LinkedIn URL: What It Means & Examples Explained (2026)

A LinkedIn URL is the unique web address for your LinkedIn profile, formatted as linkedin.com/in/yourname. The "in" stands for individual, identifying it as a personal profile. You can customize the part after "/in/" to create a professional, memorable link that's easy to share on resumes and business cards.

Key Takeaways

• Format: All personal LinkedIn URLs follow the pattern linkedin.com/in/[your-identifier]
• "in" meaning: The "in" denotes an individual profile (vs "company" for businesses)
• Default URL: LinkedIn assigns random numbers like john-smith-2a1ba6258
• Custom URL: You can change it to something clean like linkedin.com/in/johnsmith
• Limits: Custom URLs must be 3-100 characters, letters, numbers, and hyphens only

What Does a LinkedIn URL Mean?

According to LinkedIn's Help Center, your LinkedIn URL is the unique web address that directs people to your public profile.

Breaking Down the URL Structure

A LinkedIn profile URL has three parts:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourname
  │          │          │      │
  │          │          │      └── Your unique identifier
  │          │          └── Profile type indicator
  │          └── LinkedIn's domain
  └── Protocol (secure connection)

Part	Meaning
https://	Secure web connection
www.linkedin.com	LinkedIn's website domain
/in/	Indicates a personal profile ("in" = individual)
yourname	Your unique profile identifier

LinkedIn URL Examples

Personal Profile Examples

According to Evaboot's analysis, here are real-world LinkedIn URL formats:

Default URL (with random numbers):

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-2a1ba6258

Customized URL (clean):

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsmith

Customized URL (with profession):

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-marketing

Customized URL (with location):

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsmith-nyc

Company Page URL Examples

Company pages use a different format:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft
https://www.linkedin.com/company/google
https://www.linkedin.com/company/your-company-name

LinkedIn Group URL Examples

Groups follow this pattern:

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/961087
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/your-group-id

Why Do Some URLs Have Random Numbers?

According to LinkedHelper's analysis, random numbers appear in URLs for two reasons:

1. Default Assignment

When you create a LinkedIn account, LinkedIn automatically assigns a default URL. This typically includes:

• Your first and last name
• A random string of numbers

Example: linkedin.com/in/jane-doe-b85234917

2. Name Already Taken

If someone already claimed your preferred custom URL:

• LinkedIn suggests alternatives with numbers
• You might accept a suggestion like johnsmith123

Solution: Customize your URL to remove numbers (if available).

Country-Specific LinkedIn URLs

According to LinkedIn's documentation, members in certain countries have URLs that start with a 2-letter country code:

Country	URL Format
Canada	ca.linkedin.com/in/yourname
United Kingdom	uk.linkedin.com/in/yourname
Germany	de.linkedin.com/in/yourname
France	fr.linkedin.com/in/yourname
Australia	au.linkedin.com/in/yourname

Note: If you change the country on your profile, your URL automatically updates to reflect the new location.

How to Read a LinkedIn URL

Understanding URL components helps you identify profiles quickly.

Profile Type Indicators

URL Contains	Profile Type
/in/	Personal profile
/company/	Company page
/groups/	LinkedIn Group
/school/	Educational institution
/showcase/	Product/brand showcase page

Identifying Custom vs Default URLs

Custom URL (clean):

• No random numbers
• Easy to read and remember
• Example: linkedin.com/in/sarahconnor

Default URL (not customized):

• Contains random alphanumeric string
• Harder to remember and share
• Example: linkedin.com/in/sarah-connor-4a82b7156

LinkedIn URL Customization Rules

According to FidForward's guide, custom URLs must follow these rules:

Requirements

Rule	Requirement
Length	3-100 characters
Characters allowed	Letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), hyphens (-)
Case sensitivity	Not case-sensitive (JohnSmith = johnsmith)
Special characters	Not allowed (@, #, $, %, etc.)
Change limit	5 changes maximum per 6 months

Best Practices for Custom URLs

1. Use your name: linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname
2. Add profession if needed: linkedin.com/in/johnsmith-attorney
3. Keep it short: Easier to remember and type
4. Use CamelCase on resumes: linkedin.com/in/JohnSmith (easier to read)
5. Avoid numbers: Unless necessary for uniqueness

How to Customize Your LinkedIn URL

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Go to your LinkedIn profile
2. Click "Edit public profile & URL" on the right sidebar
3. Under "Edit your custom URL," click the pencil icon
4. Enter your desired URL (3-100 characters)
5. Click "Save"

If Your Preferred URL Is Taken

Try these alternatives:

• Add middle initial: johnrsmith
• Add profession: johnsmith-cpa
• Add location: johnsmith-seattle
• Use abbreviation: jsmith

Where to Use Your LinkedIn URL

Professional Documents

Document	Placement
Resume	Header/contact section
Business card	Near contact info
Email signature	Below name and title
Portfolio	Contact page

Online Presence

• Professional website bio
• Author bios on blog posts
• Conference speaker profiles
• Social media bios (Twitter, etc.)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does LinkedIn URL mean?

A LinkedIn URL is your unique web address on LinkedIn that leads to your public profile. It follows the format linkedin.com/in/yourname where "in" indicates an individual profile. This URL can be shared on resumes, business cards, and email signatures to help people find your professional profile.

What is a good LinkedIn URL example?

A good LinkedIn URL is short, memorable, and professional. Examples include: linkedin.com/in/johnsmith, linkedin.com/in/john-smith-marketing, or linkedin.com/in/jsmith-cfo. Avoid random numbers and keep it under 30 characters when possible for easy sharing on business cards.

Why does my LinkedIn URL have numbers?

LinkedIn URLs have random numbers either because it's the default URL assigned when you created your account, or because your preferred custom URL was already taken by another member. You can remove numbers by customizing your URL in your profile settings if a cleaner version is available.

Can I change my LinkedIn URL?

Yes, you can customize your LinkedIn URL up to 5 times within any 6-month period. Go to your profile, click "Edit public profile & URL," then edit your custom URL. Changes take effect immediately, but old URLs stop working, so update any links you've shared.

Is LinkedIn URL case-sensitive?

No, LinkedIn URLs are not case-sensitive. linkedin.com/in/JohnSmith and linkedin.com/in/johnsmith both lead to the same profile. However, using CamelCase (capitalizing first letters) on printed materials like resumes makes the URL easier to read.

---

Want your LinkedIn profile to attract qualified leads? Start your free trial with ConnectSafely.ai and build authority that brings clients to you.