How to Add Skills on LinkedIn (2026)
Skills power how you show up in LinkedIn recruiter searches, and your top three appear prominently on your profile. You can list up to 50 skills. Here’s how to add them, pin the best, and tie them to your experience.
1. Add Skills (Desktop)
- Go to your profile.
- Click Add profile section under your headline.
- Expand Core and click Add skills.
- In the search box, type a skill (e.g., “Project Management”) and select it from the suggestions.
- Add up to 50 skills, then click Save.
If you already have a Skills section, click the + inside it instead.
2. Add Skills (Mobile)
- Tap your photo > View Profile.
- Scroll to Skills and tap the +, or use Add section > Add skills.
- Search, select each skill, and tap Save.
3. Pin Your Top 3 Skills
The first three skills are the ones visitors see without expanding the section, so make them count:
- In your Skills section, click the pencil/edit icon.
- Drag to reorder, or use the Reorder control to move your strongest skills to the top.
- Lead with the skills that match the roles you want.
4. Link Skills to Experience
Tying a skill to a job or project shows recruiters where you actually used it:
- Edit a skill and look for Show where you used this skill.
- Check the positions, education, or projects where the skill applies.
- Save — the skill now displays under those experiences too.
5. Troubleshooting
I can’t add a custom skill
LinkedIn only accepts skills from its standardized list. Type a close match and pick the nearest suggestion — free-text skills aren’t allowed.
I’ve hit a limit adding skills
The cap is 50 skills. Remove weaker or outdated ones (edit > delete) to make room for more relevant ones.
My top skills are the wrong ones
Order isn’t automatic. Open Skills > edit > Reorder and drag your priority skills into the top three positions.
Skills aren’t helping me appear in searches
Recruiters search specific skill terms. Add the exact phrasing they’d use, link skills to experience, and gather endorsements to add weight.
Related LinkedIn guides: How to endorse someone · How to add certifications · How to change your headline · How to add the Featured section. To connect a stronger profile to real follow-ups, see Carly’s LinkedIn integration.
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