On LinkedIn, first impressions are everything. While your profile picture shows who you are, your Background Photo (or banner) shows what you do. It is the largest piece of visual real estate on your profile.
However, LinkedIn uses a unique “super-wide” aspect ratio (4:1) that usually forces standard photos to be cropped awkwardly. To look professional, you need to design specifically for these dimensions.
The Official Specs
- Dimensions: 1584 pixels (width) by 396 pixels (height).
- Aspect Ratio: 4:1.
- File Size: Under 8MB.
- File Type: JPG, PNG, or GIF.
The “Profile Pic” Danger Zone
The biggest design challenge on LinkedIn is the Profile Picture overlap.
On desktop screens, your circular profile photo sits on the left side, overlapping the background image. If you put your logo or text in the bottom-left corner, it will be invisible to desktop users.
Mobile vs. Desktop:
On mobile apps, the profile picture shifts closer to the center.
Pro Tip: The safest place for your text, tagline, or contact info is the top-right quadrant of the image. This area is visible on every device.
Why 1584×396?
This precise resolution ensures your banner looks crisp on high-resolution Retina displays without being so large that the file size slows down your profile load time.