LinkedIn profiles make it easy to list software skills, but a self-added skill does not show how someone has used a product. LinkedIn Connected Apps adds another source of evidence: it lets an approved software partner place a capability statement on your profile based on activity the partner has recognized.
A capability statement describes a specific action or level of product use. A HubSpot capability might refer to creating segmented email campaigns; a JetBrains capability might reflect progress through a published proficiency framework. The partner writes and updates the statement. You choose whether to display it.
That gives recruiters, clients, and collaborators more context than a standard skills list. But the statement only confirms the activity the partner defines. It does not judge the quality of the work, explain the decisions behind it, or confirm a business result. This guide covers how Connected Apps work, what data may be shared, how to add or remove a connection, and how to supply the context a capability statement cannot.
What are LinkedIn Connected Apps?
LinkedIn Connected Apps is a profile feature that lets approved software products validate selected forms of product activity. The resulting evidence appears in a dedicated Connected apps section on your profile.
LinkedIn introduced the initiative as Verified Skills in January 2026, with early partners including Descript, Lovable, Relay.app, and Replit. In June it expanded the feature and began using the term "capability statement" for the description a partner supplies.
The terminology separates the profile feature from the evidence it contains:
- Connected Apps is the LinkedIn profile section and partner program.
- A capability statement describes an activity, proficiency level, or product outcome recognized by one partner.
- Top User is an optional, partner-defined signal for highly engaged users.
This is different from adding a skill manually. You can add "HubSpot" to your Skills section without ever using HubSpot. A capability statement requires you to connect an eligible account and meet the partner's criteria.
LinkedIn reported that more than one million members had connected an app by June 2026. The figure signals adoption, though it does not show how employers actually use the statements.
How LinkedIn Connected Apps work
The process has four parts: LinkedIn approves a partner, you authorize a connection, the partner evaluates eligible activity, and LinkedIn displays the capability the partner supplies.
LinkedIn controls which apps are available
You can only connect products listed in LinkedIn's supported catalog. As of August 7, 2026, the catalog held 26 entries, including Buffer, Descript, HubSpot, beehiiv, Replit Agent, HeyGen, Fiverr Freelancers, and nine JetBrains IDEs.
The catalog changes over time, so check LinkedIn's current Connected Apps directory before planning around a particular integration.
You authorize the connection
The usual flow starts on your profile:
- Open your LinkedIn profile.
- Find the Connected apps section.
- Select Add connected apps.
- Choose an available product.
- Sign in to that product and review the requested access.
Some partners also start the process inside their own products. In every case, you must authorize the connection before a capability appears on LinkedIn.
The partner decides what activity qualifies
LinkedIn does not use one proficiency model for every product. Each partner defines the activity it measures and the capability it assigns.
JetBrains, for example, measures IntelliJ IDEA feature use through a plugin and publishes five proficiency levels across Coding, AI, and combined paths. Descript reviews editing activity and assigns capabilities related to video production. Buffer recognizes actions such as scheduling posts, publishing across channels, replying to audiences, and using its API.
These statements are not directly comparable across products. One may use a public rubric; another may use a private mix of frequency, feature use, and completed actions.
LinkedIn displays a limited capability signal
According to LinkedIn, connecting an app does not give the platform access to everything you do inside that product. The partner sends LinkedIn specific information about the capability you have earned.
JetBrains says detailed feature-usage data stays on your device and only proficiency-level updates are shared. Descript takes a similar approach, sharing the capability name and level without sending projects, drafts, workspace activity, or account connections.
Before approving a connection, review:
- The product activity used to determine eligibility.
- The capability information sent to LinkedIn.
- The LinkedIn permissions the partner requests.
- The partner's data retention and privacy policy.
- The steps required to remove the capability and revoke access.
Removing a connected service prevents it from accessing additional LinkedIn data. It may still retain information collected before removal, depending on its data-retention policy.
