How to Create a LinkedIn Account (Email, Google or Apple)

Here's what trips people up. LinkedIn says you must use your true name: company names and pseudonyms aren't allowed. It also asks you not to sign up with an email address tied to an office, position or task, such as [email protected] or [email protected]. And you're only allowed one profile, so if you've ever joined before, signing up again is the one thing you shouldn't do.

Three ways to join LinkedIn

Sign-up method	Where it works	Password	Worth knowing, as of October 2026
Email address	The LinkedIn sign up page	Enter one if prompted	Use your own address, not a shared role address
Continue with Google	The LinkedIn sign up page	No separate LinkedIn password	LinkedIn doesn't store your Google password
Continue with Apple	The native iOS app only	No password needed	Afterwards you can sign in with Apple on iOS, Android and the web

All three end in the same place: a LinkedIn profile you can use on a desktop, in the LinkedIn mobile app or on the mobile web. The difference is how you'll sign in from then on, and who you'd turn to if you ever lost access.

Joining LinkedIn with your email address

1. Go to the LinkedIn sign up page.
2. Type your first and last name and your email address. Enter a password if you're prompted to.
3. Click Join now.
4. Complete any additional steps as prompted.

The name rule is in LinkedIn's User Agreement, so this isn't the place for a nickname or your business name. The email rule is easy to overlook if you're signing up at work. A shared inbox like marketing@ or sales@ belongs to a role, and LinkedIn asks you not to use one. My own advice is to use an address you'll still have if you change jobs, because the account is yours, not your employer's.

Joining with Continue with Google

1. Go to the LinkedIn sign up page.
2. Click or tap Continue with Google.
3. Sign in to your Google account in the pop-up window and select Next.
4. Select Confirm to allow LinkedIn to use your Google account.
5. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete your profile.

LinkedIn says you must select the Continue with Google button itself to agree to its terms and sign up with your Gmail address. If you don't, your LinkedIn account won't be linked to your Google account for sign in. If you're already signed in to Google in your browser, you may see your Google account listed in the pop-up straight away.

You may also be offered the chance to import your Gmail contacts so LinkedIn can suggest people you already know. That step's optional, and you can skip it. The trade-off with Google sign up is support: LinkedIn says its team isn't able to help you recover Google login details. If you lose access to your Google account, you'd go through Google's own recovery, and if you later want to stop using Google to sign in to LinkedIn, that's managed from your Google account's third-party access settings.

Joining with your Apple ID on an iPhone

1. In the LinkedIn iOS app, go to the sign up page.
2. Select Continue with Apple.
3. Confirm the email address registered with your Apple account and select Continue.
4. Click or tap Agree and Join.

This is the detail most guides skip. LinkedIn says you can sign up with your Apple ID only through the native iOS app. Once you've signed up, you can then sign in with your Apple ID on iOS, Android and the web, so it's only the very first step that needs an iPhone. As with Google, LinkedIn points you to Apple Support if you can't get into your Apple account, and turning off Apple sign in for LinkedIn is done from Apple's side.

How not to end up with two LinkedIn profiles

Creating multiple profiles isn't allowed under LinkedIn's Professional Community Policies and User Agreement, yet it's easy to do by accident. LinkedIn flags two ways it happens.

• You already have an account, you go to www.linkedin.com and click Join Now instead of signing in. If you've got an account, enter your email address and password at the top of the page and click or tap Sign In.
• Your existing LinkedIn account uses an @gmail address and you click Continue with Google. LinkedIn warns this may create a new account without you meaning to.

If it's already happened, LinkedIn's advice is to close the extra account. My guide on how to delete your LinkedIn account walks through what closing involves, so you can be sure you're shutting the duplicate and keeping the one with your history on it.

Why it's worth finishing the sign up

LinkedIn describes itself as the world's largest professional network, with hundreds of millions of members, and says millions of them come to LinkedIn every day to connect, learn and share. Beyond the profile and the job search, you can use it to organise offline events, join groups, write articles and post photos and videos. LinkedIn's view is that a complete profile helps you connect with opportunities by showing your professional story through your experience, skills and education, which is why I'd treat the sign up as the start, not the finish.

What to do once your LinkedIn account is live

LinkedIn calls itself a platform for anyone looking to advance their career, and names small business owners, students and job seekers among its members. Its own getting-started list is a sensible order to work through.

• Create your profile: LinkedIn says a complete profile summarises your experience for your connections, current and future employers and recruiters, through your experience, skills and education.
• Build your network: start with family, friends, past or current classmates and coworkers. You can also follow people, companies and topics from the Follow fresh perspectives page.
• Find a job: research companies, apply for roles, save job searches and let your connections and recruiters know you're open to opportunities.
• Join conversations: like and comment on posts and articles, use LinkedIn reactions, and create or join LinkedIn Groups.
• Post content: share your thoughts and ideas from the share box, and use LinkedIn Events to create or join online workshops, seminars and networking events.

The profile is where I'd spend the first hour. If you want help with headlines, summaries and keywords, I've compared the best LinkedIn profile optimization tools so you can pick one that suits you.

Free LinkedIn membership or Premium

You don't have to pay to join. LinkedIn offers a free, basic membership to anyone who wants to create and maintain a professional profile. Premium is the paid upgrade, and LinkedIn says its paid subscriptions include marketing, recruitment, sales and learning products. You can try Premium for free for a month, which is the time to test whether you'd use it before paying for it.

Signing up as a business owner

If you run a business, the sign up is exactly the same, and the true name rule still applies: your personal profile carries your name, not the company's. That's often where business owners go wrong, signing up as the brand and then finding it breaks LinkedIn's rules. Join as yourself first. When you're ready to give the business its own presence, here's how to create a LinkedIn company page.

My verdict on setting up LinkedIn

I'd sign up with Google if your Gmail is the address you'll keep for years and you've never had LinkedIn on it, because it's one click and one less password. I'd use plain email and a password if you'd rather keep LinkedIn separate from Google, or if there's any chance an old account is sitting on that address. In that case, sign in and recover the old account instead of starting again, because a second profile is exactly what LinkedIn doesn't allow.

Frequently asked questions

Can I create a LinkedIn account without a password?

Yes. Signing up with Google or Apple doesn't require a password, and LinkedIn doesn't store your Google password when you use Google sign in.

Can I use my company name on a LinkedIn profile?

No. LinkedIn says you must use your true name when creating a profile, and company names and pseudonyms aren't allowed.

Are two LinkedIn accounts allowed?

No. Creating multiple profiles isn't allowed under LinkedIn's Professional Community Policies and User Agreement. If you created a second one by accident, close the extra account.

Can I sign up for LinkedIn with Apple on Android or a computer?

No. You can sign up with your Apple ID only through the native iOS app. Once you've signed up, you can sign in with your Apple ID on iOS, Android and the web.

Is LinkedIn free to join?

Yes. LinkedIn offers a free, basic membership to anyone who wants to create and maintain a professional profile. Premium is a paid upgrade you can try for free for a month.