How to Add Your Microsoft AI Certification to LinkedIn in 2026 (and What Happened to Credly)

Last updated: August 2026. Written by the Examinotion team, fact-checked against Microsoft Learn certification documentation and Microsoft Q&A community guidance accessed in August 2026.

TL;DR Add a Microsoft AI certification to LinkedIn from your Microsoft Learn profile. Sign in at learn.microsoft.com with the account used at Pearson VUE, open Credentials, select your certification, then choose Share and Add to LinkedIn. Microsoft stopped issuing certification badges through Credly in 2024, so Microsoft Learn is now the source of truth.

Passing a Microsoft exam such as AB-730 (AI Business Professional) or AI-901 (Azure AI Fundamentals) is worth showing off, and LinkedIn is where recruiters and hiring managers look first. The process changed in 2024, though, and a lot of the advice still circulating online, including some pages on Microsoft's own site, tells you to claim a Credly badge that no longer exists for these exams. This guide gives you the current 2026 method, explains what happened to Credly, and shows you how employers actually verify your credential.

Where your Microsoft certification lives in 2026

Your Microsoft certification lives on your Microsoft Learn profile, not on Credly. Since 2024, Microsoft manages certification credentials natively in the Learn Certification Dashboard, and there is no separate badge to accept from a third-party platform [1]. This applies to every current commercial certification delivered through Pearson VUE, which is the entire Microsoft AI certification catalogue that most professionals sit.

The practical result is simple. Once you pass, you do not wait for a "claim your badge" email, and you do not create a Credly account. You sign in to Microsoft Learn, find the certification on your profile, and share it directly. Microsoft describes the credential as something you share and validate from your Learn profile rather than a badge object hosted elsewhere [1].

This shift is confirmed for the AI certifications specifically. In an April 2026 Microsoft Q&A thread asking whether AB-730 issues a digital badge, a Microsoft community expert corrected an automated answer and stated that Microsoft stopped using Credly for certifications in 2024, that certifications now appear on the Microsoft Learn profile, and that you share them from there [3]. Microsoft does not issue a separate certification "badge" object anymore; it issues the certification, which you then share.

What happened to Credly?

Credly was Microsoft's certification badging platform until 2024, when Microsoft moved certification credentials fully onto Microsoft Learn [2]. If you earned and claimed a Microsoft certification on Credly before the cutover, that badge remains visible, but it is frozen: it will not be updated when you renew a certification or pass new exams [2]. For anything you certify from 2024 onward, there is no Credly badge at all.

Two details cause confusion, so it is worth being precise about them.

Credly still hosts some Microsoft badges, but not certifications. Microsoft continues to use Credly for non-certification "skilling" badges, such as completion badges from Microsoft AI Skills Fest learning playlists [6]. These are recognition of training activity, not exam-based certifications, and they are a separate track. If you receive a Credly email for a skilling badge, that is expected. A certification from a Pearson VUE exam will not arrive that way.

Certiport-issued badges are a different pipeline. A small set of Microsoft credentials delivered through Certiport, mainly academic and Microsoft Office Specialist routes, still use Credly and never appear on your Microsoft Learn profile. None of the Microsoft AI certifications sit on this track, so if you hold one of those separately from school or college, treat it on its own terms and do not expect it in your Learn dashboard.

There is also a stale-page trap to be aware of. Microsoft's own 2018 article on claiming a digital badge, which describes the old Credly and Acclaim flow, is still live and indexed on learn.microsoft.com [4]. Following it today sends you down a dead end. When you research this topic, cross-check any instructions against the current sharing and validation documentation [1], which no longer mentions Credly at all.

Before you start: find your certification on Microsoft Learn

Find your certification on your Microsoft Learn profile before you touch LinkedIn, because both LinkedIn methods rely on details taken from it. You need to be signed in with the Microsoft account that matches the email you used to register the exam at Pearson VUE.

Follow these steps [1]:

1. Go to learn.microsoft.com and sign in with the account used for your exam.
2. Select your profile icon in the top right, then choose Profile.
3. In the left-hand column, select Credentials, then open the Certifications tab.
4. Locate the certification in the list, for example Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals.
5. Select View certification details to open the certification details screen, where the Share options and the credential ID live.

