The fastest way to change your profile picture

To change your profile picture on Facebook, tap or click your profile icon in the top left corner (on mobile) or top right corner (on desktop), then select Profile. Look for your current profile picture and tap or click the camera icon that appears when you hover over it. Choose Upload Photo to pick an image from your device, or Take a Photo if you want to use your device's camera right now. Facebook will let you crop and position the image before you confirm.

The new picture appears when ready on your profile and in comments and posts you make. Your friends will see the change in their feeds and on your profile page. If you want to remove your profile picture entirely, select the camera icon again and choose Delete Photo.

Key Takeaways

  • Your profile picture updates when ready across Facebook once you upload it, and your friends see the change in their feeds.
  • You can change your name, email, phone number, and other basic information from the same profile menu by selecting Edit Profile.
  • Cover photos (the large banner image behind your profile picture) are changed the same way as profile pictures — click the camera icon and upload a new image.
  • Facebook stores old profile pictures in your photo archive, so you can switch back to a previous picture without re-uploading it.
  • Changes to your name take effect when ready, but Facebook limits how often you can change it — usually once every 60 days.

How to change your name on Facebook

To change the name that appears on your profile, go to your profile page and select Edit Profile (the pencil icon next to your name). Tap or click on your name field and type the new name you want to use. Facebook accepts first and last names, and you can include middle names or nicknames in either field.

The change takes effect as soon as you save it. However, Facebook enforces a waiting period — you typically cannot change your name again for 60 days. If you try to change it sooner, you will see a message telling you when you can make the next change. This rule exists to prevent misuse, but it applies to everyone equally.

Changing your email address and contact information

Your email address and phone number are stored in your account settings, not your public profile. To change them, go to Settings & Privacy (the three horizontal lines in the top right on desktop, or the menu icon on mobile), then select Settings. Choose Personal Information and you will see fields for your email address, phone number, and other contact details.

You can add multiple email addresses to your account, and Facebook will let you choose which one is your primary login email. If you change your primary email, make sure you have access to the new address — Facebook may send you a confirmation link. Phone numbers work the same way: you can add several, and choose which one is visible on your profile and which is private.

Updating your cover photo and other profile images

Your cover photo is the large banner image that sits behind your profile picture. To change it, hover over the cover photo and click the camera icon, then choose Upload Photo or Take a Photo. You can also select Choose from Photos to use an image you have already posted to Facebook. The cover photo updates when ready and is visible to anyone who visits your profile.

If you have posted photos to your profile, you can also change which photo appears as your profile picture by going to your photo archive. Open any photo, tap or click the three dots menu, and select Make Profile Picture. This is faster than uploading a new image if you want to use a photo you have already shared.

What happens to your old profile pictures

Facebook keeps all your old profile pictures in a folder called Profile Pictures inside your photo archive. You can see this folder by going to your profile, selecting Photos, and looking for the Profile Pictures album. This means you can switch back to a previous picture without uploading it again — just open the photo and select Make Profile Picture.

Only you can see this folder unless you have made your photos public. Even if your profile is set to private, your current profile picture and cover photo are visible to anyone on Facebook, because they appear next to your name in comments and posts. If you want to hide an old profile picture from view entirely, you can delete it from the album, but this is permanent — you cannot recover it afterward.

Changing your profile information and bio

Your bio (also called your "About" section) is where you can write a short description of yourself. To edit it, go to your profile and select Edit Profile, then scroll down to the Bio field. Type or paste your text, and it appears on your profile when ready. You can include links, line breaks, and emoji, and you can change it as often as you want.

You can also update other profile details from the same menu: your work history, education, hometown, relationship status, and religious or political views. Each field is optional — you do not have to fill in anything you do not want to share. You can control who sees each piece of information by clicking the privacy icon next to it and choosing Public, Friends, or Only Me.

Privacy settings for your profile changes

When you change your profile picture, name, or other information, Facebook shows a notification in your friends' feeds by default. If you do not want people to see that you changed something, you can control this in your privacy settings. Go to Settings & Privacy, select Settings, then choose Privacy. Look for the option that controls who can see your activity status and profile changes.

Keep in mind that your profile picture and cover photo are always visible to anyone on Facebook, regardless of your privacy settings, because they appear next to your name in comments and posts. If you want to hide your profile from most people, you can make your profile private by going to Settings, selecting Privacy, and changing your profile visibility to Friends Only. This hides your profile from people who are not your friends, but your friends will still see all your changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my profile picture without notifying my friends?

Your profile picture change appears in your friends' feeds by default, but you can turn off activity notifications in your privacy settings. Go to Settings & Privacy, select Settings, then Privacy, and adjust who can see your profile changes. Even if you hide the notification, your new picture is still visible to anyone who visits your profile or sees you comment on a post.

How often can I change my Facebook name?

Facebook typically allows you to change your name once every 60 days. If you try to change it sooner, you will see a message with the exact date you can make your next change. This limit applies to everyone and exists to prevent misuse of the name field.

What if I want to use a nickname or stage name instead of my real name?

Facebook allows nicknames, stage names, and other variations in your name field. You can put your stage name in the first name field and your real name in the last name field, or vice versa. Facebook reviews names that appear to violate its policies, but most stage names and nicknames are accepted without issue.

Can I recover a profile picture I deleted?

If you deleted a profile picture from your Profile Pictures album, it is permanently removed and cannot be recovered. However, if you straightforward changed your profile picture (without deleting the old one), the old picture stays in your archive and you can make it your profile picture again anytime.

Do I need to change my password when I change my email address?

No, changing your email address does not affect your password. Your password remains the same, and you can still log in with your old email address or your new one. Make sure you have access to your new email address, because Facebook may send you a confirmation link to verify the change.