How to Edit a LinkedIn Cover Photo

Your LinkedIn cover photo is one of the most underutilized pieces of real estate on your entire profile, yet it’s the first thing people see. It’s a powerful opportunity to tell your professional story in a single glance, but most people upload a generic stock photo and call it a day. This article guides you through exactly how to edit your LinkedIn cover photo, from getting the dimensions right to crafting a banner that actively works to build your brand and attract opportunities.

Why Your LinkedIn Cover Photo Actually Matters

Think of your LinkedIn profile as your digital storefront. Your profile picture is the friendly face at the door, but your cover photo is the big, bright sign out front that tells everyone what you’re all about. It sets the tone, communicates your value, and can instantly differentiate you from a sea of similar professionals. A strong cover photo can:

• Establish Your Brand Identity: Consistent colors, fonts, and logos create a cohesive and professional image across all your online profiles.
• Communicate Your Value Proposition: In a few words or a single image, you can tell visitors what you do, who you help, and what problems you solve.
• Showcase Your Work or Personality: It offers a glimpse into your professional world, whether that’s a picture of you speaking on stage, a clean shot of your workspace, or a visual representation of your services.
• Drive Action: A smart banner can guide visitors to take the next step, like visiting your website, connecting with you, or checking out your featured content.

Ignoring this space is a missed opportunity. A blurry, poorly cropped, or irrelevant banner makes your profile feel incomplete. A sharp, intentional, and high-quality banner makes you look polished, professional, and serious about your career or business.

LinkedIn Cover Photo Size: The Official Specs vs. The Real World

Getting your banner to look right starts with understanding the dimensions. But it's not as simple as just using the officially recommended size, because your photo will look different on a desktop computer versus a mobile phone.

The Official Dimensions

LinkedIn officially recommends a cover photo size of 1584 x 396 pixels. This is a wide, panoramic aspect ratio. For best results, also keep these details in mind:

• File Type: JPG, PNG, or GIF.
• File Size: Maximum of 8 MB.

The Real-World Problem: Mobile vs. Desktop

Here’s the tricky part. While the dimensions are 1584 x 396, your full banner is almost never seen in its entirety. It gets cropped and obstructed in different ways depending on the device.

• On Desktop: Your profile picture overlaps the bottom-left portion of the banner. The banner itself is wide and thin.
• On Mobile: Your profile picture moves closer to the center, covering a much larger chunk of the image. The banner is also cropped more significantly on the left and right sides, appearing taller and narrower.

This means any text, logos, or important visual elements placed too close to the edges (left, right, top, or bottom) will likely get cut off on one device or another. The bottom half of the left side is the riskiest area, as it's almost always covered by your profile picture.

To avoid this, think in terms of a "mobile-safe zone." Place your most critical information - like your tagline, logo, or main image focus - in the center-right area of the banner. This part of the image has the highest chance of being fully visible across all devices.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Editing and Uploading Your Cover Photo

Once you have a great image ready, adding and adjusting it on LinkedIn is straightforward. The platform offers a basic set of editing tools that are surprisingly useful for getting the placement just right.

Step 1: Navigate to Your Profile

Log in to your LinkedIn account. From the main homepage, click the “Me” icon in the top right corner of the navigation bar, and then select “View Profile” from the dropdown menu.

Step 2: Access the Cover Photo Editor

Hover your mouse over the current cover photo area at the top of your profile. A small camera icon will appear in the top-right corner of the banner. Click on it. If you already have a cover photo, you'll see options to "Reposition," "Delete photo," or "Upload Photo." If you don’t have one, the option will be "Add cover photo."

Step 3: Upload Your New Image

Click "Upload Photo" and select the image file you prepared from your computer. Once it's uploaded, LinkedIn will automatically open its built-in photo editor.

Step 4: Edit Your Photo Using LinkedIn’s Tools

You don't need fancy software for quick adjustments. LinkedIn’s editor lets you fine-tune how your photo appears right on the platform.

