Your LinkedIn photo is the first thing recruiters and connections see, and the platform has specific size rules. Get the dimensions wrong and your face ends up cropped or blurry; get them right and you look sharp on every screen. Here's the exact size, why LinkedIn shows your photo in a circle, and how to make a clean one in a minute.
Quick answer
- LinkedIn requires a square image, minimum 400×400 px.
- Recommended: 800×800 px or larger for crisp display on high-DPI screens.
- JPG or PNG, under 8 MB. LinkedIn crops it into a circle — keep your face centred with headroom.
LinkedIn profile photo specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Shape | Square (1:1 ratio) |
| Minimum size | 400×400 px |
| Recommended size | 800×800 px or larger |
| Maximum size | 7680×7680 px |
| File format | JPG or PNG |
| File size limit | Under 8 MB |
| Display shape | Circular (corners clipped) |
Source: LinkedIn Help Centre.
Why is my LinkedIn photo shown in a circle?
LinkedIn stores a square image but displays it inside a circle. That means the corners of your square are cut off, so your face needs to be centred with a little headroom. If your head is too high or off to one side, the circle clips it. The safest framing is head and the top of your shoulders, face roughly in the middle.
What makes a LinkedIn photo look professional
- Fill the frame: your face should take up about 60% of the photo — not a distant full-body shot.
- Clean background: a plain or softly blurred background keeps the focus on you. Busy rooms look unprofessional.
- Good light: face a window or soft light; avoid harsh shadows and overhead glare.
- Look at the camera: a friendly, confident expression — a genuine slight smile works best.
- Dress for the role: wear what you'd wear to work in your field.
How to make your LinkedIn photo (free, private)
You don't need a designer. Upload any clear, front-facing photo to the LinkedIn photo maker and it detects your face, crops a perfect square centred on you, and exports 400×400, 800×800 or 1000×1000. Everything runs in your browser — your photo is never uploaded to a server.
Want a distraction-free backdrop first? Run the photo through the background remover or the white background maker, then crop it. And if you're job-hunting, make a matching passport-size resume photo from the same headshot — see resume photo size and rules for when to include one.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Uploading a rectangular photo and letting LinkedIn crop it badly.
- Standing too far away, so your face is tiny inside the circle.
- Using a group photo or a heavily filtered selfie.
- A dark or cluttered background that hides your face.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best size for a LinkedIn profile photo?
800×800 px is the practical sweet spot — it looks sharp on high-DPI laptop and phone screens and stays well under the 8 MB file limit. The minimum is 400×400 px, but this can appear slightly soft on modern retina displays.
Why does LinkedIn crop my photo into a circle and cut off my head?
LinkedIn stores your square image and displays it in a circular frame. If your head is near the top edge of the square, the circular crop clips it. To fix this, re-crop the photo with more space above your head — the LinkedIn photo maker centres your face automatically.
Should I use a JPG or PNG for my LinkedIn photo?
JPG is usually the better choice for portraits — it compresses well and produces a smaller file. PNG is lossless but creates a larger file for the same image. Either format is accepted by LinkedIn; for a typical headshot JPG under 1 MB will look identical to the PNG version.
Can I use the same photo for LinkedIn and my resume?
Yes, from the same original shot. Use the LinkedIn photo maker for the square 800×800 px crop (circular display) and the resume photo maker for the 35×45 mm passport-size crop. Both tools work from the same source image in your browser.