White, light grey, blue or an office scene? Background ideas, LinkedIn's profile photo rules, and how the background behind you differs from the cover image.

The best LinkedIn profile picture background is plain and uncluttered, so people look at your face rather than the room behind you. If yours is busy, you can swap it for free with ToolistHub's Background Remover: cut yourself out of the photo, put a plain colour or a subtle photo behind you, and download the result.

You need a photo of yourself as a JPG, PNG or WebP file of up to 4 MB. The tool sends it to remove.bg (Kaleido AI) to cut you out, and it is free with no sign-up.

What makes a good background for a LinkedIn photo

LinkedIn does not name a best background colour, but it sets one firm rule: according to its profile photo guidelines, "your profile photo must reflect your likeness". So change the background, never yourself. A good background is:

Uncluttered: no shelves, crowds, posters or bright patterns competing with your face.
In contrast with you: a light background behind dark hair or a dark jacket, a darker one behind light hair or a white shirt.
Quiet: it should frame you, not tell a story of its own.

LinkedIn profile picture background ideas

Plain white or light grey

This is the safest choice. In the colour circles, White is pure white (#FFFFFF) and Light Gray is a very pale grey (#F5F5F5) that looks almost white. If you wear white or have light hair, you may blend into either one, so compare them with a darker preset such as Blue and keep the version where your outline stands out.

A colour that contrasts with your hair and clothes

The circles also include Black, Blue (#0052FF), Pink, Yellow and a multicolour Gradient. Blue or black can look sharp behind a light shirt, while pink, yellow and the gradient are bolder, so think about how formal your field is before you use them. There is no custom colour picker, so you choose from these presets.

A subtle photo background, such as an office or soft bokeh

Click Background, type office in the search box, or tap Bokeh or Minimalist under Quick Search. These are stock photos from Pexels, not AI-generated scenes. Pick one that is soft and calm: out-of-focus lights or a blurred office read as a background, while a sharp, busy room competes with you.

How to change your LinkedIn profile picture background

Choose a good photo. A recent, well-lit head-and-shoulders photo works best, with your face clearly visible.
Add it to the Background Remover. Click Start from a photo, or drop it onto the upload box.
Click Remove Background. Your cut-out appears in the Background Removed box.
Pick the new background. Choose a colour circle, or click Background and pick a photo.
Download it. The green Download button saves a PNG; Download As also offers JPG and WebP.
Upload it to LinkedIn. Click your profile photo on your profile and add the new one. LinkedIn Help lists the exact steps for the website and the app, including how to crop and adjust the photo before you save it.

Profile picture background vs the LinkedIn background photo

The background behind you in your profile picture is not the same thing as the LinkedIn background photo. That is the wide banner across the top of your profile, which LinkedIn's Help now calls the cover image.

According to LinkedIn Help, "your cover image appears behind your profile photo in the introduction section on your profile". LinkedIn recommends a JPG or PNG file of 1584 x 396 pixels, smaller than 8 MB. You change the two images separately, so a plain profile photo background works with any banner.

Mistakes to avoid

A busy scene behind you. Bookshelves, crowds and bright patterns pull attention away from your face.
A photo with nobody in it. LinkedIn may remove profile photos that consist solely of company logos, emojis, landscapes, animals, words or phrases, flags, childhood or baby photos, or other people's likenesses, including stock imagery. A landscape behind you is fine; a landscape instead of you is not.
Edits that change how you look. Heavy retouching can conflict with the rule that your photo must reflect your likeness.
Rough edges around hair. Check the cut-out at full size, and retake the photo against a plainer wall if strands look patchy. Our roundup of background removers with no watermark has more tips on hair and fur.

Frequently asked questions

Which background colour is best for a LinkedIn profile picture?

LinkedIn does not name one. Choose a plain colour that contrasts with your hair and clothes: white or light grey is a safe starting point, but if you wear white, a darker colour such as blue gives a clearer edge.

How do I change my LinkedIn profile picture background?

Upload your photo to ToolistHub's Background Remover, click Remove Background, choose a colour or a photo background, download the result and add it as your new profile photo on LinkedIn.

What are some LinkedIn profile picture background ideas?

Plain white or light grey, a solid colour such as blue that contrasts with your clothes, or a soft photo such as a blurred office or bokeh lights.

What should my LinkedIn background photo be?

That is the cover image, the banner behind your profile photo, and it is separate from your profile picture. LinkedIn recommends 1584 x 396 pixels, in a JPG or PNG file smaller than 8 MB. Our tip: keep it simple, and keep important details away from the part your profile photo covers.

Give your profile photo a cleaner background

A plain, contrasting background keeps the attention on you, and LinkedIn's main rule is that the photo still looks like you. Open the free Background Remover, cut yourself out and try white, light grey or a soft office scene before you upload. For more free tools that help with client work, see our list of free tools for freelancers.

LinkedIn Profile Picture Background: How to Change It