Tips to improve your LinkedIn profile picture

Why do you need a good photo on LinkedIn?

Your LinkedIn photo is one of the basics elements of your profile. It’s the first thing visitors see when they land on your profile.

According to several studies, people form their opinion in just 50 milliseconds! Your photo needs to convince before they even read your headline.

Personal credibility

The first benefit of a good photo for your LinkedIn profile is personal credibility. A quality, professional photo helps you stand out from other users.

Adding a photo to your profile (before any optimization) makes you 7 times more likely to get profile views and connection request acceptances.

A photo puts a face to your profile and makes your presence more human. This might seem obvious, but it’s essential for standing out and making your profile memorable.

Company credibility

Your photo also affects the credibility of the company you represent. If you’re doing B2B prospecting, prospects will check your profile before accepting your connection request or replying to your messages.

A professional photo that aligns with your company’s image builds trust. People are suspicious of anonymous or sloppy profiles. A professional, approachable face reassures and drives conversions.

If your company has a serious and professional image, your photo needs to match that visual identity. This is especially true if you optimize your LinkedIn URL and your overall presence on the platform.

Measurable impact on performance

At La Growth Machine, where LinkedIn prospecting is part of our core business, we see a real impact on our campaign response rates directly attributed to the photo.

The profile picture directly impacts credibility and trust. That’s why a professional, quality photo reassures your contacts and shows you’re serious about your business.

The photo is important, but it’s not the only thing! LinkedIn provides several other tools to push the platform’s limits and optimize your profile like Recommendations, Endorsements, or Publications.

What are the technical rules for a LinkedIn photo?

There are several technical rules to follow for an optimized profile picture on LinkedIn.

Recommended format and dimensions

Here are the technical constraints to follow:

LinkedIn displays your profile picture in a circular format, so favor a centered composition to avoid having important elements cut off at the edges.

How to upload and modify your photo

Changing your LinkedIn photo is simple. Here’s how:

1. Access your profile and click on the camera icon on your current photo (or the default avatar)
2. Select “Add photo” from your computer or library
3. Use the cropping tool integrated by LinkedIn to adjust the framing
4. Apply filters if necessary (but be careful not to overdo it – we’ll talk more about this below)
5. Save and you’re done!

LinkedIn gives you a tool to crop or edit your photo before publishing. Use it to check that the framing works in the circular format.

Optimize resolution and file quality

For optimal quality:

• Use at least 400×400 pixels to avoid blur
• Export in high quality from your editing software (90-100% quality for JPEG)
• Check the rendering on desktop, mobile, and tablet
• Avoid compressed photos that pixelate

You can use free tools like Canva or the Adobe suite (Photoshop) for some basic edits before uploading your photo.

What are the different types of photos for LinkedIn?

There are several types of photos on LinkedIn. Understanding their role will help you create a consistent visual strategy.

Profile photo

This is the photo that will appear as a thumbnail next to your name everywhere on LinkedIn: in search results, your comments, your messages, etc. This is the photo other members will see most often.

Take care with this photo. It needs to be:

• Professional
• Recent
• Good quality
• Easily recognizable

Cover photo / Banner

This photo, also called a LinkedIn banner, appears at the top and center of your profile. It takes up significant space (1584×396 pixels) on your personal page and needs to align with the image you want to project.

Combined profile + banner strategy

Many users neglect the consistency between their profile picture and their banner. Yet these two elements work together to create a strong first impression.

Some winning strategies:

• Visual extension: Your banner can extend the visual universe of your photo (same colors, same style)
• Complementary message: If your photo shows who you are, your banner can show what you do (your services, your expertise, your value proposition)
• Personal branding: Use your banner to display your tagline, your accomplishments, or your certifications

The goal? Create a consistent visual experience that reinforces your professional message instantly.

Group photo

Group photos exist on LinkedIn for company pages (team photos for HR or corporate comms). But on your personal profile, you need to be alone in your photo.

How to create or obtain a professional LinkedIn photo

You know why and what to do. Now for the how: where and how to get that professional photo?

Option 1: Professional photographer

This is the premium option, but it offers the best results.

