Where to find the certificates section on LinkedIn

The certificates section lives in the "Licenses & Certifications" area of your LinkedIn profile. On desktop, go to your profile, click the pencil icon next to your headline, and scroll down until you see "Licenses & Certifications." On the LinkedIn mobile app, tap your profile photo, scroll to find the same section, and tap the plus sign to add a new entry.

If you do not see this section yet, you can create it. Click "Add profile section" near the bottom of your profile, then choose "Licenses & Certifications" from the menu. LinkedIn will add the section to your profile when ready, and you can start entering certificates right away.

Key Takeaways

  • The "Licenses & Certifications" section is where you add certificates, and you can create it if it does not already appear on your profile.
  • You will need the certificate name, the issuing organization, and the issue date at minimum to add a certificate.
  • Adding a credential URL or certificate ID helps other people verify that you actually earned the certificate.
  • You can set an expiration date if your certificate expires, and LinkedIn will remind you when renewal is coming up.
  • Certificates appear on your profile when ready after you save them, and you can edit or remove them anytime.

What information you need before you start

Gather these details about your certificate before you open LinkedIn. You will need the name of the certificate exactly as it appears on your credential — for example, "Google Analytics Certification" or "AWS Certified Solutions Architect." You will also need the name of the organization that issued it, such as Google, Amazon Web Services, or Coursera.

The issue date is required. This is the month and year you earned the certificate, not when you took the course. If your certificate has an expiration date, write that down too — LinkedIn will let you enter it, and the platform can send you a reminder before it expires. Finally, if the certificate came with a credential URL or certificate ID number, save that information. This helps people viewing your profile verify that you actually earned the certificate by clicking through or checking the issuer's database.

Step-by-step: adding a certificate on desktop

Open LinkedIn and go to your profile by clicking your profile photo in the top right corner. Click "View profile" to see your full profile page. Scroll down to the "Licenses & Certifications" section. If you do not see it, click "Add profile section," find "Licenses & Certifications," and click it to create the section.

Once the section is visible, click the plus sign or "Add" button next to "Licenses & Certifications." A form will open with fields for certificate name, issuing organization, issue date, expiration date, and credential URL. Fill in the certificate name first — type it exactly as it appears on your credential. Then select or type the issuing organization. LinkedIn will often suggest matches as you type, so you can click a suggestion or type the full name if it does not appear.

Click the "Issue date" field and select the month and year you earned the certificate. If your certificate expires, check the "This credential does not expire" box to uncheck it, then set the expiration date the same way. In the "Credential URL" field, paste the link to your certificate or the issuer's verification page if you have one. Click "Save" when you are done. Your certificate will appear on your profile when ready.

Step-by-step: adding a certificate on mobile

Open the LinkedIn app and tap your profile photo at the bottom of the screen. Scroll down to find "Licenses & Certifications." If the section does not exist, scroll to the bottom and tap "Add profile section," then select "Licenses & Certifications" from the list.

Tap the plus sign next to "Licenses & Certifications" to open the entry form. Type the certificate name in the first field, then tap the organization field and either select a suggested organization or type the name. Tap "Issue date" and use the date picker to select the month and year you earned it. If your certificate expires, toggle off "This credential does not expire" and set the expiration date.

Tap the "Credential URL" field and paste the link to your certificate or verification page if you have one. Scroll down and tap "Save." The certificate will be added to your profile and visible to anyone who views it. You can edit it anytime by tapping the three dots next to the certificate and selecting "Edit."

How to add a credential URL or certificate ID

A credential URL is a link that proves you earned the certificate. Many certificate issuers, including Google, Coursera, and CompTIA, provide a unique URL that shows your name, the certificate name, and the date earned. To find yours, log into the platform where you earned the certificate, look for a "View certificate" or "Share credential" button, and copy the link it provides.

Some certificates come with a certificate ID instead of a URL — this is a unique number or code that identifies your specific credential. If you have an ID but no URL, you can often paste the ID into the credential URL field, and people can use it to search the issuer's database. For example, if you have a Cisco certification, you can include your certification number, and someone can look it up on Cisco's verification site. Adding either one is optional, but it makes your certificate more credible because people can verify it is real.

What happens if your certificate expires

When you add an expiration date to a certificate, LinkedIn tracks it. About 30 days before the expiration date, LinkedIn will send you a notification reminding you that renewal is coming up. This gives you time to renew the certificate if you want to keep it current on your profile.

After a certificate expires, it stays on your profile unless you remove it. Some people leave expired certificates visible because they show skills you once had, while others delete them to show only current credentials. You can edit the certificate anytime to remove the expiration date, extend it if you have renewed, or delete it entirely by clicking the three dots next to the certificate and selecting "Remove."

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common error is typing the certificate name differently than it appears on your actual credential. LinkedIn will not reject it, but people trying to verify your certificate may not find it if the name does not match exactly. Always copy the name directly from your certificate or the issuer's website.

Another mistake is leaving out the credential URL or ID when you have one. Adding this link takes 30 seconds and makes your certificate much more trustworthy because people can click through and confirm it is real. If you do not have a URL, you can always add one later by editing the certificate.

A third error is forgetting to set an expiration date when your certificate has one. This matters because recruiters and hiring managers often look for current certifications. If your certificate expires in six months and you do not set the date, people will not know it is about to expire. Set the date when you add the certificate, and LinkedIn will remind you when renewal time is near.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a certificate I earned years ago?

Yes. LinkedIn does not limit how far back the issue date can be. If you earned a certificate five years ago and want to show it on your profile, you can add it with the original issue date. You can also choose not to set an expiration date if the certificate does not expire, so it will stay on your profile indefinitely.

What if I do not have a credential URL?

The credential URL is optional. You can add a certificate with just the name, issuing organization, and issue date. However, adding a URL or certificate ID makes your credential more verifiable, so if you can find one, it is worth including. Check the issuer's website or your account dashboard for a "View certificate" or "Share credential" option.

Can I edit a certificate after I add it?

Yes. On desktop, hover over the certificate and click the pencil icon, or click the three dots and select "Edit." On mobile, tap the three dots next to the certificate and select "Edit." You can change the name, organization, dates, or credential URL anytime. Click or tap "Save" when you are done.

Will people be able to see my certificates?

Yes, certificates appear on your public profile by default. Anyone who views your profile will see the "Licenses & Certifications" section and all the certificates you have added. If you want to hide a specific certificate, you can remove it, but there is no option to make it private while keeping it on your profile.

What if the issuing organization is not in LinkedIn's list?

Type the organization name in the field, and LinkedIn will search for it. If it does not appear in suggestions, you can type the full name anyway — LinkedIn will create an entry for it. This happens often with smaller training providers or internal company certifications, and it works fine. Just type the name as accurately as you can so people recognize it.