Quick Answer
The best way to ensure your LinkedIn profile picture is not blurry is to take a new photo using high resolution settings on your camera or smartphone. Use good lighting, take the photo straight-on, and crop it tightly around your face. Also resize the image to fit LinkedIn’s recommended dimensions before uploading.
Choosing the Right Photo
When selecting a photo for your LinkedIn profile, you’ll want to choose one that is clear, professional, and an accurate representation of how you currently look. Avoid photos that are too casual, or where you can’t be seen clearly.
The ideal LinkedIn photo will be:
- Taken recently so it shows your current appearance
- High resolution with no blur or pixelation
- Well-lit with no shadows or glare on your face
- Head and shoulders framing, taken straight-on
- Looking directly at the camera with a smile
- Minimal background that isn’t distracting
You want the focus of the photo to be completely on you. If you need to, take the picture in front of a plain wall to ensure the background doesn’t draw attention away.
Camera Settings
When taking a new photo with your camera or smartphone, be sure to use the highest resolution possible. This will give you an image with more detail that won’t get blurry or pixelated when cropped and resized.
Most digital cameras and newer smartphone cameras will have a resolution of at least 12 megapixels. Some may have up to 48 megapixels or more. Use the native camera app on your phone or adjust the settings in your digital camera to select the largest image size.
You’ll also want to ensure proper focus. On smartphones, tap the area of the screen where your face will be to set the focus there before snapping the photo. For digital cameras, manually choose a small aperture like f/8 or f/11 and narrow your depth of field to keep your face in focus.
Photo Composition
When framing your photo, get close enough to your face that your head and shoulders fill the frame. Shoot straight-on rather than at an angle for the most flattering perspective. Position yourself in front of a neutral background if possible.
Make sure you are well-lit from the front to avoid shadows on your face. If you have to use flash, bounce it off the ceiling or walls to create soft, even lighting. Turn off your camera’s red-eye removal since the red eye effect can make your eyes look blurry.
As you take the photo, look directly into the camera lens and smile naturally. Keep your expression warm and friendly. Pay attention to your posture by holding your chin level and your shoulders back.
Editing and Cropping
After transferring your photo to your computer or smartphone, you may need to edit it to create the perfect headshot. First, crop the image tightly around your head and shoulders. Zoom in close to check that your facial features remain clear.
You can also touch up the photo in an editing app to adjust the lighting and colors. Increase the contrast slightly to make details more sharp. Just don’t overdo editing to the point that the photo looks obviously filtered. It should still look natural.
Resizing for LinkedIn
LinkedIn recommends uploading a photo that is 400 x 400 pixels for optimal quality and performance. This equates to an image size of about 4.5 x 4.5 inches at 300 dpi (dots per inch).
Before uploading your photo to LinkedIn, resize it to 400 x 400 pixels using photo editing software like Photoshop, GIMP, or an online resizing tool. Cropping to these dimensions will prevent image distortion and allow for high resolution viewing on varying screen sizes.
Don’t just shrink down a full sized photo to 400 x 400. This will cause blurriness. Crop the photo to a 4:3 aspect ratio first so the composition isn’t altered, then resize to 400 pixels square.
Uploading to LinkedIn
When you’ve prepped your photo file correctly, uploading to LinkedIn is easy. Just follow these steps:
- Click on your profile image in the top right of your LinkedIn homepage.
- In the dropdown menu, choose “View profile.”
- Hover over your existing profile photo and click the Pencil Icon to edit.
- Click the upload photo button.
- Select your new 400 x 400 pixel photo file.
- Click “Save.”
Your sharp, professional headshot should now be active on your profile!
Troubleshooting Blurry Photos
If your new LinkedIn profile picture still appears blurry after uploading, here are a few things to check:
- Verify the original photo is high resolution and in focus. Retake it if needed.
- Make sure to crop and resize the image to 400 x 400 pixels before uploading.
- Try converting the photo file to JPG format at 90% quality if it’s not already a JPG.
- Check that you are uploading the photo through LinkedIn rather than linking to it from another site.
- Give LinkedIn time to process the image after uploading – it may appear blurred at first.
Following LinkedIn’s guidelines carefully for resolution, file type, and dimensions is key for a crisp, clear profile photo. With a properly optimized headshot, you can make a great first impression on your network!
Conclusion
A blurry, low-quality photo on your LinkedIn profile reflects poorly on your personal brand and professionalism. By taking the time to capture and prepare an updated headshot, you can make sure your photo represents you at your best. Use a high-resolution camera, proper lighting techniques, and photo editing to create a crisp image suited for LinkedIn. With an engaging headshot that shows off your personality, you can connect more genuinely with your network and stand out from the crowd. The effort put into your profile picture is well worth the positive impression it will make.