Uploading a non-square image
LinkedIn will auto-crop non-square images to fit the circular frame, often cutting off your face or the important parts of your image. Always crop to 1:1 yourself first.
Everything you need to know about LinkedIn image dimensions — profile photos, cover images, and company pages — so you always look sharp.
Preview Your LinkedIn Photo Free →No account needed · Instant preview
Quick Reference
Profile Photos
Your LinkedIn profile photo is one of the first things people see when they find you in search results, receive a connection request, or view your comments. Getting the size and quality right matters more than most people realise.
LinkedIn recommends uploading a photo at 400×400 pixels, though it accepts images up to 7680×4320px (8MB max). The platform will compress and display it as a circle, so the most important thing is that your subject is centred and fills the frame well.
Upload as PNG for the sharpest result. JPG works fine for photographs, but PNG preserves more detail and handles compression better, especially if your image has sharp edges, text, or a logo.
Cover Photos
The LinkedIn background banner (also called a cover photo) sits behind your profile picture. It's a great branding opportunity that most people underuse. The recommended size is 1584×396 pixels, with a 4:1 aspect ratio.
The tricky part: LinkedIn crops this image differently on desktop and mobile. On mobile, the sides get cropped. Keep any important text, logos, or focal points within the central 60% of the image to ensure they show up on all screen sizes.
Step by Step
Use a high-resolution photo with good lighting. Your face should take up roughly 60–70% of the frame, centred in the shot.
LinkedIn displays profile photos as circles, so always start with a square crop. Use Canva, Photoshop, or your phone's built-in editor to crop before uploading.
PNG files handle compression better than JPG for this use case and result in a sharper final image on the platform.
Use SocialPreviewing to see exactly how your photo will appear on LinkedIn — on desktop, tablet, and mobile — before committing to the upload.
After uploading, view your profile on your phone as well as a desktop browser. LinkedIn renders images slightly differently across devices.
Common Mistakes
LinkedIn will auto-crop non-square images to fit the circular frame, often cutting off your face or the important parts of your image. Always crop to 1:1 yourself first.
Files over the 8MB limit get compressed aggressively by LinkedIn, which can cause pixelation and softness. Stay well under the limit for the sharpest result.
In comments and search results, your photo appears tiny. If your face is a small element in a wide-angle photo, it'll be unrecognisable at small sizes.
Cover photos are cropped on mobile, meaning the left and right sides disappear. If your contact details or tagline are at the edges, they'll be cut off for mobile viewers.
LinkedIn is a professional context. Heavily filtered or blurry images undermine credibility. Use a clean, well-lit photo with no more than basic colour correction.
FAQ
The recommended LinkedIn profile picture size is 400×400 pixels. The platform accepts images up to 7680×4320px, but 400×400 is the optimal upload size. Images are displayed as circles across the platform.
PNG is generally the better choice for LinkedIn profile photos. It preserves more detail and handles the platform's compression better, especially for images with sharp edges, logos, or text. For standard portrait photographs, JPG works fine too.
The recommended LinkedIn cover photo size is 1584×396 pixels (4:1 ratio). Keep important content in the centre, as the sides get cropped on mobile devices.
LinkedIn does support animated GIFs for profile photos, but the animation only plays on desktop. On mobile, only the first frame is shown.
Use SocialPreviewing.com — our free tool shows you exactly how your photo will appear on LinkedIn across desktop, tablet, and mobile before you publish it.
LinkedIn company logos should be 300×300 pixels in a square format. This appears next to your company name in the feed and on your company page.
Stop guessing. Preview your LinkedIn profile picture and cover photo across desktop, tablet, and mobile — instantly and for free.
Preview My LinkedIn Photo →