The quickest way to change your cover photo
Open Facebook on your computer or phone, go to your profile, and hover over or tap your current cover photo. A pencil icon or menu will appear — click it, then select "Upload photo" or "Choose from photos". Pick your image, position it how you want, and click "Save". The whole process takes about a minute.
On a phone, the steps are the same but the buttons are slightly smaller. If you're using the Facebook app on iOS or Android, tapping the cover photo brings up the same editing options as the desktop version.
Your cover photo is the large banner image at the top of your profile, above your profile picture. It's visible to anyone who visits your profile, unless you've set your profile to private.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your cover photo from your profile by clicking the pencil icon that appears when you hover over the current image.
- Facebook lets you upload a new photo, choose from photos you've already posted, or use a photo from your phone's camera roll.
- You can position and crop the image before saving, so it displays the part you want people to see.
- Your cover photo is public by default, but you can limit who sees it by adjusting your profile privacy settings.
Uploading a photo from your computer
On a desktop or laptop, go to your Facebook profile and look at the top of the page where your cover photo appears. Move your mouse over the image and wait for a pencil icon to show up in the bottom right corner of the cover photo. Click that pencil.
A menu will pop up with three options: "Upload photo", "Choose from photos", or "Delete". Click "Upload photo" if you want to use an image from your computer that you haven't posted to Facebook yet. Your file browser will open — find the image you want and double-click it. Facebook will let you move and resize the image before you save it.
Once you're happy with how it looks, click the "Save" button. The new cover photo will appear when ready on your profile.
Choosing from photos you've already posted
If you want to use a photo you've already shared on Facebook, click the pencil icon on your cover photo and select "Choose from photos". A window will open showing your recent photos and albums.
Scroll through until you find the image you want. Click it once to select it. Facebook will show you a preview of how it will look as your cover photo, with handles on the corners so you can adjust the crop. Drag the image or the handles to frame it the way you want, then click "Save".
This option is useful if you want to reuse a photo you've already posted without uploading it again.
Changing your cover photo on a phone
Open the Facebook app and tap your profile icon at the bottom of the screen. This takes you to your profile. Tap your current cover photo at the top of the screen.
A menu will appear with options to upload a new photo or choose from your existing photos. If you tap "Upload photo", your phone's photo library will open. Select the image you want. If you tap "Choose from photos", you'll see photos you've already posted to Facebook.
After you pick an image, you can pinch and drag to position it. Once it looks right, tap "Save" or "Done" — the exact button name depends on whether you're using iPhone or Android, but it will be obvious.
Positioning and cropping your cover photo
Before you save any cover photo, Facebook shows you how it will look on your profile. You can move the image around and zoom in or out to show the part you want people to see.
On a computer, click and drag the image to move it, or use the zoom slider to make it larger or smaller. On a phone, use two fingers to pinch and zoom, or one finger to drag the image. The preview shows you exactly what will be visible to other people.
Cover photos display at different sizes depending on whether someone is viewing your profile on a computer, tablet, or phone. Facebook's preview tries to show you how it will look on all three, but the center of your image is what stays visible across all devices. Put the most important part of your photo in the middle.
Controlling who can see your cover photo
Your cover photo is public by default — anyone who visits your profile can see it, even if they're not your friend. If you want to limit who sees it, you need to change your profile privacy settings, not the cover photo itself.
On a computer, click the three-line menu icon at the top right of Facebook, then go to "Settings and privacy" and "Settings". Click "Privacy" on the left side. Under "Who can see your profile?", you can choose "Friends only" or "Public". This setting controls who sees your entire profile, including your cover photo.
On a phone, tap the three-line menu at the bottom right, go to "Settings and privacy", then "Settings". Scroll down to "Privacy" and tap "Who can see your profile?". Choose your preferred setting.
Removing or replacing a cover photo
If you want to remove your cover photo entirely, click the pencil icon on the cover photo and select "Delete". Facebook will remove the image and show a blank cover area instead.
To replace it with a different photo without deleting first, just click the pencil icon and upload or choose a new image. The old one will be replaced automatically — you don't have to delete it first.
If you delete your cover photo and later want to add one back, the process is the same: click the pencil icon and select "Upload photo" or "Choose from photos".
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a video as my cover photo?
No. Facebook cover photos must be still images. You can upload a video to your profile separately, but the cover photo area only displays a static image. If you upload a video file when trying to change your cover photo, Facebook will reject it.
What size should my cover photo be?
Facebook recommends cover photos be at least 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels tall on a computer. On phones, the dimensions are different but Facebook will automatically adjust your image to fit. If your photo is smaller than the recommended size, it may look blurry or pixelated when enlarged.
Why does my cover photo look different on my phone than on my computer?
Facebook crops cover photos differently depending on the device. The center of your image stays visible on all devices, but the sides may be cut off on phones. This is why positioning the most important part of your photo in the middle matters.
Can I schedule a cover photo to change on a specific date?
No. Facebook doesn't have a built-in scheduling feature for cover photos. You have to change it manually each time. Some third-party apps claim to do this, but they require access to your account and Facebook doesn't officially support them.
Will my friends be notified when I change my cover photo?
No. Changing your cover photo doesn't send a notification to your friends or appear in their news feed. Only people who visit your profile will see the new image.