The LinkedIn headshot

Your LinkedIn headshot is often the first impression recruiters, clients, and partners get. A strong photo is sharp, recent, recognizable, and appropriate for your industry — not a cropped vacation shot or a heavily filtered selfie.

What LinkedIn viewers notice first

• Face clarity — eyes sharp, even light, no harsh shadows under the eyes.
• Framing — head and upper shoulders; leave a little space above the hair.
• Background — simple, non-distracting; soft studio or muted office beats a busy café.
• Attire — what you would wear to meet a client in your field.
• Authenticity — it should still look like you on a video call.

LinkedIn photo specs that matter

LinkedIn crops your photo into a circle on most surfaces. Center your face, avoid hats that break the crop, and export a high-resolution square. If the image is soft on a phone, it will look weaker on desktop too.

Best AI styles for LinkedIn

Start with LinkedIn Profile for a classic professional look. Use Business Casual for tech and startups, Corporate Team for directory consistency, and Executive Presence for senior roles. Industry pages like Legal Authority or Healthcare Trust help when your field has a clear visual norm.

Mistakes that hurt profile photos

• Group photos cropped to one face.
• Sunglasses, heavy filters, or extreme beauty retouching.
• Busy logos or readable text in the background.
• Outfits that clash with the job you want next.
• Photos more than a few years old after a major appearance change.

How to generate a LinkedIn headshot here

1. Gather 1–4 clear selfies using our photo guidelines.
2. Open Create and select a professional style (LinkedIn Profile is the default recommendation).
3. Unlock credits if needed — see pricing and cost guide.
4. Generate, download, and upload the square crop to LinkedIn. Prefer the version that looks like you under office lighting.