How to Make a LinkedIn Link Shorter

That long, messy LinkedIn URL with a jumble of random numbers at the end isn't doing your personal brand any favors. A clean, customized link looks professional on a resume, is easier to share, and is much more memorable. This guide provides a simple, step-by-step tutorial on how to shorten your own LinkedIn profile URL and a few pro tips for tidying up any LinkedIn link you share.

Why Should You Customize Your LinkedIn URL?

You might be thinking, "It's just a link, who really cares?" But that default URL LinkedIn assigns you (something like linkedin.com/in/jane-doe-1a2b3c4d5) is a missed opportunity. Condensing and customizing it is a small change that has a surprisingly big impact on your professional image. Here’s why taking two minutes to fix it is a smart move.

It Builds Your Personal Brand

Your brand is all about consistency. You likely have a professional headshot, a well-written headline, and a curated summary. An organized, custom URL like linkedin.com/in/janedoe or linkedin.com/in/janedoeconsulting is the finishing touch. It aligns with your name and professional identity, making your entire profile feel more cohesive and deliberate.

It’s Easier for People to Remember and Find You

Imagine you meet a potential client at a networking event. They ask for your LinkedIn. It's much easier to say, "You can find me at LinkedIn dot com slash in slash 'John Smith Marketing'" than to tell them to search for your name and hope they find the right profile among hundreds of others. A memorable URL is easy to share verbally and easy for others to recall later.

It Looks Way Better on Resumes, Portfolios, and Business Cards

When you're designing a business card or formatting your resume, space is limited. That extra string of random characters at the end of a generic URL creates clutter and can look sloppy. A clean, shortened link is aesthetically pleasing and demonstrates an attention to detail that recruiters and clients notice.

It Improves Trust and Click-Through Rate

In a world of spam and phishing attacks, people are naturally skeptical of long, strange-looking links. A straightforward, recognizable URL with your name in it looks far more trustworthy than one with random characters. When you share your profile in an email or message, recipients are more likely to click on a link that clearly tells them where they are going.

How to Make Your LinkedIn Link Shorter: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to finally get rid of those extra numbers and letters? The process is simple and only takes a minute. Here’s how to do it on both desktop and mobile.

Shortening Your URL on a Desktop or Laptop

The easiest way to customize your URL is on a computer browser. The layout is clear, and the option is right where you'd expect it to be.

1. Log in to your LinkedIn account.
2. Navigate to your personal profile page by clicking the “Me” icon in the top right corner of the navigation bar, and then clicking “View Profile.”
3. Once you're on your profile page, look at the top right section. You’ll see a box with your profile language and an option that says “Edit public profile &, URL.” Click on this link.
4. LinkedIn will open a new browser tab with your public profile settings. On the right-hand side, under the section labeled "Edit your custom URL," you will see your current link with a small pencil icon next to it. Click the pencil icon.
5. A text box will appear where you can type your new custom URL. LinkedIn requires it to be between 3 and 100 characters, using only letters and numbers (no spaces, symbols, or special characters are allowed).
6. After typing in your preferred URL, click the “Save” button. If the URL is already taken by another user, LinkedIn will prompt you to choose a different one.

That’s it! Your new, cleaner LinkedIn profile link is now active.

Shortening Your URL on the LinkedIn Mobile App

You can also edit your URL from the LinkedIn mobile app on your phone, though the pathway is a little less direct.

1. Open the LinkedIn app on your smartphone.
2. Tap on your profile picture in the top-left corner of the screen to slide out the side menu, then tap “View Profile” under your name.
3. On your profile page, tap the pencil icon located to the right of your name and headline. This will open the "Edit intro" screen.
4. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the "Edit intro" page and tap on "Edit contact info."
5. On the next screen, you’ll see "Profile URL" as the first option. Tapping on this will take you to a browser window within the LinkedIn app with the "Public profile settings."
6. Just like on desktop, find the pencil icon next to your current URL on the right side of the screen, tap it, and enter your new, desired custom URL.
7. Press “Save” to confirm your changes.

