Learning how to add resume to linkedin is confusing because LinkedIn does not have one place for resumes. It has three: a public Featured resume, a private Easy Apply attachment, and saved application resumes. Each one is seen by different people and used for a different purpose. This guide explains all three, so you can put your resume in the right place for your goal — and avoid accidentally publishing private details to the whole internet.
Table of Contents
Key takeaways
- LinkedIn has three resume places: Featured (public), Easy Apply (per application, private) and saved application resumes (private reuse).
- A Featured resume is public by design — remove your home address, phone number and other private details before uploading.
- Use PDF for a Featured resume to preserve formatting; use DOC or DOCX only when a specific application system asks for it.
- Featured and application resumes are separate systems — uploading to one does not update the other.
- Use a desktop browser for a Featured upload; LinkedIn’s profile-media guidance says mobile uploads do not work the same way.
Direct answer: To add a public resume, go to your profile, scroll to Featured, click Add, choose Media, upload a clean PDF, and save. To apply for a job, attach a tailored resume inside that job’s Easy Apply flow instead. To reuse a resume privately, save it under Jobs, Preferences, Resumes and application data.
The three places LinkedIn puts a resume
Most confusion about LinkedIn resumes comes from treating them as one thing. They are not. A Featured resume is profile media: anyone who can view your profile can usually download it, and it may be visible off LinkedIn. An Easy Apply resume is attached to one application and seen by that employer. A saved application resume is stored in your account for reuse in future applications, and is not shown on your profile. Choosing the wrong place is how private resumes end up public — or how a public resume never reaches a hiring manager.
Before you upload anything, decide your goal. Public discovery? Use Featured. A specific job? Use Easy Apply. Reuse across applications without re-uploading? Save it in your application settings. The rest of this guide walks through each route in turn.
How to add a resume to LinkedIn’s Featured section
Featured is the public route, and the one most people mean when they ask how to add resume to linkedin. It works best on desktop. Open your profile, scroll to the Featured section (add it from your profile if it is not showing), and add a media item.
- Open LinkedIn on a desktop browser and go to your profile.
- Scroll to Featured. If the section is hidden, add it from your profile’s Add section menu.
- Click Add, then choose Media (not Post or Link, for a file upload).
- Select your prepared PDF resume and give it a clear title, such as “Resume — [Your Name]”.
- Save, then open your profile in a private browser window to check how the file looks to a stranger.
That last check matters. A Featured file is not a draft — once saved, it is part of your public profile. Preview it, check the first page, and confirm that no private detail slipped through.
How to attach a resume to a job application (Easy Apply)
Easy Apply is the private route. When you apply to a job that offers Easy Apply, the application flow asks for a resume. You can upload a new file for that application or choose a saved one. This copy goes to that employer only; it does not appear on your profile and it does not update your Featured resume.
Tailor this copy to the job. A Featured resume must be general, because everyone sees it. An Easy Apply resume can — and should — mirror the job description, emphasise the relevant experience, and use the employer’s language. That tailoring is the main reason the two systems are separate: one public, general document cannot do the job of a tailored application.
How to save a resume for reuse in applications
If you apply often, save your best general application resume in LinkedIn’s application settings so you do not have to find the file each time. Go to Jobs, then Preferences, then Resumes and application data. There you can upload, replace or delete saved resumes.
LinkedIn automatically replaces the oldest saved copy when you exceed its limit, so a version you meant to keep can disappear if you upload carelessly. Keep a master copy on your own computer, name versions clearly (for example, “Resume-2027-General.pdf”), and check the saved list before a big application push.
Which file format should you use?
For a Featured resume, PDF is the safest choice: it preserves fonts, layout and page breaks on any device. For applications, PDF is also usually fine, but some applicant tracking systems prefer DOC or DOCX because they parse text more easily. If a job posting specifies a format, follow it. Otherwise, use PDF for public display and keep a DOCX version ready for systems that ask for it.
