---
lang: en
title: 'API docs: authentication.useridentityservice.linkexternalprofile'
keywords: LoopBack 4.0, LoopBack 4, Node.js, TypeScript, OpenAPI
sidebar: lb4_sidebar
editurl: https://github.com/loopbackio/loopback-next/tree/master/packages/authentication
permalink: /doc/en/lb4/apidocs.authentication.useridentityservice.linkexternalprofile.html
---

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[Home](./index.md) &gt; [@loopback/authentication](./authentication.md) &gt; [UserIdentityService](./authentication.useridentityservice.md) &gt; [linkExternalProfile](./authentication.useridentityservice.linkexternalprofile.md)

## UserIdentityService.linkExternalProfile() method

link an external profile with an existing local user id.

**Signature:**

```typescript
linkExternalProfile(userId: string, userIdentity: I): Promise<U>;
```

## Parameters

<table><thead><tr><th>

Parameter


</th><th>

Type


</th><th>

Description


</th></tr></thead>
<tbody><tr><td markdown="1">

userId


</td><td markdown="1">

string


</td><td markdown="1">


</td></tr>
<tr><td markdown="1">

userIdentity


</td><td markdown="1">

I


</td><td markdown="1">


</td></tr>
</tbody></table>

**Returns:**

Promise&lt;U&gt;

## Example

async linkExternalProfile(userId: string, ldapUser: LDAPUserIdentity) { return await this.userIdentityRepository.findOrCreate(<!-- -->{ provider: 'ldap', externalId: ldapUser.id, authScheme: 'active-directory', userId: userId, credentials: { distinguishedName: ldapUser.dn, roles: ldapUser.memberof, expirationTime: ldapUser.maxAge<!-- -->} }<!-- -->); } }