity.
On Android
Under LinkedIn Settings > Manage Notifications > Calendar, select which calendar app you want to integrate. Follow the prompts to connect your chosen calendar with your LinkedIn profile.
Once integrated, you can see your upcoming calendar appointments directly within the LinkedIn mobile app. You can toggle the calendar on and off if you prefer not to have it mixed with your LinkedIn notifications.
Connecting your calendar is great for coordinating meetups with your network and scheduling social media postings around your availability. And it keeps all your professional activity in one easy-to-access place on mobile.
Is there a way to export my connections?
Unfortunately, there is no ability to export a list of your LinkedIn connections from the mobile app currently. Downloading your list of connections is only possible on the desktop website.
On the desktop version, you can export your connections by going to your profile, accessing Connections, and using the “Export connections” link. This will download a CSV file with info on all your connections.
But this feature is not available in the mobile experience. The mobile app only allows you to search connections, view profiles, and manage requests. The export option is not offered.
So if you need to export your full list of LinkedIn connections to use elsewhere, you’ll have to visit the desktop website to download the CSV data file. For most other connection management tasks, the mobile app should suffice while on the go.
Can I access my inbox and messages?
Yes, LinkedIn’s messaging features are fully available on the mobile app. You can send, receive, and manage your conversations on the go.
To access your inbox on mobile:
- Tap the Messaging icon on the bottom navigation bar.
- Select the Inbox tab at the top of the screen.
- Scroll down to see your message threads and tap any one to open it.
From your inbox, you can reply to messages, forward conversations, delete threads, and send new messages. You can also access your sent messages and notifications.
The mobile messaging interface is generally quick and easy to use. The only major limitation compared to desktop is the inability to send InMail messages to people outside your network. Overall, mobile messaging provides a robust way to stay in touch on the go.
How can I stay organized and save content for later?
Staying organized and saving content for later while using LinkedIn on mobile can be achieved in a few ways:
Save option
Use the save icon on posts, articles, and profiles to save them to your Saved collection in your profile. You can revisit this content anytime.
Bookmarks
Add bookmarks of key pages within the LinkedIn app for quick access later. Bookmark jobs, people, groups, companies etc.
Search
Use LinkedIn’s robust search function to easily pull up relevant content when needed. Search by keywords, job titles, connections and more.
Notifications
Customize your notifications in the app settings so you get alerts for updates on saved jobs, new articles from followed companies, and other useful alerts.
LinkedIn app shortcuts
If using iOS, take advantage of the LinkedIn app shortcuts to quickly jump to key app sections from your device’s home screen.
Using these features, you can stay on top of relevant information and content without getting overloaded on mobile.
Conclusion
To conclude, LinkedIn offers a highly capable mobile experience through its iOS and Android apps. While some features like analytics and longform posting are limited, most core functionality transfers well to mobile. With optimizations like notifications and organization tools, you can manage your professional network and profile on-the-go. Just be sure to use the desktop site when you need access to advanced analytics or marketing tools. But for daily use cases, LinkedIn’s mobile apps are an excellent way to stay connected from anywhere.