Having an eye-catching and professional cover photo on your LinkedIn profile is an important way to make a good first impression on visitors. With LinkedIn being one of the top platforms for networking and job searching, you’ll want your profile to look its best. This leads many LinkedIn users to ask: Can you change your LinkedIn cover photo using just the mobile app? Or do you need to login on a desktop to update it?
Can You Change LinkedIn Cover Photo on Mobile App?
The short answer is yes, you can change your LinkedIn cover photo directly from the LinkedIn mobile app on both iOS and Android devices. Here are the steps to update your cover photo on mobile:
- Open the LinkedIn app on your phone.
- Tap on your profile icon at the top left.
- Tap “View profile” to view your public profile.
- Tap the camera icon that appears over your cover photo.
- Choose to take a new photo, select an existing one from your camera roll, or browse LinkedIn’s photo library.
- Edit or crop the photo as needed.
- Tap “Save” in the top right corner.
Your new cover photo will now be visible on your LinkedIn profile on both mobile and desktop. The process is quick and easy to do directly through the LinkedIn mobile app for iOS or Android.
Steps for Changing Cover Photo on Desktop
You can also change your LinkedIn cover photo by logging in on a desktop computer. Here are the steps:
- Go to www.linkedin.com and log in.
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Select “View profile” from the dropdown menu.
- Hover over your cover photo and click on the camera icon.
- Upload or select a new photo from your computer files.
- Drag and resize the photo to fit the cover space.
- Click “Save” to set your new cover photo.
As you can see, the process is very similar on desktop as it is on mobile. Both platforms offer an easy way to customize and update your LinkedIn cover image at any time.
Cover Photo Specifications
If you’re designing a cover photo from scratch, it’s important to follow LinkedIn’s recommended specifications:
- 1584 x 396 pixels
- JPG, PNG, or GIF format
- File size under 8MB
- At least 100×100 pixels if uploading a logo
Following these guidelines will ensure your photo displays properly across all devices. Try to choose an eye-catching photo that represents you or your business well.
Tips for an Effective Cover Photo
Your LinkedIn cover photo is valuable real estate. Here are some tips for making the most of yours:
- Showcase your personality. Give visitors a glimpse into your interests with a travel photo, landscape, or industry-related image.
- Use motivational quotes or words. Inspire your connections or share your company’s motto. Just don’t overcrowd the design.
- Include your brand logo and colors. Reinforce brand recognition and consistency.
- Highlight team members or company culture. Demonstrate your collaborative and fun environment.
- Feature your products or services. For business profiles, showcase what you offer visually.
Common Cover Photo Mistakes
On the other hand, there are some cover photo mistakes that are best to avoid:
- Blurry, pixelated images
- Cluttered or overly complex designs
- Outdated photos
- Images that are too busy or distracting
- Pictures unrelated to your brand or interests
- Text-heavy covers that are hard to read
Stick to high-quality, relevant images that represent you well and align with your personal brand.
Customizing Your Profile
Updating your cover photo is just one way to customize your LinkedIn profile. Here are some other options to help your profile stand out:
- Profile photo – Upload a professional headshot of yourself or your company logo.
- Background photo – Select a background image for the top area behind your profile/cover photos.
- Contact info – Include links to your website, email, phone numbers, etc.
- Featured section – Highlight projects, skills, publications, volunteer work, etc.
- Media – Add videos, presentations, portfolios, and more.
- Recommendations – Request and display references from past employers/colleagues.
Take advantage of these custom sections to expand your profile and showcase additional information to visitors beyond just your work experience.
Cover Photo Visibility Settings
When uploading a new LinkedIn cover image, you have control over who can see it:
- Your Connections – Only people in your LinkedIn network will see the cover photo.
- Your Connections and their Connections – Your network plus 2nd level connections.
- Anyone who visits your profile – Public to all LinkedIn members and profile visitors.
The default setting is visible to your connections only. But you can change it based on your preferences:
- From your LinkedIn profile, click on your cover photo.
- Select “Change visibility” next to the current setting.
- Choose your desired visibility level for the cover image.
- Click “Save” to apply the new setting.
This gives you control over how private or public you want your cover photo to be on your profile.
Cover Photo Guidelines
LinkedIn does enforce guidelines and restrictions around cover photo content. Images should not include:
- Offensive, obscene, or inappropriate content
- Calls to action with pricing or contact info
- Misleading or false information
- Confidential information
- Unauthorized branding or logos
- Private individuals without consent
- Suggestive or revealing photos
Violating these rules could lead to your cover image being rejected or removed by LinkedIn. So be sure to choose photos that meet the proper guidelines.
Cover Photo Display on Profile
Your cover photo appears at the very top of your LinkedIn profile, right above your profile picture. It spans the full width of the page on desktop, providing an impressive header image.
On mobile devices, the cover photo shrinks down to just display the central area of the image. So focus the key part of your photo in the center, keeping text and logos closer to the middle.
Cover photos are a great way to reinforce your personal brand throughout your profile. Visually represent your personality, interests, company, products, services, or causes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won’t my cover photo upload on mobile?
If you’re having trouble uploading a cover photo from the LinkedIn app, here are some things to check:
- Make sure the photo is under 8MB in size. Large files can fail to upload.
- Confirm the image is in JPG, PNG, or GIF format. Other file types may not work.
- Check your internet connection and restart the app. Connection issues could disrupt the upload.
- Toggle cellular data or wifi. Switching networks may resolve the problem.
- Reboot your phone. Restarting can clear any caching or app issues.
How do I remove the cover photo on LinkedIn?
If you want to delete your LinkedIn cover photo and have a blank background, follow these steps:
- Tap the cover photo from your profile.
- Select “Remove” next to the current image.
- Confirm removing the photo when prompted.
This will return your cover area back to LinkedIn’s default blue background. You can always upload a new image later on if desired.
Can I reuse my old cover photos?
Yes, when you upload a new cover photo, your previous images are saved in LinkedIn’s system. You can browse and reuse any old cover photos at any time. Simply select the “Your photos” option when picking an image to use. This allows you to cycle between different saved covers.
Is there a limit on cover photo uploads?
LinkedIn does not appear to enforce any limits on how many times you can change or update your cover image. You should be able to continuously upload new photos as often as you like.
Conclusion
Updating your LinkedIn cover photo is easy to do right from the mobile app. Simply tap on your current cover, select a new image from your phone or LinkedIn’s options, edit and crop as needed, then save. Customizing your cover photo can help make your profile stand out and look more professional to visitors.
Just be sure to choose eye-catching images that represent your personal brand well and follow LinkedIn’s recommendations for size and content. With an optimized cover photo, you can make a great first impression and highlight your talents or business on one of the world’s largest professional networking platforms.