The quickest way to change your Facebook picture

Open Facebook on your phone or computer and tap or click your profile picture in the top left corner. Select Change profile picture from the menu that appears. Choose a photo from your phone, computer, or Facebook albums, then tap or click Set as profile picture. The change takes effect when ready and shows to everyone who can see your profile.

The whole process takes less than a minute. Your old picture stays in your photo albums unless you delete it separately — changing your profile picture does not remove it from your account.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your profile picture from your phone, computer, or tablet by tapping your current picture and selecting the change option from the menu.
  • Facebook lets you upload a new photo, use an existing photo from your albums, or take a picture on the spot if you are on a phone.
  • Your profile picture change shows to your friends and anyone else who can see your profile within seconds.
  • You can add a frame around your picture, set an expiration date so it reverts to an older picture, or make it visible only to certain people.

Changing your picture on a phone or tablet

Tap your profile picture at the top left of the Facebook app. A menu will appear with several options. Tap Change profile picture. Facebook will show you three choices: take a new photo with your camera, choose from your phone's photo library, or pick from photos already in your Facebook albums.

If you select a new photo, Facebook will let you crop and position it before you confirm. Tap Set as profile picture when you are satisfied with how it looks. The picture updates on your profile right away, though it may take a few seconds to show everywhere on Facebook.

Changing your picture on a computer

Go to Facebook.com and click your profile picture in the top left corner of the page. A dropdown menu will appear. Click Change profile picture. You will see options to upload a photo from your computer, choose from your existing Facebook photos, or use your webcam if your browser supports it.

Click Upload photo to browse your computer's files, or click on an album to select from photos you have already posted. Once you choose an image, you can crop it and adjust the frame. Click Set as profile picture to save the change.

Adding frames and setting an expiration date

After you select a new profile picture, Facebook shows you the option to add a frame — a decorative border that sits around your photo. Frames are optional and change how your picture looks without replacing the actual image. You can remove a frame later by changing your picture again and selecting No frame.

You can also set an expiration date, which tells Facebook to automatically switch your profile picture back to a previous one after a set number of days. This is useful if you want a temporary picture for an event or season. Click or tap Set expiration and choose how long you want the picture to stay as your profile photo.

Controlling who sees your profile picture

By default, your profile picture is visible to everyone on Facebook. If you want to limit who sees it, click or tap the audience button (usually showing Public, Friends, or a similar label) before you set the picture. You can choose to show it only to friends, only to yourself, or to a custom list of people.

This setting applies only to your profile picture itself — your name and other profile information follow their own privacy rules. Changing the audience for your picture does not change who can see your posts or other parts of your profile.

What happens to your old profile picture

When you change your profile picture, Facebook moves your old picture to an album called Profile Pictures. You can view all your past profile pictures by going to your profile, clicking Photos, and selecting the Profile Pictures album. Your old pictures stay there unless you delete them.

If you want to remove an old profile picture entirely, open the Profile Pictures album, click the picture you want to delete, and select Delete photo. Deleting a picture from this album does not affect any other copies of the photo elsewhere on Facebook.

Troubleshooting common problems

If your new picture does not appear after you set it, refresh your browser or close and reopen the Facebook app. Sometimes the change takes a few seconds to show. If it still does not appear after a few minutes, try changing your picture again using a different photo to see if the problem is with that specific image.

If you see an error message saying the photo is too small or the wrong format, Facebook requires profile pictures to be at least 170 pixels wide and 170 pixels tall. Common formats like JPG, PNG, and GIF all work. If you are uploading from your phone, the photo should already meet these requirements — if not, you may need to use a computer or resize the image first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my profile picture more than once a day?

Yes, you can change your profile picture as many times as you want with no limit. Facebook does not restrict how often you update it. Each time you change it, your previous picture moves to your Profile Pictures album.

Will my friends get a notification when I change my profile picture?

No, Facebook does not send notifications when you change your profile picture. Your friends will see the new picture when they visit your profile or see your name in their feed, but they will not receive a specific alert about the change.

Can I use a picture that is not on my phone or computer?

Yes. If the photo is already posted to Facebook, you can select it from your albums when you change your profile picture. You can also use a picture from someone else's album if they have shared it with you, though it is best to have permission first.

What if I want to go back to an old profile picture?

Open your Profile Pictures album, find the old picture you want to use, click or tap it, and select Set as profile picture. You do not have to re-upload it — Facebook keeps all your past profile pictures in that album so you can switch between them anytime.

Does changing my profile picture affect my privacy settings?

Changing your picture itself does not change your overall privacy settings. However, you can control who sees that specific picture by adjusting the audience before you set it. Your other profile information follows the privacy rules you have set separately.