How to remove a connected app
Deleting a capability from your profile may not fully disconnect the app. To remove the capability, revoke access, and end the connection:
- Delete the capability from the Connected apps section of your profile.
- Go to Settings & Privacy → Data privacy → Other applications → Permitted Services and remove the app.
- Disconnect LinkedIn from the app's own settings.
Disconnecting an app does not always remove its capability from your profile. Descript removes the capability when you disconnect, while JetBrains may leave the existing badge visible after proficiency updates stop. Completing all three steps removes the connection fully.
What a capability statement can and cannot prove
A capability statement adds third-party evidence to your profile, but its scope is limited.
| What it can show | What it cannot show |
|---|---|
| An approved partner recognized a specific activity, workflow, score, or proficiency level | The quality of the work produced |
| You have practical experience using a supported product | Whether that work delivered business results |
| Recruiters have a more specific basis for discussing your experience | Your judgment, decision-making, or depth of expertise |
| Your profile holds more evidence than a self-added skill alone | Better post reach, profile ranking, or recruiter visibility |
Buffer can confirm that you scheduled and published posts, but not whether they generated qualified leads. Descript can recognize editing activity, but not whether the final video communicated its message. Use capability statements alongside work samples, case studies, recommendations, and measured results. They strengthen your evidence; they do not replace it.
How to use Connected Apps on your LinkedIn profile
A capability statement is more useful when your profile also shows what you created and how you approached the work.
Connect relevant products
Choose products that support the role, service, or expertise you want to promote. An engineer targeting Java roles might connect IntelliJ IDEA, while a content marketer might connect Buffer, HubSpot, beehiiv, or Descript. Avoid unrelated products, which make your focus less clear. It also helps to optimize the rest of your profile so the capability sits in a strong, consistent narrative.
Add a relevant work sample
Use your Featured section to show the output tied to the capability. For an email marketing capability, add a campaign case study. For a video editing capability, feature a finished video and explain your contribution. The capability confirms the activity; the work sample demonstrates what you produced.
Explain your process through content
Publish LinkedIn posts that explain the problem you addressed, the workflow you followed, the decisions you made, and the results you achieved. That is the context a capability statement cannot capture. One capability can support a short series:
- A case study covering the problem, action, and result.
- A walkthrough of a repeatable workflow.
- A lesson from an approach that did not work.
- A comparison of two methods and their results.
Together, the capability, the work sample, and the supporting content show what you did, what you produced, and how you approached the work.
How Supergrow complements LinkedIn Connected Apps
A capability statement shows the product activity or proficiency level a partner recognized. Supergrow helps you explain the experience, decisions, and results behind that work through LinkedIn content.
Start with Postcast to record a short project explanation. Supergrow turns the recording into a draft, while Content DNA keeps the writing in your voice. Its repurposing workflows then turn the same project into a case study, a practical walkthrough, or a lesson-based post.
Once the drafts are ready, review and organize them on the Content Board, schedule them on the calendar, and track how they perform with analytics. Teams can manage feedback and approvals in the same workflow. Together, these turn one verified capability into a focused series that shows how you applied the skill in practice.
Frequently asked questions
Are LinkedIn Connected Apps the same as Verified Skills?
They are part of the same initiative. LinkedIn launched Verified Skills first; current documentation describes partner-validated capability statements displayed in the Connected apps section.
Can I edit a LinkedIn capability statement?
No. The partner writes the capability description, so you cannot edit it. Depending on the app, you may choose or approve an eligible capability.
Does LinkedIn see everything I do in a connected product?
No. LinkedIn receives the capability information shared by the partner, not your broader product activity. Review the permissions and the partner's privacy policy before connecting.
Does Connected Apps improve LinkedIn reach or profile ranking?
There is no published LinkedIn documentation confirming that Connected Apps improves post reach, profile ranking, or recruiter visibility. Treat capabilities as profile evidence, not an algorithm tactic.
