To apply for a job on Indeed, sign in, add a resume to your profile, open the listing and select Apply with Indeed. Choose the resume to send, check the details Indeed pulled from it, answer the employer’s questions, then review and submit. Indeed confirms on screen and by email, and the application appears in the Applied tab of My jobs.
Not every listing works this way. Some send you to the employer’s own website, where the form, the confirmation and any updates come from the employer, not from Indeed.
Key takeaways
- Indeed describes itself as a free search, apply and interview tool. You never pay to apply.
- There are two kinds of listing: jobs you apply to on Indeed, and jobs that redirect you to the employer’s hiring system.
- Add a resume to your profile first. You can upload a file, which Indeed converts to a PDF, or build one on Indeed.
- Employer questions are required, and you cannot change an application after you submit it.
- My jobs tracks applications made on Indeed. Applications you finish on a company site may not appear there.
01
What do you need before you apply on Indeed?
You need two things: an account and a resume.
An account. You can create one with Google, with Apple on an iPhone, or with an email address. With an email address, Indeed sends a one-time six-digit code to your inbox, and you then add and verify a phone number. Three points from Indeed’s help center save trouble later:
- Always sign in with the method you used to create the account, and keep to one account. Indeed cannot merge accounts.
- Use an email address and a phone number that are your own and that you plan to keep, so you can receive account and security updates.
- Indeed sets a minimum age for an account: 16 in most regions, and 18 in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Ukraine.
A resume. Open your profile and go to the Resume tab. You have two options.
| Option | How it works | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Upload a resume | Select Upload a resume, choose the file, preview it and save | Indeed automatically converts the file to a PDF. To change it later, you replace the file |
| Build an Indeed Resume | Select Build an Indeed Resume and fill in each section | You can edit individual sections on Indeed whenever you need to |
Indeed advises against scanning your resume or photographing it, and against using photos or graphics in it. You can also decide whether employers can find your resume or whether it stays hidden. That setting is in your profile.
02
What is the difference between applying on Indeed and on the company site?
The apply button either opens the application on Indeed or sends you to the employer’s applicant tracking system. The difference matters most after you submit.
| What happens | Apply on Indeed | Apply on the company site |
|---|---|---|
| Where you fill in the form | On Indeed, without leaving the site | On the employer’s hiring system, after a redirect |
| Saving a draft | You can save the application and finish it later | Depends on the employer’s system |
| Confirmation | On screen, plus an email from Indeed | Nothing from Indeed; the employer may send its own |
| Status updates | In My jobs | Indeed does not send you status updates |
| Messages | Through Indeed Messages | Through the employer’s platform or by email |
| Withdrawing | From My jobs | Contact the employer |
When a listing redirects you, the steps depend on the employer’s system. Our guide to what an ATS is explains those systems, and the general steps are in how to apply for jobs online.
03
How to apply with Indeed, step by step
These steps cover applications completed on Indeed.
- Sign in and open the job listing.
- Select Apply with Indeed. The application opens on Indeed. Some of Indeed’s help pages call the same button Apply now. In some cases you are asked to verify your phone number.
- Add your resume. Choose your resume on Indeed or a resume file. For a file, you can upload one, use the file already on your profile or upload a different one.
- Review your resume details. Indeed scans the resume for work experience, education and qualifications. Correct anything it misread, because Indeed sends these details to the employer along with the resume. You do this once for each resume file you upload.
- Answer the employer’s questions. Some employers ask about skills, experience or qualifications. You must answer before you can continue.
- Review and submit. Check every section. Some employers let you add supporting documents, such as a cover letter: up to five files per application, as PDF, DOCX, DOC, TXT or RTF. Then select Submit your application.
- Wait for the confirmation. You get an on-screen confirmation, and Indeed sends a confirmation email.
You can save an application as a draft and finish it later. When an employer requires a cover letter, you cannot skip that step, and the limit is 4,000 characters. Indeed may also offer to tailor your resume to the job when your profile and the job match. Read its suggestions line by line before you accept them. Every line still has to be true.
Job boards and employer sites set their own rules on automated activity in their terms of service, and breaking them can get an account limited or closed. Read the terms of any site before you connect your account to a tool.
04
How should you answer the employer’s questions?
