Learn how to create and edit your Upwork profile — from adding your photo, title, and skills to customizing your URL and showcasing experience to attract clients.
We want Upwork to be your home for work, where you can create a space for success. An important step toward becoming a successful freelancer on our platform is building a winning profile.
How to access your profile
Already started building your profile? You can easily access it again by:
- Selecting your profile picture icon
- Choosing Your profile in the drop-down
Note: Once you are there, you can edit or add to most sections by choosing the ✎ icon or + sign. For others, you’ll need to choose Profile settings first to make updates.
What shouldn't I include in my profile?
It's only natural to want to present yourself in the best possible light, but don't exaggerate. If you overstate your ability and win work because of it, you're likely to put yourself under a lot of stress and there's a good chance things won't go so well.
It's better to be realistic about what you can offer than risk negative ratings, which will only make it harder to get future work.
On top of that, putting deliberately false or misleading information on your profile is against our Terms of Service (TOS)—and if you do that, we might have to take action against your account. Here are a few other things that definitely shouldn't end up on your profile:
- Other people's work. Your portfolio should be yours and yours alone—taking credit for work by others violates our TOS.
- Advertisements of links to products or services you provide outside of Upwork. The same goes for offering services that aren't supported by Upwork.
- Personal contact information (like your email address or phone number). It opens you up to fraud and unwanted contact, plus it's against our TOS. There's more on this in our Contact information sharing' article.
How to create your profile title and URL
The title of your profile is your first impression to potential clients. It spotlights your top skills and area of expertise.
To edit your profile title
- Go to Your profile
- Select the ✎ icon next to your title
- Update your title and choose Save
Tips
- Be descriptive about the services you offer
- Highlight your primary talents instead of trying to include every skill you have
- Make it an eye-catching title, short and visually appealing
Custom profile URL
If you’re a Freelancer Plus plan member, you can create a customized URL for your freelancer profile. It must be between 4 and 20 characters long and only include letters A-Z and numbers 0-9. You may not include "Upwork" in your URL.
Please note that it may take some time (up to a week) for Google and other search engines to start including your updated profile link in their search results.
To add a customized profile URL
- Go to Your profile
- Click the ✎ icon next to Profile Link in the right-hand column
- Customize your URL and choose Save
For Basic plan members, it isn't possible to customize your profile URL. You can upgrade to a Freelancer Plus plan or share the default profile URL as it appears in your browser by selecting the copy link icon or the share icon.
How to add a profile photo
To complete your Upwork profile and start submitting proposals, you must upload a profile portrait photo. Profile photos must be an actual picture of you. This is important for both verifying your identity and connecting with potential clients.
To upload or change your profile photo
- Go to Your profile
- Select the ✎ icon next to your profile photo
- Choose a file, adjust and crop the photo to your face, then choose Save
Tips for choosing a great portrait photo
- Clear, headshot-style photos work best
- Sunglasses, logos, clip-art, group pictures, and digitally-altered images are not allowed
- A How-To Guide for Your Perfect Profile Picture
If you would like to request a religious exemption for using a profile picture, please contact Upwork Support.
How to add a profile overview
Sometimes it’s okay to show off and brag a little bit — your overview is one of those times. This is where you set the tone for your whole profile — show your personality and give clients a reason to read more about your incredible skills and experience. But don’t go too long — only the first 250 or so characters will appear in the freelancer search results list. And remember, never include your contact information in your profile.
To add an overview to your profile
- Go to Your profile
- In the section right below your title, choose the ✎ icon
- Type in the message what you want clients to see about you first and choose Save
Looking for more tips on getting started?
How to add your hourly rate
Your hourly rate is a starting point — not a fixed rule.
It gives clients a general sense of your pricing and helps them filter search results, but it doesn’t lock you into any one rate. You can update it anytime, and it won’t affect your current contracts or proposals. Some freelancers adjust their rate per proposal, while others treat it like a baseline for negotiation. If you’re unsure what to charge, explore other freelancer profiles or consider our Freelancer Plus plan to get insights into what others are bidding. You can also check out these articles:
- How To Set Your Freelance Rate and Project Pricing
- Upwork Hourly Rates: Average Rates by Skill & Experience
To update your profile’s hourly rate
- Go to Your profile
- Hover over your hourly rate and choose the ✎ icon
- Enter your rate and choose Save
Note:
Your profile will show the rate that potential clients see. When you set your rate with this form, you’ll also see the Freelancer Service Fee that will apply, which is deducted from the total rate, and the amount you’ll receive. Note: This image is an example. The Freelancer Service Fee varies.