A certification usually appears on your profile within about 24 to 48 hours of passing, provided your Learn sign-in matches your exam registration email. If it has not appeared after a couple of days, the most common cause is an email mismatch between your Pearson VUE booking and your Learn account, which you can resolve by adding the correct login account to your Learn profile. If it still does not appear, raise a ticket with Microsoft Credentials Support [9].

One setting to check first. Your Learn profile must not be in Private Mode, or the links you generate will not resolve for anyone else. Microsoft is explicit that operating in Private Mode hides your name and achievements and prevents others from viewing your profile even when you want to share it [1]. You can review this under your profile settings, in the privacy section, before you generate any share link [5].

Method 1: share from Microsoft Learn straight to LinkedIn

Sharing from the certification details screen is the most reliable method, because Microsoft Learn populates the LinkedIn entry for you and attaches the correct verification link. Manual typing is where credential URLs and IDs most often go wrong, so let the platform do it.

From the certification details screen, select Share, then choose the option to add the certification to your LinkedIn profile [1]. LinkedIn opens with the credential fields pre-filled: the certification name, the issuing organisation, the issue date, and the credential ID, along with the verification URL that points back to your Microsoft Learn profile. Review the pre-filled fields, confirm, and save.

This route is worth recommending to anyone who is unsure, precisely because it removes the two things people get wrong by hand: the exact certification title and the verification URL. Both matter for how the entry looks to a recruiter and whether the "See credential" link actually verifies.

Method 2: add it manually in LinkedIn

Add the certification manually when you would rather control each field, or when Method 1 does not open cleanly in your browser. The manual route works for any certification, current or legacy, and uses the same details from your Learn profile.

In LinkedIn, go to your profile, select Add profile section, open the Recommended group, and choose Add licences and certifications [7]. Then complete the form using the values below.

For any certification earned since 2024, the credential URL is a learn.microsoft.com link, not a credly.com one. That is the clearest sign you are using the current path rather than following outdated instructions.

Certifications section or a feed post? Do both

Adding to the certifications section and posting an announcement do different jobs, so use them together. The certifications entry is a permanent record; the feed post is a short burst of visibility.

The Licences and certifications section is a static, permanent part of your profile. It appears when anyone views your profile, it is included in profile and CV exports, and it is what recruiters filter on when they search for certified candidates. It does not, on its own, push anything into your network's feed.

A feed post or announcement is the opposite: it reaches your network immediately and invites likes and comments, but it scrolls out of view within a few days and does not become a durable part of your profile. Credly's own sharing flow has long treated these as two separate choices, "add to profile" and "share to feed", which reflects the fact that they serve different goals [8].

The practical recommendation is to do both. Add the certification to your profile for lasting recruiter-search value, then publish a short post announcing it for immediate visibility. If you want your network to see the post, leave LinkedIn's notify-network option enabled when you add or post, and write a sentence about what the certification covers so the update is more than a badge drop.

How employers verify your Microsoft certification

Employers verify your certification through a public link generated from your Microsoft Learn profile, so the link only works if your profile is public. You can share a single certification from its details screen, or share your whole transcript from the Transcript tab, and Microsoft flags validated credentials with an "Online Verifiable" tag on your profile [1].

When a recruiter clicks the "See credential" link on your LinkedIn entry, it should route to your Microsoft Learn profile for any certification earned since 2024. For a legacy certification you claimed on Credly before the cutover, the same link resolves to the original Credly badge page instead, which still works but will not reflect any renewals [2]. This is why, if you have renewed a certification, you should treat your Microsoft Learn transcript as the authoritative source and use its share link on LinkedIn.

If verification appears broken, the usual culprit is Private Mode on your Learn profile, which silently stops share links from resolving even though the credential still shows to you [1]. Switch your profile out of Private Mode and regenerate the link.

If you hold a legacy Credly badge or a Certiport badge

Keep a legacy Credly badge on LinkedIn if you already added it, but rely on Microsoft Learn going forward. A Credly badge you claimed before the 2024 cutover still displays and still verifies through its original badge page, so there is no need to remove it. Just remember it is frozen and will not track renewals [2].

If your credential came through Certiport, it lives on Credly and will not appear on your Microsoft Learn profile at all. Add it to LinkedIn straight from your Credly account's share options, and use the Credly badge URL as the credential link. This only applies to the Certiport track, which is separate from the Pearson VUE AI certifications.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Most problems adding a Microsoft certification to LinkedIn come down to a handful of recurring mistakes. Knowing them in advance saves a support ticket.