Size matters too. LinkedIn accepts PDF, DOC and DOCX up to 5 MB for application uploads, and recommends keeping application resumes under 2 MB. A large PDF with embedded images can exceed that quickly — export at a sensible resolution, and check the file size before you upload, not after a failed attempt.
Privacy checklist before you publish publicly
A resume in Featured is profile media: LinkedIn notes that it may be visible to people who view your profile and may also be visible off LinkedIn. Before you publish, remove anything you would not hand to a stranger:
- Home address — city and region are enough for most roles.
- Personal phone number — consider whether your LinkedIn contact settings already give recruiters a route to you.
- Date of birth, national ID numbers, and any other identity details — these never belong on a public resume.
- Salary history, references’ contact details, and confidential details about past employers’ work.
- Anything in the file’s metadata you forgot: check the document properties for author names or tracked changes before uploading.
If you are currently employed and not openly job hunting, do not use Featured at all. Use private application copies instead, and let your profile’s headline and About section do the quiet signalling — for example, by turning on LinkedIn’s “open to work” setting for recruiters only, rather than a public banner.
How to update or remove your LinkedIn resume
For a Featured resume, open your profile, find the document in Featured, and use its edit or delete option to replace it with a new version or remove it entirely. Remember that anyone who already downloaded the old version keeps it — updating Featured does not recall copies. For application copies, go back to Jobs, Preferences, Resumes and application data and delete or replace the saved file; note that LinkedIn automatically replaces the oldest saved copy when you exceed its limit, so a version you meant to keep can disappear if you upload carelessly. For an Easy Apply application already submitted, you cannot swap the attached resume — you would need to contact the employer or reapply if the listing allows it. That is one more reason to preview before submitting, not after.
Can I add a resume to LinkedIn from my phone?
LinkedIn’s profile-media guidance says documents cannot be uploaded to Featured from mobile devices in the same way as desktop, even though other profile edits work on mobile. Easy Apply uploads on mobile are more reliable, but for a Featured resume, use a desktop browser to avoid a half-finished upload. If you only have a phone, prepare the file (PDF, cleaned of private details, sensibly named) and finish the upload when you next have desktop access — a rushed public upload with private details is worse than a day’s delay.
Should my LinkedIn resume be public at all?
Public makes sense when you are actively seeking work and your current employment situation allows it: recruiters searching for candidates will find a downloadable resume, and that can turn a profile view into a conversation. Private makes sense when you are employed and discreet, when your resume contains details you cannot sanitise (for example, a niche role that identifies your employer), or when you apply selectively and want each employer to see a tailored version. There is no universal right answer — only the answer that matches your situation. What is never right is publishing publicly by accident, because you followed a guide that described only one of the three places.
Frequently asked questions
Can you upload a resume to LinkedIn?
Yes, in PDF, DOC or DOCX format. You can display it publicly in Featured, attach it privately to an Easy Apply application, or save it privately in your application settings for reuse.
Can a Featured resume be used for Easy Apply?
No. Featured documents and application resumes are separate systems. Upload a separate copy for Easy Apply, even if it is the same file.
What file format and size does LinkedIn accept?
PDF, DOC and DOCX, up to 5 MB for application uploads; LinkedIn recommends keeping application resumes under 2 MB. PDF is best for preserving formatting.
How do I remove my resume from LinkedIn?
Delete it from Featured on your profile for the public copy, and from Jobs, Preferences, Resumes and application data for saved copies. Already-downloaded copies cannot be recalled.
Knowing how to add resume to linkedin really means knowing which of the three places fits your goal — public discovery, a specific application, or private reuse — and checking privacy before anything goes public. Do the Featured step on desktop, keep tailored private copies for applications, and review both every few months as your experience grows. If you are also building skills for your next role, our Google AI courses guide and best online AI courses comparison are good next reads, and our best AI tools guide covers resume and writing helpers. External reading: step-by-step walkthroughs at Teal’s LinkedIn resume guide and Novoresume’s guide.
Find more How-To Guides for LinkedIn, resumes, and career steps.
1 thought on “How to Add a Resume to LinkedIn in 2027: The Complete Step Guide”