Having a blurry or pixelated cover photo on your LinkedIn profile can detract from your professional image. Here are some common reasons why your LinkedIn cover photo may look blurry or low quality, along with tips for fixing it.
Your photo’s resolution is too low
The most common reason for a blurry LinkedIn cover photo is that the image resolution is too low. LinkedIn requires cover photos to be at least 1400 x 425 pixels. If your photo’s resolution is lower than that, LinkedIn will automatically enlarge it to fit the cover dimensions, making it look blurry and pixelated.
To fix this, you’ll need to upload a higher resolution version of your photo that meets LinkedIn’s minimum requirements. Ideally your photo should be around 3000 x 1000 pixels to look crisp on high-resolution monitors.
You used image compression
LinkedIn automatically compresses images uploaded to their servers to optimize page load speeds. However, if you compressed or resized your photo too much before uploading, this can exacerbate blurriness.
Avoid excessive compression when preparing your cover photo. Save it at maximum quality, and upload the largest file size available.
You picked an unsuitable photo
Even high resolution photos can look blurry or pixelated if the image itself is unsuitable. Photos with intricate patterns and details do not compress well. Out of focus or grainy photos will also not look great.
For the best results, choose a high quality photo with good lighting and minimal visual noise in the picture. Solid colors and simple textures tend to look better as cover images.
Your monitor’s resolution is low
Sometimes a cover photo may look fine on high resolution monitors but appear more pixelated on low resolution screens. If your monitor has a lower resolution, photos will look more blurry compared to high resolution displays.
Try viewing your LinkedIn profile on a 4K or Retina screen. If the picture looks crisp there, the blurriness is due to your own monitor and not the photo itself.
Tips for uploading a crisp LinkedIn cover photo
Follow these tips to ensure your LinkedIn cover photo always looks sharp and professional:
- Use a high resolution image sized at least 1400 x 425 pixels.
- Pick a quality photo with good lighting and minimal noise.
- Avoid excessive compression – upload the largest file size available.
- Save your photo at maximum image quality before uploading.
- Preview your photo on both desktop and mobile to ensure it looks crisp.
How to fix a blurry cover photo on LinkedIn
If your existing LinkedIn cover photo is blurry, follow these troubleshooting steps:
- Download your original cover photo file from LinkedIn’s website.
- Open the photo in a photo editing program and check its resolution and dimensions.
- If the resolution is lower than 1400 x 425 px, resize the image to meet the minimum requirements.
- Save a high quality version – PNG or TIFF recommended.
- Upload the improved photo to LinkedIn as your new cover image.
You may need to crop or tweak the photo composition slightly when increasing the resolution to fit LinkedIn’s required aspect ratio. But this should sharpen up a blurry photo in most cases.
Blurry photo causes
Here is a summary of the most common reasons your LinkedIn cover photo may appear blurry or low quality:
Cause | Explanation |
---|---|
Low resolution | Photo dimensions smaller than 1400 x 425 pixels |
Excessive compression | Heavy jpeg compression added visual artifacts |
Unsuitable image | Out of focus, badly lit, or noisy photo |
Low monitor resolution | Photo looks blurry only on low resolution screens |
How to avoid blurry LinkedIn photos
Use these best practices when selecting and uploading profile photos to LinkedIn:
Recommendation | Details |
---|---|
Meet size requirements | Minimum 1400 x 425 pixels cover photo dimensions |
Pick a quality image | Crisp, well-lit photos with minimal noise |
Avoid excessive compression | Save photos at maximum quality before uploading |
Preview on all devices | Mobile screens have higher pixel density |
When to change your LinkedIn profile photo
You should change your LinkedIn profile and cover photos if:
- Your existing photos are blurry, pixelated or unprofessional looking
- You’ve changed roles and want photos that better reflect your new job
- Your appearance has changed significantly over time
- You want photos that are more consistent with your personal brand
- You haven’t updated your photos in several years
As a best practice, you should review and refresh your LinkedIn profile photos at least every 2-3 years. High quality, up-to-date photos help craft a professional image and make a good first impression.
How often to change cover photo
You don’t need to change your LinkedIn cover photo as frequently as your profile picture. Here are some guidelines on cover photo refresh frequency:
- When you change jobs
- If the current photo looks outdated
- Every 1-2 years at minimum
- When your brand or interests change
Customize your cover image about as often as you update your resume. This keeps your profile looking fresh and current.
Conclusion
A blurry LinkedIn cover photo detracts from your professional brand and first impression. Follow the tips in this article to troubleshoot image quality issues and ensure your photos always look top notch.
Use high resolution, well-composed photos that meet LinkedIn’s recommended specifications. Preview your images on both desktop and mobile to identify any blurriness issues before uploading. With quality profile photos that reflect the professional image you want to project, you can stand out and engage your network on LinkedIn.