Indeed’s help pages say only that some employers ask about skills, experience or qualifications, and that you must answer before you can continue. Three habits help:
- Answer exactly what is asked, with numbers you can back up from your resume.
- Keep answers consistent with your resume. The employer receives both.
- Slow down. You cannot change an application after you submit it.
05
What does the employer receive when you apply on Indeed?
Indeed lists what an employer has access to when you apply for its job on Indeed:
- the city and state on your resume
- the phone number on your resume, which may differ from the one linked to your Indeed account
- the information on the resume you applied with, along with the resume details you reviewed in step 4
- your qualifications, which employers may be able to see
- an email alias that Indeed creates to help protect your email address. Emails sent to the alias are delivered to your inbox.
06
What happens after you apply on Indeed?
Your application appears in the Applied tab of My jobs with a status. Some statuses are set by Indeed, some by the employer, and a few by you: you can mark an application as Interviewing, Offer received, Hired or No longer interested. Statuses from the employer or from Indeed are usually available only for jobs posted directly on Indeed. Our guide to Indeed application statuses explains each one.
Employers may contact you through Indeed Messages to schedule an interview or share next steps, so check Messages as well as your email.
Indeed’s own advice for when you hear nothing is a reasonable timetable:
- After one to two weeks: wait for the employer to review applications, and check your spam or junk folder.
- After two to three weeks: if the employer allows follow-ups, send a short, polite message that restates your interest.
- After three to four weeks: it is fine to move on and keep applying elsewhere.
For wording, see following up on a job application. Indeed is one channel among several, so keep your own job application tracker as well as My jobs.
07
Can you withdraw an Indeed application?
Yes, if you applied directly on Indeed. In My jobs, select the three dots next to the application status and choose Withdraw application. Before you do, Indeed points out that you may not be able to apply again and that the employer may still contact you. A withdrawn application cannot be reopened. If you withdrew by mistake, message the employer.
08
How do you fix common problems on Indeed?
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| The apply button does nothing | Disable pop-up or ad blockers, refresh the page, open the application in a new window, try another browser or an incognito window, or move to a more stable connection |
| No confirmation email | If you applied on the employer’s website, Indeed does not send one. Otherwise check your spam or junk folder |
| An application is missing from My jobs | You may not have applied directly on Indeed, it may be linked to a different Indeed account or email address, or you applied more than six months ago |
| The resume will not upload | Check the file format, because not all formats are accepted, or try a different file |
If anyone asks for money to apply, stop and read the warning signs of job scams.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to apply for jobs on Indeed?
Yes. Indeed’s help center describes Indeed as a free search, apply and interview tool. Treat any request for payment connected to a job listing as a warning sign.
What does “Apply with Indeed” mean?
It is the button that starts an application completed on Indeed itself, and some of Indeed’s help pages call it Apply now. You choose a resume, review the details, answer the employer’s questions and submit without leaving the site. Other listings redirect you to the employer’s own hiring system.
Can I edit an Indeed application after I submit it?
No. Indeed states that you cannot change an application after you submit it. If you need to correct something, such as the wrong resume, contact the employer directly.
How do I know if an employer viewed my Indeed application?
Sometimes you can. Employers can update application statuses for jobs they posted on Indeed, and “Application viewed” is one of them.
Sources
- Indeed Help Center: Applying for a Job on Indeed: the application steps, confirmations and the follow-up timetable.
- Indeed Help Center: About Jobs on Indeed: What You Need to Know: the two types of listing, that Indeed is free and fixes for the apply button.
- Indeed Help Center: Creating an Account or Signing In: sign-in methods, the minimum age and no merging of accounts.
- Indeed Help Center: Creating a Resume on Indeed: uploading or building a resume, PDF conversion and file advice.
- Indeed Help Center: My Jobs: Managing Applied Jobs: statuses, withdrawing and missing applications.
- Indeed Help Center: Adding or Uploading Cover Letters: supporting documents, file types and the cover letter limit.
- Indeed Help Center: Profile and Preferences: What Do I Share With Employers?: what an employer can access when you apply.
Published by Jobbie and last updated on October 6, 2026. This guide is general information for job seekers, not legal, tax or financial advice. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.