Having an attractive and professional background image on your LinkedIn profile can help you stand out and make a good impression on connections and potential employers. However, it can be tricky to get your image to fit and look right within LinkedIn’s set dimensions and layout. Here are some tips to help resize, crop, and optimize a picture to use as your LinkedIn background.
LinkedIn Background Image Dimensions
The first step is understanding the size requirements for LinkedIn background images. LinkedIn specifies that background photos must be:
800×414 pixels on desktop
300×300 pixels when viewed on mobile
So you’ll need an image that is at least 800 pixels wide and 414 pixels tall to look good on a desktop display. If your image is narrower than 800 pixels it will repeat and tile across the profile. If it’s shorter than 414 pixels it will get cut off at the bottom.
To optimize for all displays, start with an image sized around 1200×800 pixels. That provides extra image area to work with for cropping and leaves room for scaling down to 300×300 for mobile.
Choose an Appropriate Image
When selecting a background photo, pick one that looks professional and reflects how you want to represent yourself to your network. Some tips:
- Use a high quality, high resolution image.
- Avoid busy patterns or distracting backgrounds.
- Black and white or desaturated photos look more professional.
- Headshots and nature scenes make good options.
Also be mindful of photo content. Avoid images with:
- Vulgar, offensive, or controversial content.
- Politics, alcohol, drugs, or nudity.
- Copyrighted material you don’t have rights to use.
Resize and Crop the Image
Once you’ve chosen an appropriate high-quality image, it’s time to resize and crop it to fit LinkedIn’s 800×414 pixel desktop dimensions. Here are a few options for editing your image:
- Use photo editing software like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr to crop and resize.
- Online editing tools like Canva, BeFunky, or Kapwing.
- Microsoft Paint or Mac Preview have basic cropping features.
The goal is to get your image to be 800 pixels wide x 414 pixels tall while keeping the important parts of the photo intact. Here are some tips for cropping:
- Crop out unnecessary areas at the edges but keep key subjects centered.
- Use the crop dimensions 800 x 414 or a square (414 x 414 pixels) and center the person’s face.
- For landscape photos, try cropping to a wide 800 x 300 pixel size.
- Remove any logos, text, or dates that look outdated.
Save and Compress
Once cropped, save a copy of your edited 800×414 (or 800×300) pixel image. JPG is the best format for LinkedIn. To reduce file size, save the image at 60-80% quality.
You can also run the image through a compression tool or plugin to significantly reduce file size without major quality loss. This helps the photo load faster on profiles.
Some options for compressing JPG images include:
- TinyPNG
- Optimizilla
- Compressor.io
- Photoshop Save for Web
Add the Background Photo to LinkedIn
After you’ve edited and optimized your image, go to your LinkedIn profile and update the background photo:
- Click on the “Edit public profile & URL” button.
- Click on the pencil icon to change your background photo.
- Upload your 800×414 pixel image file.
- Drag and move the photo to adjust placement.
- Click “Save”.
Your new background photo should now be showing on your profile!
Tips for an Ideal LinkedIn Background
Follow these best practices and your LinkedIn background is sure to look professional and polished:
- Use an 800×414 pixel image on desktop.
- Include a 300×300 pixel version for mobile.
- Pick an appropriate, workplace-friendly image.
- Make sure important elements are not cropped out.
- Compress JPG files to speed up loading.
- Keep file size under 5 MB.
- Stick to solid colors or blurred backgrounds.
- Showcase your profession, company, interests or causes.
- Avoid cluttered or distracting backgrounds.
Common LinkedIn Background Photo Mistakes
It’s easy to make mistakes formatting profile images. Be sure to avoid these common pitfalls:
- Stretching a small image to fit resulting in pixelation or distortion.
- Leaving white margins around a photo instead of cropping to fill the space.
- Using a landscape photo that appears squashed on desktop.
- Letting key parts of the image get cut off from cropping.
- Images that appear too small on mobile screens.
- Selecting an unprofessional, sloppy or party photo.
- Choosing clipart, cartoons or graphics that look dated.
- Including inappropriate or unauthorized content.
Profile Background Examples
To get inspiration for your own LinkedIn profile background, look at examples from other professionals on the platform:
Background | Description |
---|---|
Headshot | Simple headshot photo fills the space cleanly. Focuses attention on the person. |
Office | Photo of an office creates the feeling of being connected and professional. |
Landscape | Serene nature landscape appeals to a universal audience. |
Industry | Image related to the person’s industry or company conveys their professional role. |
Interests | Hobbies and interests make the person seem well-rounded. |
Abstract | Abstract graphics and designs look clean and sophisticated. |
Using Video as a LinkedIn Background
In addition to static images, you can also use video clips or animated GIFs as a LinkedIn background. This can help your profile stand out in a professional way. Here are some tips if you want to use video:
- Crop the video to 800×414 pixels or use a 1:1 aspect ratio.
- Pick a 3-5 second video clip or GIF that loops seamlessly.
- Ensure proper lighting, framing and quality for the video.
- Limit videos to under 10MB in file size.
- Video backgrounds work on desktop only.
Having an animated background can be eye catching but avoid anything too distracting. You want visitors focusing on your content and profile details.
Conclusion
Customizing your LinkedIn profile with a tailored background photo is a great way to enhance your personal brand and make a strong first impression. With an understanding of the recommended image dimensions and these tips for resizing, cropping, and optimizing your picture, you can easily upload a professional background photo that helps you stand out on LinkedIn.