Best Practices for Your New Custom URL

Before you rush to save a new name, take a moment to choose a URL that will serve you well for years to come. Here are a few reliable tips for crafting the perfect professional link.

• The Gold Standard: The best and most common format is simply FirstNameLastName. This is clean, timeless, and completely professional. Try this first. It’s highly likely someone with a common name has already claimed it, but it's worth checking.
• Simple Variations: If your name is taken, don't just add a random number. Instead, try a logical and professional-looking variation:
  • FirstName-LastName (Use a hyphen if you prefer the separation).
  • FirstNameMiddleInitialLastName (e.g., JaneMLee).
  • FirstNameLastNameIndustry (e.g., MarkRossRealEstate).
  • FirstNameLastNameSuffix (e.g., SarahJonesMBA or TomClarkPMP). Be sure you plan to keep that certification for the long haul!
• Keep It Consistent: If you use a particular handle for other professional social media (like X/Twitter or your personal portfolio), consider using the same one for LinkedIn to maintain brand consistency. This makes it incredibly easy for people to find you everywhere with one single username.
• Avoid Temporary Identifiers: It can be tempting to include your current company or job title, like SarahKimXYZcorp or JohnDigitalMarketer. But jobs change. A URL tied to a specific role will quickly become outdated. Stick to your name or your overall profession for a URL with a longer shelf life.

Bonus Tip: Shortening Links for LinkedIn Posts and Articles

Your profile isn't the only place with long, unwieldy links. When you go to share a great article, a specific LinkedIn post, or a job listing, the URL often contains long tracking codes called UTM parameters. These look messy and can sometimes even cause display issues when pasted into other apps or social media bios.

For example, a shared link might look like this:

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7005555432112345/?utm_source=share&,utm_medium=member_ios

See that bold part? You can usually delete everything from the question mark onward (including the `?`) without breaking the link. But an even better solution is to use a URL shortener.

Why Use a URL Shortener?

Tools like Bitly or TinyURL take any long link and convert it into a much shorter, more manageable one. This is perfect for when you want to share a LinkedIn post on another platform with a character limit (like X/Twitter) or just want a cleaner look in an email or presentation.

Here’s how they add value:

• Customization: Most shorteners let you customize the back half of the link (e.g., bit.ly/MyLinkedInArticle), adding another layer of branding.
• Analytics: They provide powerful tracking data, showing you exactly how many people clicked your link, where they came from (geographically), and at what time of day. This is valuable intel for understanding what content resonates with your audience.

Simply copy the full, long LinkedIn link, paste it into your preferred URL shortening service, customize it if you wish, and use the new, shorter link for all your sharing needs.

Where to Use Your Polished LinkedIn URL

Now that you have a short, professional, and memorable LinkedIn link, make sure you use it! Update it anywhere and everywhere people might want to connect with you professionally:

• In your email signature.
• On the top of your resume or CV.
• On your business cards.
• In the bio section of your other social media profiles (X/Twitter, Instagram, etc.).
• On your personal website, portfolio, or blog.
• In your author bio for guest posts or articles.
• In your speaker bio for webinars, presentations, or conferences.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning up your digital footprint is an act of professional self-care. Customizing your LinkedIn URL is a quick win that boosts your credibility, demonstrates attention to detail, and strengthens your personal brand. It simplifies how people find you and makes a lasting impression that the default, system-generated link just can't match.

Keeping a brand professional and consistent - from the high-level content strategy right down to the links you share - can make a huge difference. It's an idea we really focused on when creating Postbase. We saw how messy it was for marketing managers to juggle dozens of unscheduled posts, messy links, and chaotic spreadsheets. That's why we designed our visual calendar to be a clean central hub where you can plan, schedule, and see all your content across every platform, ensuring every part of your brand, big and small, feels cohesive.