The quickest way to change your cover photo

Open Facebook on your computer or phone and go to your profile. Look for your current cover photo at the top of your profile — it's the wide banner image behind your name. Hover your mouse over it (on computer) or tap it (on phone), and a camera icon will appear. Click or tap that icon, then choose whether to upload a new photo from your device, select one you've already posted, or take a new photo with your camera.

The whole process takes about 30 seconds. Facebook will let you position and crop the image before you save it, so you can make sure it looks the way you want.

Key Takeaways

  • Your cover photo is the wide banner at the top of your profile, and you change it by clicking the camera icon that appears when you hover over it.
  • You can upload a new image from your device, choose a photo you've already posted to Facebook, or take a new one with your camera.
  • Facebook lets you crop and position your image before saving, so you can control exactly what shows.
  • Cover photos are visible to anyone who visits your profile, unless you've restricted who can see your profile itself.
  • You can change your cover photo as often as you want — there's no limit.

Uploading a photo from your computer or phone

When you click the camera icon and select "Upload Photo," Facebook opens your device's file browser. Navigate to the folder where your image is saved and select it. The image will upload and appear on your profile with handles around the edges so you can resize and move it.

Facebook recommends cover photos that are at least 820 pixels wide and 312 pixels tall, though most modern photos will work fine. If your image is smaller than that, it may look blurry or stretched. Once you're happy with how it looks, click "Save" and you're done.

Choosing a photo you've already posted

If you select "Choose from Photos," Facebook shows you albums of images you've already uploaded — your profile pictures, photos you've posted, and photos you're tagged in. This is useful if you want to reuse an image without uploading it again, or if you want to feature a photo that's already part of your Facebook history.

Scroll through the albums, click the photo you want, and then crop and position it the same way you would with a new upload. This option saves storage space on your device and is faster if you already know which photo you want to use.

Taking a new photo with your camera

On a phone, you can select "Take Photo" to open your camera and snap a new image right there. This is the fastest option if you want to use a recent photo or take a selfie for your cover. After you take the photo, you'll see the same cropping and positioning tools before you save.

On a computer, this option may not be available unless your device has a built-in camera. If it is available and you click it, your browser will ask permission to use your webcam.

Positioning and cropping your cover photo

After you choose an image, Facebook shows you a preview with a rectangle outline — that rectangle is what will actually show as your cover photo. You can drag the image inside the rectangle to move it around, or use the zoom slider to make it larger or smaller. This matters because Facebook cover photos display at different sizes on different devices, and you want to make sure the important part of your image is centered.

Take a moment to check how it looks on both desktop and mobile, if you can. The positioning tools let you see both versions before you save, so you won't be surprised when you view your profile on your phone later.

Who can see your cover photo

Your cover photo is visible to anyone who can see your profile. If your profile is public, anyone on Facebook can see it. If your profile is set to friends only, only your friends can see it. You can't hide your cover photo from some people while showing it to others — it's an all-or-nothing setting tied to your overall profile privacy.

If you want to change who sees your profile, you'll need to adjust your profile privacy settings separately. Your cover photo itself doesn't have its own privacy controls.

Removing or changing your cover photo later

You can change your cover photo as many times as you want. Just hover over it again, click the camera icon, and select a new image. If you want to remove your cover photo entirely and go back to a blank cover, click the camera icon and look for a "Delete" or "Remove" option — the exact wording depends on which version of Facebook you're using.

Facebook keeps a history of your old cover photos in your profile pictures album, so you can always go back and use one again if you change your mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size should my cover photo be?

Facebook recommends at least 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels tall. Smaller images may look blurry, and very small images may not fill the space. Most modern phone photos and digital camera images will work fine without resizing.

Can I use a video as my cover photo?

No, cover photos must be still images. You can post videos to your profile separately, but your cover photo specifically has to be a photo or image file.

Will my cover photo show up in my friends' news feeds?

No. Your cover photo only appears on your profile page itself. When you change it, your friends won't see a notification about it in their news feed.

Can I schedule a cover photo to change on a specific date?

Facebook doesn't have a built-in scheduling feature for cover photos. You have to change it manually each time. If you want to change it regularly, you'll need to do it by hand.

Why does my cover photo look different on my phone than on my computer?

Facebook displays cover photos at different sizes depending on your device. The cropping and positioning tools let you preview both versions before you save, so you can adjust it to look good on both. If it still looks off, try adjusting the zoom or position slightly.