How to Generate a LinkedIn Profile URL

Your LinkedIn professional URL is more than just a boring web address, it’s a vital part of your digital brand. Too often, people leave the default, messy URL full of random letters and numbers, missing a simple chance to look more polished and professional. This guide will walk you through exactly how to find, customize, and use your LinkedIn profile URL to make a better first impression.

Why Your LinkedIn URL Matters (It's More Than Just a Link)

Before jumping into the "how," it's worth understanding the "why." Think of your custom LinkedIn URL as your professional digital address. When you share it, you're not just giving someone a way to find you, you're sending a message about your attention to detail and personal branding. A clean, custom URL is much easier to remember, looks better on a resume or business card, and projects credibility. Conversely, a default URL like www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-jones-9b1b3a167 looks cluttered and unfinished compared to a polished version like www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjonesmarketing.

In short, customizing your URL is a two-minute task that:

• Boosts Professionalism: It signals that you've taken the time to complete your profile fully.
• Improves Brand Consistency: You can align your LinkedIn URL with your handles on other social platforms, creating a cohesive brand identity.
• Enhances Memorability: A simple name-based URL is far easier for a contact to remember or type into a browser than one with a random sequence of numbers.
• Helps Your SEO: Having a clean URL makes it easier for recruiters and potential clients to find you through search engines like Google.

How to Find Your Current LinkedIn Profile URL

First things first, let's locate your existing URL. The process is slightly different depending on whether you're on a computer or your phone.

On Your Desktop Browser

This is the most straightforward way. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Go to LinkedIn.com and log in to your account.
2. In the top navigation bar, click on the "Me" icon (your small profile picture).
3. From the dropdown menu, select "View Profile."
4. Once your profile page loads, look at the address bar at the very top of your browser window. The web address displayed is your current LinkedIn profile URL. You can copy it directly from there.

On the LinkedIn Mobile App (iOS &, Android)

If you're on the go, you can find and copy your URL from the mobile app, though you can't customize it there (more on that later).

1. Open the LinkedIn app on your phone and tap your profile picture in the top-left corner.
2. On the panel that slides out, tap "View Profile."
3. Below your profile headline, tap the three dots (...) next to the "Open to" and "Add section" buttons. This will open more options.
4. From the list that appears, select "Contact info."
5. Under the "Your Profile" section, you’ll see your LinkedIn URL. You can tap and hold it to get an option to copy the link.

Step-by-Step: How to Generate a Custom LinkedIn Profile URL

Ready to trade in that clunky default URL for something sleek and professional? This is where the magic happens. A quick heads-up: you can only customize your LinkedIn URL from a desktop browser. The option isn't available in the mobile app.

1. Navigate to Your Profile: Log in to LinkedIn on your computer and go to your main profile page by clicking "Me" >, "View Profile."
2. Find the Edit Settings: Look to the upper-right corner of your profile. You’ll see a link that says "Edit public profile &, URL." Click it. This will take you to your Public Profile settings page.
3. Locate the URL Editor: On this new settings page, look again to the top right. You'll find a section headed "Edit your custom URL." Your current personalized URL will be displayed there (e.g., www.linkedin.com/in/your-name-randomnumbers). Click the small pencil icon next to this URL to edit it.
4. Create Your New URL: A text box will appear. Here, you'll type the custom part of your new URL in the box that says www.linkedin.com/in/. This is your chance to create a clean, memorable "vanity URL."
5. Save Your Changes: After typing in your ideal URL, click the "Save" button.

If the URL you want is already taken by another user, LinkedIn will prompt you to choose a different one. Don't worry, this is common! Just try a small variation, and you'll find one that works.

Best Practices for Creating a Professional LinkedIn URL

Choosing your new URL isn't just about picking something unique, it's about picking something effective. Your URL should reflect your professional identity. Here are a few tips to guide you:

• Use Your Full Name: The gold standard is FirstNameLastName. For John Doe, the ideal URL is linkedin.com/in/johndoe. It’s clean, professional, and directly tied to your identity.
• Handle a Common Name: If your name is taken, don't resort to random numbers. Try adding your middle initial (e.g., johnmdoe), your industry or profession (e.g., johndoemarketing or johndoewrites), or a logical separator (e.g., john-doe).
• Keep it simple: Your custom URL must be between 3 and 100 characters. You can only use letters and numbers - no spaces, symbols, or special characters. A hyphen (`-`) is the only exception and can be used to separate words for readability.
• Think Long-Term: Avoid using your current company name or a role that might change. Stick to evergreen identifiers like your name, your industry, or your core skill. A URL like janedoe-bigcorp is great now, but less so after you leave that company. janedoe-brandstrategy is much more future-proof.
• Avoid Nicknames or Personal Handles: Unless your nickname is an established part of your professional brand, stick to your real name. Reserve SkaterDude87 for other platforms, LinkedIn is your professional front porch.

Example Progression:

Default: linkedin.com/in/emily-carter-a1b2c3d4e5
Good: linkedin.com/in/emilycarter (Ideal, but likely taken if you have a common name)
Better: linkedin.com/in/emily-carter (Hyphen adds readability)
Great Alternative: linkedin.com/in/emilycartercreative (Adds a professional keyword without being too clunky)

Now You've Got It, Use It Everywhere!

Getting a shiny new custom URL is great, but it's only half the battle. The next step is to put it to work. You want to make it as easy as possible for people to find your professional hub. Update your URL in all the places where you maintain a professional presence.

Top spots to include your new LinkedIn URL:

• Your Resume &, Cover Letters: This is non-negotiable. Put it in the header along with your phone number and email address.
• Email Signature: Add a clickable LinkedIn icon or direct link to your signature for every email you send.
• Personal Website or Portfolio: Link to it from your "About Me" or "Contact" page.
• Other Social Media Bios: Put it in your bio on X (formerly Twitter), your Instagram profile's link section, or any other platform where you connect with industry peers.
• Business Cards: A clean URL fits perfectly on a business card and is professional enough to share in person.
• Speaker Bios &, By-lines: If you write articles or speak at events, make sure your custom URL is part of your biography.

Final Thoughts

Generating a custom LinkedIn profile URL is a quick but powerful move to sharpen your professional image online. It shows attention to detail, strengthens your personal brand, and replaces a confusing, default address with a clean, memorable link. For the two minutes it takes to change, the payoff in clarity and credibility is well worth it.

We know how important a coordinated brand presence is, from your profile URLs to the actual content you post. At Postbase, we designed our platform to make managing your professional brand across LinkedIn - plus all your other video-first platforms like Instagram and TikTok - feel seamless. It's about keeping everything consistent–your brand, your schedule, your messaging–without all the chaos.