You probably haven’t looked at the address bar of your browser while staring at your own profile lately. If you did, you might see a string of letters and numbers that looks like a cat walked across a keyboard. That’s the default setting. It’s messy. It’s hard to put on a business card. Honestly, it just looks amateur when you're trying to land a high-six-figure role or close a deal.
Knowing how to make custom linkedin url changes isn't just about aesthetics, though. It’s about SEO. When recruiters search for your name on Google, a "clean" URL helps that profile rank higher in the search results. It tells the algorithm—and the human reading it—that this profile is managed by someone who actually knows how the modern professional world works.
Most people just leave it. They assume the linkedin.com/in/john-doe-77293b1a/ is just how the internet works. It isn't. You can change it to something like linkedin.com/in/johndoe in about thirty seconds if you know where the button is hidden.
The Actual Steps to Claim Your Name
LinkedIn doesn't make this the biggest button on the page. They hide it in the top right corner, almost like they’re testing to see if you’re paying attention.
First, you've gotta be on your profile page. Look for the "Public profile & URL" section. There is a little pencil icon next to your current link. Click it. This opens a new tab—don't panic, that's supposed to happen. In that new view, you'll see "Edit your custom URL" in the top right.
Type in what you want. Hit save.
If the name is taken, LinkedIn will give you a red error message. This happens a lot if your name is something common like Chris Smith or Sarah Chen. In those cases, you have to get a little bit creative without getting weird. Nobody wants to hire top-sales-guy-99. Stick to professional variations. Maybe add your middle initial or your specific industry if you're really stuck.
Why the Default URL is Hurting Your Brand
Think about your resume. You spend hours picking the right font and making sure the bullet points align. Then, at the top, you paste a link that is three inches long and full of hexadecimal code. It breaks the visual flow.
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When you learn how to make custom linkedin url tweaks, you're basically cleaning up your digital storefront. Recruiters at firms like Heidrick & Struggles or Egon Zehnder look at hundreds of profiles a day. Little things matter. A custom URL shows attention to detail. It says you finished the job.
There's also the "word of mouth" factor. If you’re at a networking event and someone asks how to find you, saying "Search for my name" is fine, but saying "It's just linkedin dot com slash in slash my name" is much smoother. It sticks in the brain.
Dealing with the "Name Already Taken" Nightmare
If you have a common name, you’re going to run into a wall. The "prime real estate" of linkedin.com/in/yourname was probably snapped up in 2008 by someone who hasn't logged in since the Obama administration. It’s frustrating.
Don't use underscores. They look dated and can sometimes mess with how links are hyperlinked in email signatures. Hyphens are okay, but they're a bit clunky. The best move is usually adding a middle initial or a professional designation. If you're a CPA, johndoecpa is perfect. If you’re in a specific city and plan to stay there, johndoe-nyc works, though it limits you if you ever move to Austin.
Avoid birth years. Adding "85" or "92" to the end of your URL tells people exactly how old you are. While ageism shouldn't exist in hiring, there's no reason to give people data points they don't need before they've even met you. Keep it timeless.
The Technical Stuff: Character Limits and Rules
LinkedIn has a few hard rules you can't break. Your custom URL has to be between 3 and 100 characters. Please, for the love of your career, do not use 100 characters. Keep it under 20.
You can't use spaces, symbols, or special characters. No emojis. No "!" to show how excited you are about B2B SaaS. Just letters and numbers. It’s also not case-sensitive. JohnDoe and johndoe go to the same place, so don't stress about the capitalization.
You can also only change your URL five times within six months. If you’re constantly changing your mind about your "personal brand," LinkedIn will eventually put you in time-out. Pick a name and stick with it.
What Happens to the Old Link?
This is where people get scared. "If I change it, will my old links break?"
Yes. Sort of.
If you’ve sent out 500 resumes with the old, ugly URL, those links will eventually lead to a "Profile Not Found" page. However, LinkedIn usually keeps a redirect for a short period, but you shouldn't rely on it. This is why you change your URL before you start a job hunt, not in the middle of one.
Go back through your email signature, your personal website, and your Twitter (X) bio. Update them all at once. It’s a bit of a chore, but it prevents you from looking like you don't know how to manage a website.
Ranking on Google: The SEO Side of Things
Google loves LinkedIn. Because LinkedIn has such high domain authority, your profile is often the first or second result when someone searches your name. By knowing how to make custom linkedin url choices that include your full name, you are feeding the Google algorithm exactly what it wants.
Keywords in URLs are a "strong signal" in the SEO world. If your URL is linkedin.com/in/marketing-expert-austin, you might actually show up when people search for marketers in Austin. But be careful. If you pivot to sales, that URL becomes a liability. Most experts recommend sticking to your name as the primary handle.
Common Mistakes People Make
I see people trying to be "clever" far too often. Using a nickname that your friends call you at the bar is a bad idea. Using party-animal-2024 is an obvious no, but even something like coding-ninja feels a bit 2012.
Another mistake? Forgetting to update the link on your physical resume. I’ve seen resumes where the text says one thing, but the underlying hyperlink points to the old URL. It's a "broken link" for your career.
Lastly, don't ignore the "Public" settings. You can change your URL, but if your profile visibility is set to "private," nobody will see the beautiful custom page you just created anyway. Make sure your "Public Profile" toggle is turned on.
The Impact on Networking
Networking is about friction. The more friction there is, the less likely people are to connect. A custom URL is the ultimate friction-reducer.
Imagine you’re sending a cold DM on another platform. "Hey, I'd love to chat, here is my LinkedIn: [Short, Clean Link]." It looks trustworthy. It looks like you've been here before. Compare that to a link that looks like a tracking code for a UPS package. The psychological difference is real.
Actionable Steps to Take Right Now
Don't just read this and think, "I should do that later." Digital debt builds up fast.
- Check your current URL. Open your profile in an incognito window to see what the world sees.
- Claim your name. Go to the "Public profile & URL" settings. Try for
FirstnameLastnamefirst. - Use a fallback. If your name is taken, try
FirstInitialLastNameorFirstNameMiddleInitialLastName. - Update your touchpoints. Change the link in your email signature, your resume, and your digital portfolio.
- Test it. Click the new link from a different device to ensure it loads correctly.
Once you’ve locked this in, you don't have to touch it again for years. It’s one of those "set it and forget it" tasks that pays dividends every time someone searches for you. You’re no longer just a string of numbers in a database; you’re a professional with a name.