LinkedIn’s advice, checked one point at a time
LinkedIn’s own tips for a profile photo are simple: a recent photo of just you, a face that fills about 60% of the frame, a smile and an uncluttered background. The tool checks what it can measure in the photo and adds what makes a small photo work: sharpness, light and a straight head.
| Check | What a good profile photo has |
|---|---|
| Face | One face, seen from the front, not cut off by the edge |
| Framing | Head and shoulders, with the face filling about 60% of the square |
| Size | At least 400 px across the square |
| Sharpness | Eyes and face in focus |
| Light | Soft light from the front, no deep shadow over half the face |
| Eyes | Open, and not hidden behind dark glasses |
| Head | Straight, facing the camera at eye level |
| Expression | A slight smile |
| Background | Plain or blurred |
Size and file
| Smallest size | 400 × 400 px |
| Largest size | 7680 × 4320 px, 8 MB |
| File types | JPG, PNG |
| Shown as | A circle: large on your profile, small next to your posts and comments |
What the checks cannot see
The tool measures the photo, not you. It does not judge your clothes, whether the setting suits your work or whether the photo is recent; those are for you to decide. It can also be wrong, for example with a hat, a strong pattern or very soft light, so where your eyes disagree, trust your eyes.