QR code for a LinkedIn profile

Claim the custom URL first

A fresh LinkedIn profile URL ends in a string of random digits. Before making any code, set a custom public-profile URL in your settings so the address is clean:

https://linkedin.com/in/yourname

This matters for the code, not just aesthetics: https://linkedin.com/in/ is 24 characters, so with a typical 8-character slug the whole URL is 32 characters, sparse enough for a version 3 code (29 × 29 modules) that stays scannable at badge and resume sizes. The digit-suffixed default is longer and, worse, changes if you ever reclaim a different slug, killing printed codes with it. Encode the URL with the URL generator and keep the SVG.

LinkedIn's in-app QR vs your own code

The LinkedIn app ships a built-in QR feature for connecting phone-to-phone, useful when both people are standing there with the app open. Its location in the interface has moved between releases, so treat it as "somewhere near search" rather than memorising a path.

For print, your own URL code wins: it scans from any camera app without LinkedIn installed, it is a file you keep in vector form for designers, and you choose its colours and error correction. The in-app feature is for moments; the printed code is for surfaces.

vCard or LinkedIn? Decide by what you want to happen

Both fit on a badge or card, but they do different jobs:

You want	Use	Why
An ongoing connection, your feed in their network	LinkedIn profile URL	the relationship lives on the platform
Your details saved in their contacts, instantly	a vCard QR code	one scan saves name, number, email, and it works with zero connectivity, which matters in conference halls
Both	pick per event	one code per surface; two codes crowd each other

A vCard is a payload the phone parses offline; a profile URL needs signal to be worth scanning. At a trade show with saturated wifi, the vCard often wins on that alone, more in QR codes at trade shows.

Where it works, and how big

• Name badges: read at conversation distance, roughly 0.5–1 m: keep the code 5 cm or larger, which on most badges means giving it real estate deliberately.
• Resumes: read at 30–40 cm, so 2–3 cm suffices; never below the 2 × 2 cm print floor. Top corner, clear quiet zone.
• Closing slides: size for the room, a code read from 5 m needs to be 50 cm on the projection.
• Banners and headers: a code in your LinkedIn banner image is seen on screens, where viewers can simply click your profile, low value; spend the effort on print instead.

Label it. "Connect on LinkedIn" plus your name outperforms an anonymous square, and always run the final artwork through the validator before a print run.

FAQ

How do I make a QR code for my LinkedIn profile?

Set a custom public-profile URL in LinkedIn's settings, then encode https://linkedin.com/in/yourname with any QR generator. The code opens your profile from any camera app. Print it on badges, resumes and slides rather than digital surfaces, where links already work.

Where is the QR code inside the LinkedIn app?

The app includes a QR feature for connecting in person (generally reachable from the search area), but its exact location moves between app versions. It suits phone-to-phone moments; for print, generate your own code from your profile URL instead.

Should my badge have a LinkedIn QR code or a vCard?

Choose by outcome. LinkedIn creates a connection and keeps the relationship on the platform; a vCard saves your details straight into their contacts and works without any signal. At connectivity-starved events, the vCard's offline behaviour is a real advantage.

Does changing my LinkedIn custom URL break printed codes?

Yes. The old slug stops resolving to your profile, so every printed code pointing at it dies. Claim the slug you intend to keep before printing, and treat it as permanent while any print is in circulation.