# How to Change Your LinkedIn Profile Photo on Desktop or Mobile

Open your LinkedIn profile, select your existing photo and choose Add photo to replace it. Upload the new image, adjust its crop and save. Before you start, keep a copy of the old file and decide who should be able to see the replacement.

Resource. Published 2026-11-06, updated 2026-11-06. 4 min read.

![Matching illustrated profile portraits on a laptop, phone and photo card.](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/assets/guides/covers/change-linkedin-profile-photo.webp)

## Prepare the file

LinkedIn's [upload requirements](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a549049) specify the following limits. These apply to the profile portrait, not the wide banner behind it.

| Item | LinkedIn's published specification |
| --- | --- |
| File format | JPG or PNG |
| Maximum file size | 8 MB |
| Pixel dimensions | Between 400 x 400 and 7680 x 4320 pixels |
| GIF | Not supported |

A clear square export with room around your head makes positioning easier. Do not enlarge a tiny, blurry image just to meet the pixel dimensions. Start from the original camera or downloaded portrait file rather than a screenshot from a messaging app.

Use the [profile photo cropper](/tools/profile-photo-cropper) to prepare the framing if needed. Save the result as a separate file so you keep the original.

## Change the photo on desktop

The following sequence follows [LinkedIn's current photo-editing instructions](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a541850/add-change-edit-or-delete-your-linkedin-profile-photo), checked November 6, 2026.

1. **Select Me, then View profile.:** 
2. **Click your portrait in the introduction section.:** 
3. **Choose Add photo and follow the upload prompts to replace it. Choose Edit if you only want to adjust the existing image.:** 
4. **Position and crop the image, review visibility, then select Save photo.:** 

## Change the photo in the mobile app

1. **Tap your profile photo and open your Profile card.:** 
2. **Tap the portrait on your profile, then View or edit profile photo.:** 
3. **Select Add photo to replace it, or Edit to adjust it.:** 
4. **Follow the prompts, check the crop and tap Save.:** 

LinkedIn's [same help page](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a541850/add-change-edit-or-delete-your-linkedin-profile-photo) also documents a separate mobile-browser flow: open the profile photo twice, choose **Edit**, then **CHANGE PHOTO**, and save after positioning.

## Make the circular crop work

Place your face near the center with space above the hair and below the chin. Keep enough shoulder area that the head does not look detached. Check the small preview as well as the larger editing window: details that seem unobtrusive at full size may become distracting in a thumbnail.

Avoid compensating for a distant face by zooming until the file becomes visibly soft. A better source image is usually more useful than aggressive sharpening. If you need to take another picture, follow the [phone headshot guide](/guides/how-to-take-a-headshot-with-your-phone).

Use filters sparingly. Your goal is a clear current likeness, not a different complexion or an exaggerated contrast effect. Compare the result with the original before saving.

## Choose photo visibility

LinkedIn lists four photo audiences: **1st-degree connections only**, **Your network**, **All LinkedIn members** and **Anyone**. Open the photo's **Visibility** control to choose the audience. On desktop, save the change; LinkedIn says the app's visibility selection saves automatically. See its [visibility instructions](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a545557/).

For public-profile controls on desktop, use **Edit public profile & URL**, then review **Edit Visibility** and the photo options. LinkedIn says these public-profile settings cannot be changed in its mobile app. Review the audience deliberately rather than assuming that uploading a photo makes it visible to everyone.

Visibility is separate from whether an update is announced. This guide makes no promise that replacing a photo will be unnoticed by your network.

## Check the result and troubleshoot

After saving, reopen your profile and inspect the portrait at its displayed size. Check for a cut-off chin, soft facial details or a distracting background. Keep the approved file somewhere you can find it for future use.

If uploading fails, check format, dimensions and file size first. LinkedIn recommends trying a different browser, then compressing the file if necessary. Convert unsupported formats by exporting an actual JPG or PNG; changing the filename extension alone does not convert the image. Recheck the quality after compression.

## FAQ

### Can I recover the old photo after replacing it?

LinkedIn says it cannot retrieve the previous photo after replacement or deletion. Save your own copy before changing it.

### Can I change the crop without uploading again?

Yes. Open the existing photo and choose Edit. Review the new framing before saving.

### Why can someone else not see my photo?

Check the selected photo audience and public-profile settings. A successful upload does not mean every viewer has permission to see it.

### Should I use an AI-generated profile photo?

Review its likeness and context first. Our AI headshots on LinkedIn guide explains the relevant policies and a practical review checklist.

- [AI headshots on LinkedIn guide](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/ai-headshots-on-linkedin)

### Is the profile photo the same as the background photo?

No. The profile photo is your portrait. The background photo is the wide banner behind the introduction section and has a separate recommended size.

## Related guides

- [AI Headshots on LinkedIn: Likeness, Rules and a Practical Check](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/ai-headshots-on-linkedin): An AI headshot is worth considering for LinkedIn only if it remains a recognizable, honest representation of you. Judge the face, the implied context and the final crop together. A polished image that changes your appearance is a poor replacement for a straightforward current photograph.
- [Headshot Sizes for LinkedIn, Websites and Print](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/headshot-size-guide): Choose a headshot's shape for its destination, then check the pixel dimensions and file-size limit. Keep a full-resolution original and make a separate export for each use.
- [How to Take a Professional Headshot at Home With Your Phone](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/how-to-take-a-headshot-with-your-phone): Face soft window light, put your phone at eye level about five feet away, and use a plain background. Take several photos with small changes in expression, then choose the sharpest frame that looks like you.

## Related headshot packs

- [LinkedIn Headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/linkedin-headshots): The profile photo that gets recruiters to stop scrolling.
- [Professional Headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/professional-headshots): Clean, corporate-ready portraits for any industry.

## Links

- [All guides](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides)
- [Create your headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/start)
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