The quickest way to change your Facebook profile picture
Open Facebook and click your profile picture in the top left corner (on desktop) or tap the menu icon and select your name (on mobile). Click or tap the profile picture itself, then select "Upload Photo" or "Choose Photo" from the menu that appears. Pick an image from your device, adjust the crop if needed, and click "Save." Your new picture goes live when ready.
The entire process takes under a minute. Facebook stores your old profile pictures in an album called "Profile Pictures," so you can switch back to a previous one anytime without re-uploading.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your profile picture from your profile page by clicking the picture itself and selecting "Upload Photo."
- Facebook lets you crop and position your image before saving, so you can frame your face exactly how you want it.
- Your old profile pictures stay in a "Profile Pictures" album, making it straightforward to revert to a previous image without uploading again.
- Profile picture changes appear when ready to everyone on your friends list and in search results.
- You can set privacy controls so only friends, or a custom list, can see when you change your picture.
Step-by-step instructions for desktop
Start by logging into Facebook on your computer. Look for your profile picture in the top left corner of the screen, next to your name. Click directly on that picture—not on your name, but the image itself.
A small menu will pop up with options. Click "Upload Photo" if you want to choose a new image from your computer, or "Choose Photo" if you want to use a picture you've already posted to Facebook. If you select "Upload Photo," your device's file browser will open. Navigate to the folder where your image is saved, click the file, and click "Open."
Facebook will then show you a preview of how the picture will look as your profile image. You'll see a square frame with handles at the corners and edges. Drag these handles to zoom in or out, and click and drag inside the frame to reposition the image so your face is centered. Once you're satisfied, click the "Save" button at the bottom right.
Step-by-step instructions for mobile (iPhone or Android)
Open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right of your screen. Scroll down and tap your name to go to your profile. Tap your current profile picture at the top of your profile.
A menu will appear with two options: "Take a Photo" and "Choose from Photos." If you want to use your phone's camera, tap "Take a Photo" and allow Facebook to access your camera when prompted. Take your picture and tap "Use Photo." If you want to pick an existing image, tap "Choose from Photos," navigate to your camera roll or photo library, and select the image you want.
You'll see a preview screen where you can pinch to zoom and drag to reposition your image inside the square frame. Tap "Next" when the framing looks right, then tap "Save" to confirm. The change takes effect when ready.
How to use a photo you've already posted on Facebook
Instead of uploading a brand-new image, you can recycle a photo that's already on your Facebook account. Go to your profile picture, click or tap it, and select "Choose Photo" (desktop) or "Choose from Photos" (mobile). This opens a gallery of your existing Facebook photos.
Scroll through your albums—your most recent photos appear first. Click or tap the photo you want to use. You'll still get the crop and position screen, so you can adjust how it frames your face. This method is useful if you've already posted a great picture and want to make it your profile image without uploading a duplicate.
Adjusting privacy settings for profile picture changes
By default, everyone on Facebook can see when you change your profile picture, and the change appears in your friends' news feeds. If you want to limit who sees this activity, you can adjust your privacy settings.
On desktop, click the down arrow in the top right corner of Facebook, select "Settings and Privacy," then "Settings." Click "Privacy" in the left menu. Look for the section about "Who can see your posts?" and adjust it to "Friends" or "Only Me" if you want to restrict visibility. Note that this controls who sees the notification of the change, not who can see the picture itself—your profile picture is always visible to anyone who visits your profile, based on your overall profile privacy settings.
On mobile, tap the menu icon, scroll to "Settings and Privacy," tap "Settings," then tap "Privacy." The same privacy controls appear here. Keep in mind that changing this setting affects all future activity notifications, not just profile picture changes.
What to do if your new profile picture doesn't appear
If you've uploaded a new picture but it's not showing up, wait a few minutes—Facebook sometimes takes a moment to process and display the change across all servers. Refresh your browser or close and reopen the app.
If the picture still hasn't changed after 10 minutes, try uploading a different image to rule out a problem with the file itself. Make sure the image is in a common format like JPG or PNG, and that it's at least 400 pixels wide. If you're on mobile, check that you have a stable internet connection—a weak connection can interrupt the upload.
If the problem persists, log out of Facebook completely, wait a minute, and log back in. This often clears temporary glitches. If you're still stuck, you can report the issue to Facebook through the Help Center by clicking the question mark icon in the top right corner and selecting "Report a Problem."
Viewing and restoring old profile pictures
Facebook automatically saves every profile picture you've ever used in an album called "Profile Pictures." To see this album, go to your profile, click "Photos" (desktop) or tap "Photos" (mobile), and look for the "Profile Pictures" album in the list.
Click or tap the album to open it. You'll see thumbnails of all your past profile pictures in reverse chronological order—your most recent one first. If you want to make an old picture your profile image again, click or tap it, then select "Make Profile Picture" from the menu. This restores the old picture without you having to re-upload it.
You can also delete old profile pictures from this album if you want to clean up your account. Click or tap the picture, select the three-dot menu, and choose "Delete." Deleting a picture from the Profile Pictures album removes it from that album but doesn't affect the original post if you shared it elsewhere on Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a picture that's not on my computer or phone?
Yes. You can upload a picture directly from a URL if you're on desktop—some third-party tools let you paste an image link. On mobile, you're limited to photos stored on your device or in your Facebook albums. If you find an image online, save it to your phone first, then use the "Choose from Photos" option.
What size should my profile picture be?
Facebook recommends at least 400 pixels wide by 400 pixels tall for the best quality. Most modern phone cameras and digital cameras produce images larger than this, so you usually don't need to worry. Facebook will automatically resize your image to fit, but starting with a larger file ensures it stays sharp.
Does changing my profile picture notify all my friends?
Yes, by default. The change appears in your friends' news feeds as an activity notification. You can limit this by adjusting your privacy settings to "Friends Only" or "Only Me," though this affects all activity notifications, not just profile picture changes.
Can I set a temporary profile picture that expires?
Facebook doesn't have a built-in expiration feature for profile pictures. If you want to use a picture temporarily, you'll need to manually change it back when you're ready. Some users set a reminder on their phone to switch it back on a specific date.
What happens to my old profile picture if I delete it from the Profile Pictures album?
Deleting it from the Profile Pictures album removes it from that specific album, but if you originally posted the photo elsewhere on your timeline, it stays in that post. The picture is only fully deleted from Facebook if you delete the original post where it appeared.