Profile design
LinkedIn banner guide: size, best practices and examples by role
Your banner is the largest image on your profile and most founders leave it as a stock skyline. Here are the current sizes, where the profile photo will cover it, and written banner concepts for six roles.
By Dr. Banpreet KaurUpdated 5 min read
- Personal banner, recommended (LinkedIn)
- 1584 x 396
- Company Page cover, recommended (LinkedIn)
- 1512 x 256
- Max personal banner file size
- 8 MB
The short answer
As of October 2026 LinkedIn recommends 1584 x 396 pixels for a personal profile banner (PNG or JPG, under 8 MB) and 1512 x 256 pixels for a company Page cover (under 3 MB). Keep text in the center and right of the banner, because your profile photo covers the lower left on desktop and the layout shifts on mobile.
What size is a LinkedIn banner in 2026?
A personal LinkedIn banner should be 1584 x 396 pixels, a 4:1 ratio, saved as PNG or JPG under 8 MB. A company Page cover should be 1512 x 256 pixels, under 3 MB. Those are the figures on LinkedIn's own help pages as of October 2026.
| Image | Size | Format and file limit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal profile banner (background photo) | 1584 x 396 px recommended | PNG or JPG, max 8 MB, no GIFs | LinkedIn help: profile photos |
| Company Page cover | 1512 x 256 px minimum and recommended | PNG or JPEG, max 3 MB | LinkedIn help: Page image specifications |
| Company Page logo | 400 x 400 px recommended (268 x 268 minimum) | PNG or JPEG, max 3 MB | Same Page specifications |
| Profile photo | 400 x 400 px minimum | PNG or JPG, max 8 MB | Same as personal banner |
A note on the company cover: for years the standard figure was 1128 x 191, and many guides still quote it (a few quote 4200 x 700). LinkedIn's Page specifications page was updated in mid-2026 and now lists 1512 x 256 as both the minimum and the recommended size. If you are reusing an old company cover, re-export it at the new size.
Where does the profile photo cover the banner on mobile and desktop?
LinkedIn does not publish pixel-exact safe zones, so anything more precise than the following is an estimate. What is consistent:
- Desktop: your round profile photo overlaps the lower-left portion of the banner. Anything in roughly the left quarter of the bottom half will be hidden.
- Mobile: the app lays the header out differently, with the banner shown at a different crop and the photo still overlapping the lower left. Edges can get trimmed.
- Company covers: LinkedIn's own help page warns that the image may be resized on mobile and trimmed horizontally or vertically, and advises keeping key details centered and away from the edges, especially the lower-right corner.
Practical rule: keep all text inside the middle and right-center of the banner, leave generous margins on every edge, and always check the result on your own phone before you call it done.
What should you put on your LinkedIn banner?
A banner has one job: tell a visitor, before they read a word of your About section, what you do and for whom. The elements that earn their space:
- One line of positioning. Who you help and the result. Seven to twelve words.
- One proof point. A number, a recognizable client category, a credential or a publication.
- One visual that is actually you. Your product, your clinic, your team, your stage photo. Not a stock skyline.
- Optional: what to do next. "Newsletter: Pricing Notes" or your website. Banners are not clickable, so keep it short.
And what does not: your full contact details, five logos, motivational quotes, or a photo of yourself (you already have one directly below).
What should a LinkedIn banner say for different roles?
These are written concepts to adapt, not designs. Each describes the layout and the copy, and every name or number is a placeholder.
CEO
A clean, dark or brand-colored background with one line on the right: "Building [Company]: [what it does] for [who]". Underneath, a single proof line, for example a customer count or the number of markets you operate in, if it is a figure you are allowed to share. Optional company logo small in the right corner. For a listed company, check with legal or investor relations before putting any metric on a banner. More on what CEOs should post on our CEO and executive page.
Founder (early stage)
A product screenshot or a photo of the team at work filling the right half, with text in the center: "Founder, [Company] | Helping [ICP] [outcome]". Early-stage founders often have no hero metric yet, so use the problem instead, for example "Fixing payroll for Indian startups with remote teams." Update the banner when you raise or launch.
