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 above your profile picture. Hover your mouse over it (on computer) or tap it (on phone), and you'll see a camera icon appear in the bottom right corner of the cover photo. Click or tap that camera icon, and Facebook will show you two options: Upload Photo or Choose from Photos.
If you want to use a photo you already have on your device, select Upload Photo and pick the image file. If you want to use a photo you've already posted to Facebook, select Choose from Photos and browse your albums. Once you've picked your image, Facebook will let you position it — drag the photo around to frame it the way you want — then click Save. Your new cover photo appears on your profile when ready.
Key Takeaways
- The camera icon on your current cover photo is the fastest way to start the change — it appears when you hover over (computer) or tap (phone) the cover image.
- You can upload a new photo from your device or pick one you've already posted to Facebook using the Choose from Photos option.
- Facebook lets you reposition the photo before you save it, so you can frame it exactly how you want it to appear on your profile.
- Your new cover photo shows up on your profile right away and is visible to anyone who can see your profile.
- You can change your cover photo as many times as you want — there's no limit to how often you update it.
Uploading a photo from your computer or phone
When you click Upload Photo, your device's file browser opens. On a computer, you can navigate to any folder where you store images — your Downloads folder, Pictures folder, or anywhere else. On a phone, the camera roll or photo library opens automatically. Select the image you want and open it.
Facebook will then show you the photo and ask you to position it. You'll see a preview of how the photo will look as your cover. If the photo is larger than the cover space, you can drag it around to choose which part shows. Zoom in or out if your device offers that option. Once the framing looks right, tap or click Save and you're done.
Choosing a photo you've already posted
If you select Choose from Photos, