How to Shorten a LinkedIn URL

That long, clunky URL full of numbers that LinkedIn automatically assigned you isn't doing your personal brand any favors. It's hard to remember, looks messy on a resume, and feels impersonal. Thankfully, creating a clean, custom, and professional-looking URL for your profile is quick and easy. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for customizing your LinkedIn profile URL on both desktop and mobile, giving you a polished link you can share with confidence.

Why Your Default LinkedIn URL Needs a Makeover

Before we get into the "how," let's understand the "why." At first glance, shortening your profile link might seem like a small detail, but in the world of personal branding and professional networking, details matter. Your LinkedIn URL is more than just a link, it's a digital extension of your professional identity. Think of it as a personalized nameplate for your online career hub.

Here’s why taking five minutes to customize it is a great investment:

• It Looks Professional: Comparing linkedin.com/in/john-smith to linkedin.com/in/john-smith-a8b4921b makes the difference obvious. A clean URL looks polished and intentional, reflecting your attention to detail on resumes, email signatures, and business cards.
• It’s Easier to Remember and Share: A custom URL that is simply your name is easy for you to remember and for others to type. When you tell a new connection to "find me on LinkedIn, I'm just John Smith," they can actually find you without needing a complicated link.
• It Enhances Your Personal Brand: Your URL is one of the first things people see. A custom link reinforces your name and makes your brand more consistent across different platforms. It shows you’re internet-savvy and serious about managing your professional presence.
• It’s Better for SEO: While not a massive SEO boost, having a clean URL with your name helps search engines associate your profile with your identity. When someone Googles your name, a well-structured LinkedIn URL is more likely to rank highly.

How to Shorten a LinkedIn URL: A Step-by-Step Desktop Guide

Changing your LinkedIn URL is most straightforward on a desktop browser. The interface is larger, and the options are easier to find. Follow these simple steps to claim your professional link.

Step 1: Navigate to Your Profile

First, log in to your LinkedIn account. Once you're on your homepage (the main feed), click on your profile picture or the "Me" icon in the top right corner of the navigation bar. From the dropdown menu that appears, select "View Profile." This will take you to your personal profile page.

Step 2: Find the “Edit public profile &, URL” Setting

On your profile page, look towards the top right-hand side for a button or link labeled "Edit public profile &, URL." Click this link. A new tab or window will open, taking you to the public profile settings page.

Step 3: Customize Your URL

On the new page, you'll again see your current URL displayed in the top right corner under the section "Edit your custom URL." Next to your current public profile URL (e.g., www.linkedin.com/in/yourname-123456), you’ll see a small pencil icon. Click this icon to edit the link.

A box will pop up where you can change the last part of your URL - the section that comes after www.linkedin.com/in/. Delete the current jumble of characters and type in your desired username.

Step 4: Save Your Changes

After you’ve typed in your new custom URL, click the "Save" button. If your chosen URL is available, LinkedIn will confirm the change. If it’s already taken by another user, you'll receive a message prompting you to try something else. Don’t get discouraged, we’ll cover what to do in that situation in the next section.

That's it! Your LinkedIn URL is now much shorter and easier to share. Remember that after you change your URL, any old links you’ve shared in the past will no longer work correctly, so make sure to update it everywhere.

Customizing Your LinkedIn URL on the Mobile App

More and more of our work happens on our phones. The good news is that you can also update your LinkedIn URL directly from the mobile app, though the steps are slightly different. Here’s a quick walkthrough.

1. Open Your Profile: Open your LinkedIn app and tap your profile picture in the top left corner. From the side menu that appears, tap “View Profile.”
2. Access Settings: On your profile page, tap the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner.
3. Go to Visibility Settings: Inside the Settings menu, tap on the "Visibility" option.
4. Edit Your Public Profile: From the Visibility screen, tap on "Edit your public profile." This will take you to your public profile settings page, similar to the desktop view.
5. Edit and Save Your New URL: Scroll to the section labeled "Edit your custom URL" and tap the pencil icon next to your current link. Enter your desired URL and click "Save." If it’s available, you have a brand new professional link!

While the mobile path involves a few extra taps, it works perfectly and allows you to customize your URL on the go without needing to be at your desk. Very handy!

Best Practices for Crafting the Perfect LinkedIn URL

Choosing your URL might seem straightforward, but a little thought can go a long way. Your goal is to create a URL that is simple, professional, and easy to remember. Here are some tips to help you pick the best one:

1. Stick to Your Professional Name

The best and most common practice is to use your first and last name. This is how most people will search for you, and it looks clean and direct.

• linkedin.com/in/FirstNameLastName (e.g., /in/janesmith)
• linkedin.com/in/FirstName-LastName (e.g., /in/jane-smith)

Both are excellent options. The hyphen can sometimes improve readability, especially if your first and last names run together.

2. What to Do If Your Name Is Taken

With nearly a billion users on LinkedIn, common names are often already claimed. If /in/janesmith is taken, don't just add a string of random numbers. Stay professional with one of these alternatives:

• Add Your Middle Initial: /in/janemsmith
• Add Your Profession or a Keyword: /in/janesmithwriter or /in/janesmithmarketing
• Add Your Location: /in/janesmithnyc
• Use Name Variations: /in/jane-smith-writes or /in/smithjane

The key is to add something that is relevant to your profile and doesn’t detract from its professional feel.

3. What to Avoid in Your Custom URL

• Random Numbers: /in/janesmith29845 looks just as unprofessional as the default URL.
• Unprofessional Nicknames: Avoid cutesy or informal nicknames from gaming or chat rooms unless that aligns with your professional brand.
• Ambiguous Spellings: A URL that could be spelled multiple ways (e.g., /linsey vs. /lindsay) can cause confusion. Stick with standard spellings when possible.

Where to Use Your New LinkedIn URL

Now that you have an amazing, polished new URL, it's time to put it to use everywhere you can to maximize your professional networking presence:

• On Your Resume and CV: Feature it cleanly in your contact information section.
• On Your Business Card: Putting it in print provides a simple, visual representation of your brand.
• In Your Email Signature: Adding the link in your signature lets potential connections and employers view your profile with a single click.
• On Your Website or Portfolio: Integrate your LinkedIn URL on your personal or professional website.
• In Your Social Media Bios: This ensures your brand experience is streamlined across your entire online presence.

The goal is to replace your old, messy link with your new, clean one wherever possible. It's a small change that can help you get noticed and project a more professional image.

Final Thoughts

Customizing your LinkedIn URL is a simple yet high-impact step you can take to strengthen your professional brand. A clean, descriptive link not only looks better but also makes your profile more shareable and easier for connections to find, helping you put your best foot forward in the digital world.

While getting your personal profile in good shape is a great start, the real challenge for marketers and brands is maintaining that level of quality and consistency across all social channels. At Postbase, we built our platform to solve exactly that problem. Our simple visual calendar lets you plan and schedule your content across LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and more, all from a single dashboard. Stop jumping between apps and get a clear, calm view of your entire social media strategy.