LinkedIn introduced native video uploads in 2017. The platform opened direct video uploading to all users through its iOS and Android mobile apps in August 2017.
Before native video, members commonly shared videos by posting links to services such as YouTube. Native uploads let users record video inside LinkedIn or upload a clip directly from a mobile device, keeping the content within LinkedIn’s own feed and infrastructure.
The feature was designed around professional use cases rather than purely entertainment. LinkedIn highlighted videos showing work projects, product demonstrations, industry expertise, and professional accomplishments. The company also built systems for large-scale video processing, including multipart uploads intended to make transfers faster and more resilient.
A frequent confusion is between native video uploads and LinkedIn Video Ads. Native uploads arrived in 2017 as an organic posting feature for members, while Video Ads were introduced later, in 2018, as a paid advertising format. LinkedIn also developed other video products, including LinkedIn Live, but those are separate from the original native-upload capability.