Doctor
A calm photo of your clinic, a lecture hall or a teaching moment (no identifiable patients), with "Consultant [Specialty], [Hospital or City] | Writing about [topic] in plain language". In India, the National Medical Commission's conduct rules restrict how doctors advertise, so keep the banner informational: qualifications and focus area, not claims about outcomes or comparisons with other doctors. Our LinkedIn for doctors page covers the wider compliance picture.
Lawyer
Restrained typography on a plain background: "[Practice area] lawyer | [Firm] | Advising [client type] on [matter type]". In India, Bar Council of India rules restrict advertising and solicitation by advocates, and many other jurisdictions have their own professional conduct rules, so a lawyer's banner should describe practice areas and avoid anything that reads as a sales pitch or a promise of results. See our page for lawyers.
Consultant
A simple framework graphic or a photo of you facilitating a workshop, with "I help [specific client] [specific outcome]". For example: "I help mid-market manufacturers cut working capital by redesigning procurement." Add one credibility marker such as a former firm or a book you wrote. The consultants page has more on positioning.
Real estate
A photo of a project you actually built or sold, or the skyline of the micro-market you specialize in, with "[Residential or commercial] real estate | [City or corridor] | [Developer, broker or investor]". In India, if you are promoting a registered project, follow your state RERA's advertising requirements, which include showing the project's registration number. Our real estate leaders page goes further.
What are the most common LinkedIn banner mistakes?
| Mistake | Why it hurts | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Text in the lower left | Hidden behind the profile photo | Move text to the center or right |
| Default background or stock skyline | Signals an inactive or unconsidered profile | Use a real photo or a clean branded background |
| Tiny text | Unreadable on mobile, where much of your traffic arrives | Fewer words, larger type |
| Old company cover at 1128 x 191 | Below LinkedIn's current minimum, may look soft | Re-export at 1512 x 256 |
| Banner says one thing, headline another | Confuses visitors and the algorithm | Make banner, headline and posts tell one story |
| Logo wall | Looks like an ad, hard to read | One proof point, not ten |
The second-to-last row matters more in 2026 than it used to. LinkedIn's feed uses your profile to judge what you are an expert in, and readers decide in seconds whether your posts are worth following. Our profile optimization checklist walks through the banner alongside the headline, About and Featured.
How Postlit designs banners for clients
The banner is part of our profile optimization work: we write the positioning line first, then design the banner to match the headline and the topics the client will post about, and check it on desktop and mobile before it goes live. To see how your current profile scores, run it through the free LinkedIn profile grader, or send a short form via WhatsApp or email from our contact page for a written free teardown from a founder.
Want this running for you?
Get a free LinkedIn teardown. A founder reviews your profile and tells you what is costing you reach and what we would change first, whether or not you hire us.
Led by a Toptal Verified Expert in Marketing and a doctor turned content strategist.
Frequently asked questions
What is the LinkedIn banner size in 2026?
LinkedIn recommends 1584 x 396 pixels for a personal profile banner, in PNG or JPG format and no larger than 8 MB. For a company Page cover, LinkedIn's specifications page lists 1512 x 256 pixels as both the minimum and recommended size, with a 3 MB file limit. GIFs are not supported for profile banners.
Is the LinkedIn company banner size 1128 x 191?
That was the long-standing figure, and many guides still quote it. As of October 2026, LinkedIn's Page image specifications list 1512 x 256 pixels as both the minimum and recommended cover size, after an update in mid-2026. An old 1128 x 191 cover is now below the minimum, so re-export it at the new size.
Why does my LinkedIn banner look cut off on mobile?
The mobile app lays out the profile header differently from desktop, crops the banner differently and still overlaps the profile photo on the lower left. LinkedIn advises keeping key details centered and away from the edges. Keep text in the middle and right-center, use large type and fewer words, and preview on your own phone after uploading.
What should a CEO put on their LinkedIn banner?
One positioning line that says what the company does and for whom, one proof point such as a customer count or market you are allowed to share, and a clean background or real photo of the product or team. Avoid stock skylines, logo walls and contact details. Listed-company CEOs should clear any metric with legal or investor relations first.
Can you put a link in a LinkedIn banner?
No, the banner image is not clickable. You can show a short web address or newsletter name as text, but the clickable options are elsewhere: the custom button link in your intro, the website field in contact info, and the Featured section. Use the banner to tell people what you do and those sections to send them somewhere.