How to add a resume to your LinkedIn profile

Updated September 2026

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You've got three ways to add your resume to your LinkedIn profile:

1. the Featured section of your profile (public, visible to anyone),

2. the Easy Apply flow when applying to a job (private, sent only to that employer), and

3. your Job Application Settings (private, saved for reuse).

Each option serves a different purpose, and the right choice depends on whether you're actively applying, just looking, or networking.

TLDR

• There are three upload spots on LinkedIn, and only one of them (the Featured section) is public.

• if you're employed and you're just looking, don't put your resume in the Featured section (this goes without saying).

• LinkedIn saves your most recent Easy Apply resume as a default, which is how a stale, untailored file ends up going out on applications without you noticing.

• Want my honest advice? Don't upload your resume to LinkedIn at all, and don't use LinkedIn to apply for jobs. Use it to source jobs, and then use the company website directly to apply.

Where can you upload your resume on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn doesn't work like a job board where your resume sits in one place and goes everywhere. There are three places that you can upload your resume, and really, the difference boils down to how LinkedIn handles your resume in each case.

Criterion	Featured section	Easy Apply	Job Application Settings
Visibility	Public, anyone viewing your profile	Private, only that employer	Private, only employers you apply to
Best for	Passive networking, consultants, open candidates	Active applications (though the actual usefulness is debatable)	Frequent applying with a reused file
Stored for reuse	Yes, until you remove it	No, not retained after you apply	Yes, up to 4 files
File limits	PDF, DOC, or DOCX up to 5MB	PDF or Word, under 2MB	PDF or Word, under 2MB
Main risk	Your employer or network can see it	None significant	A stale file auto-attaching to applications

How to add your resume to your LinkedIn profile

if you upload your resume into the featured section of your profile, it goes on public display for anyone visiting your profile to see. I personally don't like this method because I feel your resume is a privileged document that you should only be sharing with certain people for the purposes of gaining employment.

1. Go to your profile and click Add profile section, which sits below your photo and headline.

2. Open the Recommended category and choose Add featured.

3. In the Featured panel, click the plus icon, then choose Add media, and select your file.

4. Add a clear title (for example, "Marketing Analytics Resume, 2026") and a short description so visitors know what they're opening.

5. Click Save, then preview your profile as a visitor to confirm the file opens and displays cleanly.

Use a PDF to preserve your formatting when someone downloads it on a different device.

How to upload your resume when you apply for a job

This is the method you'd use if you're actively applying and want to keep things private.

Find a job listing and click Easy Apply. When LinkedIn prompts you, upload your resume, then review the fields it auto-fills from the file before you submit.

Keep in mind that LinkedIn saves the resume you just used as a default for future submissions, which is convenient until it isn't (more on that below).

How to save a resume in LinkedIn's Job Application Settings

If you apply often, you can store the file in your settings so you're not re-uploading every time. LinkedIn has moved this around, so there are two paths depending on your device and account, and the labels vary slightly:

1. From the Jobs icon in the top navigation, open Preferences (or the gear icon), then select Resumes and application data, and click Upload resume.

2. Or from Settings, go to Me, then Settings and Privacy, then Data privacy, then Job application settings, and upload under Manage your resumes.

LinkedIn stores up to four resumes here, and the most recently uploaded one becomes your default in Easy Apply. When you try to add a fifth, it asks you to delete one first. Keep this list short and current, because a forgotten file in here is exactly what causes the problem in the next section.

Should you upload your resume to LinkedIn at all?

So this is something that LinkedIn won't tell you because they benefit from you uploading your resume, regardless of whether or not it helps you with your job search (In my opinion, it doesn't).

Regardless of whether or not you're unemployed, you should under no circumstances be sharing your resume with LinkedIn. Over the past several years, I've observed that the platform simply doesn't help job seekers in any meaningful way.

That being said, LinkedIn does have two use cases.

• One is finding jobs. Its search function is quite powerful for finding jobs and using advanced filters liketo get to what you're looking for.

• The second is for passive search: when your LinkedIn profile is updated and filled out, a recruiter looking for somebody with your skill set could come across your profile in their search, which could result in an opportunity. A number of my clients have found jobs this way.

When uploading your resume to LinkedIn backfires

I've already touched on these earlier, but here's a quick recap of how uploading your resume in any way to LinkedIn could be problematic:

1. When somebody at your company sees your resume when you upload it to the featured section, it gives the impression that you're now on the market. another problem with having a resume in your featured section is that anybody that visits your profile can download it (which isn't great if privacy is your thing).

2. LinkedIn saved an old resume as your Easy Apply default months ago, and now it's attaching to every application you submit.

3. Your public resume says one thing about your last role and your profile says another, or your dates don't line up.

None of these are reasons to avoid LinkedIn. They're reasons to be deliberate about which method you use and what the file actually contains.

How do you keep your LinkedIn resume from working against you

if the warnings I've given are of no consequence to you, and you'd still like to have your résumé on your LinkedIn profile, then at least keep the following tips in mind:

• Remove personal contact details including phone numbers and emails.

• Keep the file current and up to date.

• Make sure your resume and your profile agree on titles, dates, and the basics, since the two are read together, and

• If you're editing your profile while employed, turn off the activity broadcast in your settings so your network doesn't get a notification every time you change something.

Frequently asked questions

Expanding List

Q: Can my current employer see if I upload my resume to LinkedIn? 

A: Only if you use the Featured section, which is public. A resume there is visible and downloadable by anyone who views your profile, including your manager and colleagues. The Easy Apply and Job Application Settings methods are private, so employers only see your resume when you apply to them directly. For a quiet search, avoid the Featured section.

Q: Does LinkedIn save my resume after I apply for a job? 

A: Often, yes. After an Easy Apply submission, LinkedIn frequently saves that file in your Job Application Settings and sets it as the default for future applications. It stores up to four resumes there. This is convenient but risky, because an old default can attach to new applications without you noticing, so check it before applying.

Q: What file format and size should I use for a LinkedIn resume? 

A: Use a PDF. It preserves your formatting on any device, while Word files can shift when opened on an unfamiliar screen. The Featured section accepts files up to 5MB, while Easy Apply and Job Application Settings want files under 2MB. PDF works across all three, so it's the safest single choice for every upload spot.

Q: Why can't I upload my resume to LinkedIn? 

A: The usual causes are an unsupported format, a file that's too large, or a job posting that doesn't allow attachments. Stick to PDF or Word, and keep the file under 2MB for applications. If a specific Easy Apply listing won't accept a file, the employer disabled that option, and you'll need to apply through their own site instead.

Q: Should I upload my resume or just use my LinkedIn profile as a resume? 

A: They do different jobs. Your profile is an always-on page recruiters search and browse. Your resume is a tailored, one-to-two-page document for a specific role. Keep both consistent, but don't treat them as interchangeable. A resume lets a recruiter see a focused, role-specific version of you without piecing it together from your profile.

About Alex Khamis

I'm Alex Khamis, CPRW, and am the founder of Final Draft Resumes. I'm also one of the moderators of r/resumes, a community of more than 1.2 million members. I've personally written over 1,400 resumes across executive, technical, and career-transition roles since 2019, and I spend a fair amount of time watching how recruiters and job seekers use LinkedIn rather than how the platform says they should. LinkedIn | Full bio

If you're job searching and you're not sure whether the resume you'd upload is actually ready to be seen, you can book a discovery call here. It's a short conversation with no pressure, and I'll tell you honestly whether your resume needs work or whether it's closer than you think.