You can customize your LinkedIn URL in your profile settings

LinkedIn gives you a custom URL that people can use to find your profile directly. By default, it looks like linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname-1a2b3c4d — a string of letters and numbers that's hard to remember or share. You can change this to something simpler, like linkedin.com/in/yourname, in just a few clicks from your profile settings.

A clean, readable URL matters because people share LinkedIn profiles in emails, resumes, and business cards. A custom URL looks more professional and is easier for someone to type or remember. You get to change it once, and LinkedIn will keep redirecting the old URL to your new one, so any links you've already shared still work.

Key Takeaways

  • Your custom URL can contain only letters, numbers, and hyphens — no spaces or special characters.
  • LinkedIn reserves certain words like "company", "jobs", and "feed", so you cannot use those in your URL.
  • You can change your URL once, and LinkedIn automatically redirects the old one so existing links do not break.
  • The URL must be between 3 and 30 characters long and cannot match someone else's profile name.

How to find and edit your LinkedIn URL

Start by going to your LinkedIn profile. Click the Me icon in the top right corner of the page, then select View profile. This takes you to your public profile page.

In the top right corner of your profile, you'll see a camera icon and a pencil icon. Click the pencil icon to edit your profile. Scroll down until you see the section labeled Public profile & URL. On the right side of that section, you'll see your current LinkedIn URL. Click the pencil icon next to it to edit.

A box will pop up showing your current URL. Delete the part after linkedin.com/in/ and type in what you want instead. LinkedIn will tell you right away if the name is taken or if it breaks the rules. Once you've entered a name that works, click Save.

What characters and words you can and cannot use

Your custom URL can only contain letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and hyphens. You cannot use spaces, underscores, periods, or any special characters. If your name has a space, use a hyphen instead — for example, john-smith instead of john smith.

LinkedIn blocks certain words from being used in URLs. You cannot use company, jobs, feed, pulse, learning, sales, recruiter, or talent. If you try to use one of these, LinkedIn will reject it and ask you to choose something else.

Your URL must be between 3 and 30 characters long. If someone else already has the exact URL you want, you'll need to pick something different — LinkedIn will not let you use a duplicate.

Choosing a URL that represents your professional brand

The best LinkedIn URLs are straightforward and match your name or professional identity. If your name is available, use it — linkedin.com/in/sarah-chen is clearer and more memorable than linkedin.com/in/sch1985. If your exact name is taken, add a middle initial, middle name, or a number that means something to you.

If you're known professionally by a nickname or shortened version of your name, that works too. A recruiter or contact should be able to recognize you from the URL alone. Avoid inside jokes, numbers that seem random, or words that might not make sense to someone meeting you for the first time.

Think about how you'll share this URL. If you're putting it on a business card, in an email signature, or on your resume, make sure it's something you're comfortable saying out loud and that people can spell correctly on the first try.

What happens to your old URL after you change it

When you change your LinkedIn URL, the old one does not disappear or break. LinkedIn automatically redirects anyone who visits your old URL to your new one. This means if you've already shared your profile link in emails, on your website, or in documents, those links will still work.

You can only change your URL once every six months. If you change it and then want to change it again, you'll have to wait six months before LinkedIn lets you make another change. Choose carefully the first time, because you're locked in for half a year.

Fixing a URL that did not save or is showing an error

If LinkedIn tells you the URL is unavailable or invalid, the most common reasons are: someone else already has it, you used a character that is not allowed, you used a reserved word, or your URL is shorter than 3 characters or longer than 30. Go back and try a different combination.

If you've made a change but it is not showing up on your profile, refresh the page or log out and log back in. LinkedIn sometimes takes a few minutes to update across all its servers. If the problem persists after an hour, try the edit process again from the beginning.

If you see an error message you do not recognize, take a screenshot and visit LinkedIn's Help Center. Search for "custom URL" to find their troubleshooting guide, or use the Help option in the bottom right corner of LinkedIn to contact their support team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my company name in my LinkedIn URL?

You can use your company name if it is part of your personal brand — for example, linkedin.com/in/sarah-chen-marketing. However, LinkedIn reserves the word "company" itself, so you cannot use that alone. Keep your URL focused on your name or professional identity rather than your employer.

What if someone took the URL I want?

LinkedIn does not release old URLs, so if someone else has it, you cannot get it. Try adding a middle initial, middle name, or a number that relates to you. You could also use a hyphen in a different place — john-smith-consulting instead of johnsmith-consulting.

Do I have to use a custom URL, or can I keep the default one?

You do not have to change it. The default URL with the random numbers still works and still directs people to your profile. A custom URL is just easier to share and looks more professional on a resume or business card.

Will changing my URL hurt my search ranking or visibility on LinkedIn?

No. LinkedIn redirects your old URL to your new one, so your profile history and connections stay the same. Your visibility and search ranking on LinkedIn are not affected by changing your URL.

Can I change my URL back to the old one?

You can change your URL to something different, but you cannot revert to a previous custom URL you used. You can only change your URL once every six months, so plan your changes carefully.