How to add your skills
Sharing your skills can help a potential client determine whether you are right for their project. When choosing which skills to list, consider your greatest strengths, what you enjoy doing most, and what you see clients request in their job descriptions.
To add skills to your profile
- Go to Your profile
- Scroll down to the Skills section and choose the ✎ icon
- Start typing the name of a skill, then select the best match from the list and choose Save
- Repeat for all your skills
You can add up to 15 skills and choose their order by moving the tags in the editor window. How you arrange them here is how they will appear in your profile.
When adding your skills, be sure you're using the correct spelling and naming the skill in English. If you are having trouble finding your skill among the options, try some synonyms. For example, "fax" instead of "facsimile." Or be a little less specific. For example, try "technical documentation" instead of "electronics manual creation." Please note that we have purposefully excluded services that you can't directly sell in our marketplace, such as "dog groomer" or "ninja."
How to set your English proficiency
We’ll ask you about your English proficiency when you create your profile. You should self-assess your skill level; however, it’s important to be honest when assessing your language abilities.
Overstating any skills may make it difficult to satisfy your clients and could adversely impact your reputation on Upwork. Being upfront helps establish trust with potential clients.
If English is not your native language, you can also become English-verified on Upwork to let clients know your English proficiency level.
To edit your English proficiency
- Go to Your profile
- Scroll to the Languages section in the side column and select the ✎ icon
- Specify your proficiency and choose Save
To verify that you are fluent in English if it is not your native language
You can get English verified on Upwork in two ways:
- Take an Upwork-approved test from a third-party provider, which includes IELTS - English Proficiency Exam, Cambridge, and Duolingo tests, and add your certificate from the test. Learn more about adding certifications to your profile.
- Get rated by three clients when they end their contracts. When your contract ends, we ask your client to rate your English proficiency.
Note: We take only the first three distinct clients' feedback for evaluating your English proficiency
How to add your employment history
You can use your employment history off Upwork to establish the credibility that clients look for in a freelancer.
To add your employment history to your profile
- Go to Your profile
- Scroll down to the Employment history section and choose the + button
- Enter the employment details and choose Save
Once you’ve added employment history, you can edit entries by selecting the ✎ icon.
Pro tips
- Feel free to include student jobs, internships, and volunteer experience
- You can also include clients and projects from your freelance work outside of Upwork
- Your Upwork contracts will appear in your work history automatically
- If you have had an unusual combination of jobs, consider adding some of them to help you stand out
Your employment history will always appear in chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Generally, you only need to list the history relating to the types of projects you seek on Upwork. If a past job is not an exact match but helped you acquire skills that relate to your current work, be sure to highlight that in your job description.
How to add your education
You can add any degrees or diplomas you have earned in the Education section.
To add your education
- Go to Your profile
- Scroll down to the Education section in the side column and choose the + button
- Enter your school and degree details and choose Save
When adding a degree, type the first few letters (such as "B" or "Bach" for Bachelor of Science/B.S.) and then choose from the list of matches. You must choose from the standardized list, but if you can't find the option you need, select 'Other' and name the degree in your description.
Pro tips
- When adding your education, you can include a brief summary of your coursework
- Feel free to add any clubs, groups, or societies that were part of your experience
- Include any awards you received, your grade-point average, and/or class ranking (i.e., Magna Cum Laude)
- If you studied a subject but didn't graduate, feel free to include that as well
How to set your experience level
Your experience level helps clients to match you with the most relevant projects. Be truthful in selecting your experience level. Setting inappropriate expectations may make it difficult to satisfy your client(s) and could adversely impact your reputation. Being upfront helps establish trust with potential clients.
To update your experience level
- Go to Your profile and choose Profile settings
- Scroll down to Experience level and choose from Entry Level, Intermediate, or Expert
How to set your service categories
You can select up to four categories when you first create your freelancer account. Your profile will be displayed in these categories when clients search through them.
To update your profile categories
- Go to Your profile and choose Profile settings
- Scroll down to the Categories section and choose the ✎ icon
- Select your categories and choose Save
Focus on your strongest, most specialized services when selecting categories. Although we limit the number of categories your profile is viewable in, you're always welcome to submit proposals to projects in any category.