Where to find the certifications section on LinkedIn

LinkedIn has a dedicated Certifications section on your profile where you can list credentials you've earned. To find it, go to your profile and scroll down past the About section. You'll see sections for Experience, Education, Skills, and others — Certifications appears in this same area, usually below Education.

If you don't see a Certifications section yet, you can create one. Click the Add profile section button (it looks like a plus sign) and select "Certifications" from the dropdown menu. This adds the section to your profile permanently, and you can then start entering your credentials.

Key Takeaways

  • The Certifications section sits on your main profile below Education and can be added if it's not already visible.
  • You enter the certification name, issuing organization, issue date, and expiration date (if applicable) into individual fields.
  • LinkedIn can pull certification data directly from issuing organizations like Google, Microsoft, and AWS if you have an account with them.
  • Your certifications are visible to anyone viewing your profile unless you change your privacy settings to hide specific sections.
  • You can add certifications that are in progress, expired, or no longer relevant — LinkedIn doesn't remove them automatically.

Adding a certification manually

Click the plus icon next to "Certifications" to add a new credential. A form will appear asking for four pieces of information: the name of the certification, the name of the organization that issued it, the date you received it, and the expiration date (if one exists).

Fill in the certification name exactly as it appears on your credential — for example, "Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer" rather than a shortened version. Type the issuing organization's name in the second field. LinkedIn will often suggest matches as you type, so you can click the suggestion rather than typing the full name.

Enter the month and year you earned the certification in the "Issue Date" field. If your certification expires, enter that date in the "Expiration Date" field. Some certifications, like a bachelor's degree or a professional license, don't expire — you can leave this blank or uncheck the expiration box. Click "Save" when you're done.

Connecting certifications directly from issuing organizations

LinkedIn has partnerships with major certification providers including Google, Microsoft, AWS, Coursera, and others. If you earned a certification through one of these organizations and have an account with them, you can connect your LinkedIn profile to pull certifications automatically.

When you click to add a certification, look for the option to "Get credentials from [Organization Name]" — this appears as a button or link depending on which provider issued your credential. Click it, and LinkedIn will ask permission to access your account with that organization. Once you approve, LinkedIn retrieves your certifications and adds them to your profile without you typing anything.

This method is faster and reduces the chance of typos. It also signals to viewers that your credential is verified by the issuing organization, which can carry more weight than a manually entered certification.

What information appears on your profile

When someone views your profile, they see the certification name, the issuing organization, and the dates you earned it. If you included an expiration date, that appears too. LinkedIn does not display the credential ID number or any other details from your certificate itself.

You can add a URL link to your certification — many organizations provide a public link where viewers can verify your credential. To add this, click the pencil icon next to the certification after you've saved it, and paste the URL in the "Credential URL" field. This is optional but useful for certifications that are less well-known or when you want viewers to see the full details.

Managing certifications you no longer want to display

You can edit or delete any certification from your profile at any time. Click the pencil icon next to the certification you want to change, update the information, and save. To remove a certification entirely, click the trash icon next to it and confirm the deletion.

LinkedIn does not automatically remove expired certifications — you decide whether to keep them visible. Some people leave expired certifications on their profile to show their work history, while others remove them to show only current credentials. There's no penalty either way, and the choice depends on what story you want your profile to tell.

Privacy and visibility of your certifications

By default, your certifications are visible to anyone who views your profile — LinkedIn members and non-members alike. If your profile is set to public, your certifications appear in search results and can be seen without logging in.

You can change the visibility of individual sections or your entire profile through LinkedIn's privacy settings. Go to Settings and Privacy, then click "Visibility of your profile and network." You can choose to make your profile visible to logged-in members only, connections only, or just yourself. You can also hide specific sections like Certifications while keeping others visible.

Common mistakes when adding certifications

The most frequent error is entering the certification name incorrectly or incompletely. "Google Cloud Certification" is vague — use the exact name like "Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer" so viewers and recruiters know exactly what you've earned.

Another mistake is forgetting to add the issuing organization. LinkedIn needs this to verify the credential and to link it to the organization's profile. If you leave it blank or misspell it, the certification loses credibility.

Some people add certifications that are still in progress or that they haven't actually earned yet. LinkedIn doesn't verify certifications you enter manually, so it's your responsibility to list only credentials you actually hold. Adding unearned certifications can damage your professional reputation if discovered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a certification I'm currently working toward?

Yes, you can add certifications in progress. When you add the certification, leave the "Issue Date" blank or uncheck the expiration date box. Some people add a note in their headline or About section to clarify that the certification is pending. Be honest about the status — don't list it as complete if you haven't finished it yet.

What if the organization that issued my certification isn't in LinkedIn's dropdown list?

Type the organization name in the field anyway. LinkedIn's dropdown suggests common organizations, but you can enter any organization name. If it's a real credential from a real organization, typing it in is fine. The credential is only as credible as the organization behind it, so make sure the issuer is legitimate and recognizable.

Do I need to upload a copy of my certificate?

No, LinkedIn doesn't require you to upload a certificate file. If you connected your certification directly from the issuing organization (like Google or Microsoft), LinkedIn verified it on their end. For manually entered certifications, you can add a credential URL so viewers can verify it themselves, but uploading a file isn't an option.

Will recruiters see my certifications?

Yes, recruiters searching LinkedIn can see your certifications if your profile is visible to them. Many recruiters filter searches by certification, so having relevant credentials listed increases the chance they'll find you. Make sure your certifications match the jobs you're targeting.

Can I hide a certification from certain people?

LinkedIn doesn't allow you to hide individual certifications from specific people. You can only control visibility at the section level — either the entire Certifications section is visible to your chosen audience, or it's hidden. If you need to hide one certification but show others, you'd have to delete it from your profile.