Advantages:

• Guaranteed professional quality
• High-end equipment (lighting, lenses, retouching)
• Advice on posture, expression, attire
• Several options and angles to choose from

Disadvantages:

• High cost ($50-300 depending on the photographer and service)
• Need to make an appointment
• Can seem intimidating if you’re not used to it

Tip: Look for a photographer specialized in corporate portraits or LinkedIn photos. Check their portfolio to verify their style matches what you’re looking for.

Option 2: DIY with smartphone (equipment and setup)

Recent smartphones (iPhone 11+ or Android equivalent) have cameras powerful enough for a quality LinkedIn photo. Just follow a few basic rules.

Minimum equipment:

• A recent smartphone (iPhone 11+ or Android equivalent)
• A tripod or stable support (15-30€)
• A natural light source (window) or LED lighting (30-50€ optional)
• A neutral background (plain wall, curtain, or portable background)

Ideal setup:

1. Stand facing a window (natural light = the best option)
2. Avoid backlighting (don’t put the window behind you)
3. Frame in portrait mode with your face occupying about 60% of the frame
4. Place the camera at eye level (never low-angle or high-angle)
5. Use the timer to have time to position yourself correctly

Pro tip: Take 20-30 photos with different expressions and postures. Choose the best one later.

Tools to retouch and optimize your photo

Once your photo is taken, a few edits can make all the difference:

For basic edits (free):

• Canva: cropping, brightness adjustment, light filters
• Remove.bg: remove the background in one click
• Photos (iOS) or Google Photos: basic adjustments

For advanced edits:

• Adobe Lightroom Mobile (free with premium options)
• Snapseed (free, very comprehensive)
• Photoshop (paid, but the most powerful)

What to retouch:

• Brightness and contrast
• White balance
• Sharpness (slightly)
• Removal of small imperfections

What NOT to do:

• Apply overly pronounced Instagram filters
• Modify your features to the point of no longer resembling yourself
• Add artistic effects

The goal is simple: your contacts should easily recognize you when you meet in person.

15 Tips to improve your professional photo on LinkedIn

1. Smile

We don’t think about it enough, but just like in real life, smiling in your profile picture makes you more friendly and accessible. This creates a positive first contact with other members of your network.

A natural smile shows you’re open to exchanges and confident.

2. Avoid overly formal photos

An overly formal photo makes you seem distant or unapproachable. Find the balance: professional without being stiff, approachable without being too casual.

3. Highlight your face

Your photo should highlight your face so people can easily recognize you. Try to clear your face as much as possible by tying up your hair if necessary, removing your sunglasses if you wear them, etc.

Your face should occupy about 60% of the photo space for optimal framing.

4. Wear clothing appropriate to your activity

If you’re in professional attire in your photo, this will be more consistent with a commercial or consulting activity. If you work in the artistic or creative sector, you can opt for smart casual attire.

Some rules by sector:

• Finance, consulting, legal: suit, blazer, dress shirt
• Tech, startup, digital: smart casual (shirt without tie, quality polo)
• Creative, design, fashion: attire that reflects your personal style while remaining professional
• Health, education: neutral and reassuring, avoid overly bright colors

5. Opt for an outdoor photo

Natural light is generally more flattering than artificial light. Plus, outdoor framing better highlights your face.

If you opt for outdoors, choose a time when the light is soft (early morning or late afternoon) to avoid harsh shadows.

6. Pay attention to your posture

Adopt a straight and open posture to give the impression you’re both confident and accessible. In short, be straight, but not rigid.

Posture tips:

• Shoulders slightly back
• Chin slightly raised
• Body oriented 3/4 rather than completely facing forward
• Relaxed arms if visible in the frame

7. Choose a neutral background

Avoid photos with a background that’s too busy or too colorful. A neutral background highlights your face. As mentioned earlier, taking your photo outdoors can be a good option!

The best backgrounds:

• Plain wall (white, gray, beige)
• Outdoors with background blur
• Neat and tidy office
• Natural background (greenery, sky)

Backgrounds to avoid:

• Cluttered interiors
• Busy wallpapers
• Visible logos or advertisements
• Areas that are too dark

8. Take care with framing your photo

Avoid photos that are too close or too far away. The ideal framing is one where your face occupies about 60% of the photo space.

Think about LinkedIn’s circular format: your face needs to remain clearly visible even once the photo is cropped into a circle.

