How to Download Your LinkedIn Resume (Save to PDF Steps)

Your LinkedIn profile already holds most of what goes on a CV: your roles, dates, skills and education. So when someone asks you to send a resume by the end of the day, it makes sense to pull it straight from LinkedIn rather than start a document from scratch.

LinkedIn has two built-in ways to do this. Save to PDF turns your profile into a simple downloadable document in a couple of clicks. Resume Builder lets you shape a separate resume from your profile data, though LinkedIn says it isn't available to every member. Here's how both work, what LinkedIn's help says about limits, and how to make the result look its best.

Downloading your LinkedIn profile as a PDF resume

This is the quickest route, and it works on a computer:

1. Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
2. Click View profile.
3. In the introduction section, click the More button. Some accounts show it as Resources.
4. Select Save to PDF from the dropdown.
5. Your browser downloads the PDF. Open it to check it before sending.

LinkedIn's help says this option isn't available in the LinkedIn mobile app. If you're on your phone, switch to a laptop or desktop.

Building a custom resume with LinkedIn Resume Builder

If you want more control over what goes in, LinkedIn Resume Builder is the other option. According to LinkedIn's help, it can create a resume using the data already on your profile, and you can download it as a PDF afterwards. Look for it in the same More menu in your profile's introduction section.

Two things to know before you use it:

• LinkedIn says Resume Builder isn't available to all members, so you may not see it.
• Changes you make in Resume Builder won't show on your LinkedIn profile. It's a separate document, so update your profile too if you correct something.

Save to PDF or Resume Builder: which should you use?

	Save to PDF	Resume Builder
Who can use it	Members on a computer	Not available to all members
What you get	Your profile laid out as a PDF	A resume made from your profile data
Can you edit before downloading?	No, edit your profile first	Yes, inside the builder
Changes affect your profile?	It mirrors your profile	No, edits stay in the resume
On mobile app?	No	Use a computer to be safe

LinkedIn PDF download limits and language quirks

LinkedIn's help says you can download 200 PDFs each month, and that limit covers both your own profile and other members' profiles. For most people that's plenty, but recruiters and hiring managers saving lots of candidate profiles can hit it.

Language matters too. LinkedIn says Save to PDF supports only English characters. If your profile or language setting isn't English, translation mismatches can mean the PDF doesn't display as it should. If your profile is in another language, Resume Builder or a CV written in a document editor may give a cleaner result.

Saving someone else's LinkedIn profile as a PDF

The same Save to PDF option works on other people's profiles. Go to that member's profile, click More in their introduction section and choose Save to PDF. It's handy before an interview or a client call, so you have their background to hand. Those downloads count towards the same monthly limit.

Making your LinkedIn PDF resume look good

Because Save to PDF mirrors your profile, the profile itself is what you need to polish. Before you download:

1. Check your headline reads like a CV summary line, not a slogan.
2. Make sure every role has a short description with what you achieved.
3. Tidy your skills so the most relevant ones are listed.
4. Fix any gaps or old jobs you no longer want to show.
5. Download, open the PDF and read it as a hiring manager would.

My LinkedIn profile optimisation checklist walks through each section in order, which makes this much quicker.

Your resumes for LinkedIn job applications

This is a different thing from downloading, but it confuses people. When you apply through Easy Apply, LinkedIn can store resumes you upload. Its help says these live on the Job Application Settings page, or under Jobs, then Preferences, then Resumes and application data. LinkedIn keeps your four most recently uploaded resumes, accepts Microsoft Word or PDF files and recommends keeping them under 2 MB.

So a neat workflow is: download your profile as a PDF, tweak it into a tailored CV in your word processor, then upload that version for applications.

Going the other way: putting LinkedIn on your CV

Once you've got your resume, add your profile link to it so employers can see the fuller picture. Here's where to find your LinkedIn profile link, and my guide on adding your LinkedIn profile to your resume shows the best place to put it.

If you can't download your LinkedIn resume

1. Switch from the mobile app to a computer. Save to PDF isn't in the app.
2. Look for Resources if you can't see More in your introduction section.
3. Check whether you've used up the monthly PDF limit.
4. If the PDF looks garbled, check your profile language. Save to PDF only supports English characters.
5. Try another browser if the download doesn't start.

Frequently asked questions

How do I download my LinkedIn profile as a resume?

On a computer, click Me, then View profile, click More (or Resources) in your introduction section and choose Save to PDF.

Can I download my LinkedIn resume on my phone?

LinkedIn's help says Save to PDF isn't available in the mobile app, so use a laptop or desktop.

What is LinkedIn Resume Builder?

It's a LinkedIn tool that creates a resume from your profile data, which you can download as a PDF. LinkedIn says it isn't available to all members, and edits there don't change your profile.

Is there a limit on LinkedIn PDF downloads?

Yes. LinkedIn's help says you can download 200 PDFs each month, covering your own profile and other members' profiles.

Why does my LinkedIn PDF look wrong?

Save to PDF only supports English characters. If your profile or language setting isn't English, the PDF may not display as it should.