• Reposition: This is the most important tool. Click and drag your image up, down, left, or right to center the most important elements. Pay attention to how your profile picture overlaps the image and adjust accordingly.
• Zoom: A simple slider at the bottom lets you zoom in or out. This is helpful if a part of your image appears too small or if you need to crop out distracting elements by zooming in.
• Straighten: Another slider allows you to correct a slightly crooked photo by rotating it a few degrees in either direction.
• Filters: LinkedIn offers several filters (like "Spotlight," "Prime," or "Classic"). For professional branding, it's often best to stick with "Original" to maintain your brand colors and a natural look.
• Adjust: You can also make minor changes to the brightness, contrast, saturation, and vignette. A slight brightness boost can make a dark photo pop, but use these edits sparingly to keep the image looking professional.

Step 5: Preview and Save

After making your adjustments, click the “Apply” button. You’ll be taken back to your profile page where you can see a preview of the new banner. If it looks good, click the "Save" button. If not, click the camera icon again to go back into the editor to make more changes.

Pro Tip: The moment you save, pull out your phone and check your profile in the LinkedIn mobile app. Does it still look good? Is anything important cut off? Double-checking ensures your profile looks polished for everyone, no matter how they’re viewing it.

5 Creative Ideas for an Effective LinkedIn Cover Photo

Struggling with what to put in your banner? Here are five ideas that work for both personal profiles and company pages.

1. State Your Value Proposition Loud and Clear

Sometimes, the simplest approach is the most effective. Use your cover photo to clearly state what you do and for whom. A short, powerful tagline can immediately qualify you in the eyes of a visitor.
Example: A social media consultant's banner could say, "Helping B2B Tech Brands Build Engaged Communities on Social Media." Pair this with your brand colors for a clean, professional look.

2. Showcase Your Work, Workspace, or You in Action

A picture is worth a thousand words. Instead of telling people what you do, show them.
Example: A graphic designer could display a collage of their best client work. A public speaker could use a high-quality photo of them on stage. A software developer could show a clean shot of their dual-monitor desk setup. This gives an authentic feel to your professional brand.

3. Drive Action with a Subtle CTA

Your banner can gently nudge visitors toward a specific action. You can use text or subtle graphics, like an arrow, to point people in the right direction. Be careful not to make it too salesy, it should feel helpful.
Example: A career coach might have a banner that says, "Sign Up for My Weekly Career Newsletter!" with an arrow pointing toward their profile’s custom URL link.

4. Highlight Social Proof and Achievements

Build trust instantly by showcasing your accomplishments. This is a great way to signal authority and credibility in your field.
Example: Feature the logos of well-known companies you've worked with. You can also use a snippet of a powerful testimonial or display badges from certifications or awards you've won.

5. Reinforce Your Brand with Branded Imagery

If you've established a strong personal or company brand, use your cover photo to reinforce it. This creates a cohesive experience for anyone who finds you through your website, other social profiles, or content.
Example: Use a high-quality image that incorporates your brand colors, fonts, and patterns. Keep it abstract or minimalistic to avoid a cluttered look. It shows attention to detail and a commitment to your brand's image.

Free and Easy Tools for Creating Your Cover Photo

You don't need to be a designer to create a professional-looking cover photo. Several free tools have pre-made templates designed specifically for the odd dimensions of LinkedIn banners.

• Canva: This is the go-to resource for many marketers and professionals. Simply search for "LinkedIn Banner" and you’ll find thousands of templates. You can customize them with your own text, images, and colors using a simple drag-and-drop interface.
• Adobe Express: A fantastic alternative to Canva, Adobe Express also offers a wide array of professionally designed LinkedIn banner templates. It's user-friendly and connected to the Adobe ecosystem of fonts and stock photos.
• Visme: While often used for presentations and infographics, Visme also provides a solid set of templates for social media graphics, including LinkedIn banners. A great option if you’re already using it for other professional documents.

Final Thoughts

Your LinkedIn cover photo is much more than just a background image, it’s a strategic asset for your personal brand or business. By understanding the correct dimensions, using simple editing tools effectively, and designing a banner that clearly communicates your value, you can transform your profile from static to dynamic. It's a small change that can make a big impact on your professional presence.

Keeping all your branding and messaging consistent across multiple social media platforms can feel like a constant scramble. On our team, we use Postbase to see everything at a glance in one visual content calendar. It enables us to ensure our visuals, like a polished LinkedIn banner, align with what we're scheduling on Instagram, Facebook, and everywhere else. Having that high-level view helps us tell a consistent story without drowning in spreadsheets or manually cross-checking posts.