9. Remember to check your photo’s resolution

LinkedIn recommends a minimum resolution of 400×400 pixels (though the platform accepts 200×200). Use the free cropping and editing tool before you publish.

A blurry or pixelated photo immediately gives an impression of lack of professionalism.

10. Update your photo regularly

Update your profile picture regularly to show you’re active. An outdated photo signals inactivity.

How often? Ideally every 1-2 years, or with each significant change (new position, significant haircut change, notable appearance change).

11. Post a photo of yourself, not someone else

This may seem obvious, but whether you use the basic version or LinkedIn Premium Career, post a photo of yourself on your LinkedIn profile. Other members need to be able to easily recognize you.

Not:

• Company logo alone
• Group photo where you can’t tell who you are
• Avatar or illustration
• Photo of an animal or object

LinkedIn is a professional network, but also personal. People do business with people, not with logos.

12. Avoid photos with logos or symbols

Avoid photos with logos or symbols that are too visible. These can distract people and give a bad image of your profile.

Exception: a discreet logo of your company in the background can work if it’s consistent with your personal branding, but it should never overshadow your face.

13. Remember to change your photo if you change activities

If you change activities or industries, update your profile picture accordingly. A professional photo in a suit will be more consistent with a commercial or consulting activity, while smart casual attire will be more appropriate for work in the artistic or creative sector.

Your photo needs to reflect your current positioning, not what it was 5 years ago.

14. Test your photo online

If you’re still hesitating about which photo to publish on your LinkedIn profile, know that there are online tools that can help you.

Photofeeler offers to test your photo with a panel of people to find out if it’s perceived as professional or not. The tool evaluates your photo according to three criteria:

• Perceived competence
• Perceived likability
• Perceived influence

You submit 2-3 candidate photos, you evaluate other users’ photos in return (credit system), and you receive detailed scores for each photo. It’s an excellent way to get an objective opinion before making your final choice.

15. Avoid black and white photos

Even if they can have a certain artistic charm, black and white photos are perceived as less professional than color photos on LinkedIn. They can also give an impression of an outdated photo.

Avoid this type of photo if you want a LinkedIn profile perceived as modern and professional. Keep black and white for your artistic portfolio or your Instagram.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions about LinkedIn photos

What size photo for LinkedIn?

The recommended size for a LinkedIn profile picture is 500×500 pixels. The platform accepts images between 200×200 and 4,000×4,000 pixels, but 500×500 is the optimal format for display quality.

For the banner, use 1584×396 pixels.

Can you put a photo without a face on LinkedIn?

Technically yes, but don’t. LinkedIn is a professional network based on human connections. A photo without a face (logo, landscape, illustration) significantly harms your credibility and drastically reduces your connection acceptance rate.

Profiles with a real face photo get 7 times more views than those without a photo or with an avatar.

How often should you change your LinkedIn photo?

Update your LinkedIn photo every 1 to 2 years, or as soon as there’s a significant change in your appearance or professional positioning.

Reasons to change your photo:

• Job or industry change
• Significant change in your appearance
• Improved photo quality
• Current photo dated more than 3 years

Should you use the same photo on all social networks?

It depends on your personal branding strategy. For professional networks (LinkedIn, professional Twitter), using the same photo reinforces recognition and consistency of your personal brand.

Advantages of consistency:

• Facilitates cross-platform recognition
• Strengthens your personal branding
• Gives an impression of professionalism

When to vary:

• If you strictly separate professional and personal life
• If you have different positioning depending on platforms
• If certain networks are purely personal (Instagram, Facebook)

On LinkedIn specifically, always keep a professional and recent photo, whatever your photos on other platforms.

Conclusion: Optimize your photo to maximize your LinkedIn impact

Your LinkedIn profile picture isn’t a cosmetic detail. It’s a conversion tool that directly impacts your connection acceptance rates and prospecting results.

Key points to remember:

✓ A good photo multiplies by 7 your chances of having your profile viewed
✓ Technical rules matter: 500×500 pixels, circular format, high resolution
✓ Be smiling, accessible, and authentic
✓ Consistency with your banner and professional positioning
✓ Regular update (every 1-2 years minimum)

If you want to go further in optimizing your LinkedIn presence, also think about optimizing your LinkedIn banner, your headline, and your About section.