• Email mismatch. Registering the exam under one email and signing in to Microsoft Learn with another is the top reason a certification does not appear. Sign in with the address that received your Pearson VUE confirmation, or add that login to your Learn profile.
• Private Mode left on. A private Learn profile hides your achievements and breaks every share link, even though the credential is visible to you. Turn Private Mode off before sharing [1].
• Following the old Credly instructions. The 2018 badge-claiming page is still live and still wrong for current certifications [4]. If a guide tells you to accept a Credly badge for AB-730, AI-901 or any recent exam, it is out of date.
• Worrying about retired exams. A retired certification, such as AI-900 after its 30 June 2026 retirement, stays viewable and shareable on your Learn transcript indefinitely. You do not need to remove anything from LinkedIn.
• Typing the credential URL by hand. Manual entry is where verification links break. Where you can, use the Microsoft Learn Share button so the URL is filled in for you.

Frequently asked questions

How long until my Microsoft certification shows up?

A Microsoft certification usually appears on your Microsoft Learn profile within about 24 to 48 hours of passing, as long as your Learn sign-in matches your Pearson VUE registration email. If it has not appeared after that window, check for an email mismatch first, then contact Microsoft Credentials Support if it is still missing.

Can I add a Microsoft certification to LinkedIn without Credly?

Yes. For any Microsoft certification earned since 2024, which covers every current AI exam, Microsoft Learn is the only route. Use the Share to LinkedIn option on your certification details screen, or add it manually in LinkedIn using the Microsoft Learn share link as the credential URL. No Credly account is involved.

Is Credly still used for Microsoft certifications?

No. Microsoft stopped issuing certification badges through Credly in 2024, and current certifications are managed on Microsoft Learn instead. Credly still hosts some non-certification Microsoft skilling badges and certain Certiport-issued credentials, but those are separate from the Pearson VUE certification exams most professionals take.

How do employers verify my Microsoft certification?

Employers verify it through a public link generated from your Microsoft Learn profile, either a single certification share link or your full transcript link. The link only resolves if your Learn profile is public, so make sure Private Mode is off. Validated credentials show an "Online Verifiable" tag on your profile.

Do retired Microsoft certifications stay on my profile?

Yes. Retired certifications remain viewable and shareable through your Microsoft Learn transcript indefinitely, so there is nothing to remove from LinkedIn when an exam such as AI-900 retires. The certification you earned stays on your record even after the exam itself is withdrawn.

What should I put as the issuing organisation on LinkedIn?

Enter "Microsoft" and select the official Microsoft company page from LinkedIn's suggestions so the logo attaches to your entry. Use the exact certification title from Microsoft Learn as the name, and paste your Microsoft Learn share link as the credential URL so employers can verify it.

Turn your next exam into a credential worth sharing

A certification only helps your career once it is visible and verifiable, and in 2026 that means Microsoft Learn plus a well-formed LinkedIn entry, not a Credly badge hunt. Add it to your certifications section for lasting recruiter value, announce it to your network, and make sure your Learn profile is public so the verification link works.

If you have not sat your exam yet, that is the part that comes first. Browse Examinotion's exam preparation courses on the Microsoft AI exams hub, or start practising for a specific exam such as AB-730, AB-731, AI-901, AI-103 or AB-900. If you are still choosing, our guide to which Microsoft AI certification to take first and the certification renewal guide will help you plan the path, and if you are moving on from a retiring exam, see what happens when AI-900 retires.

Sources

1. Sharing and validating of Microsoft Credentials - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-08-21
2. Credly, this is the end (Microsoft certifications moving to Learn) - Microsoft Tech Community, accessed 2026-08-21
3. Does AB-730 (Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional) have a digital badge? - Microsoft Q&A, accessed 2026-08-21
4. How to Claim Your Digital Badge and Why (legacy) - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-08-21
5. Manage your Microsoft Learn profile settings - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-08-21
6. Microsoft Credentials roundup: June 2026 - Microsoft Tech Community, accessed 2026-08-21
7. Manage licences and certifications on your profile - LinkedIn Help, accessed 2026-08-21
8. How can I add my badge to my LinkedIn profile and share to my feed? - Credly Support, accessed 2026-08-21
9. Microsoft Credentials support and help - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-08-21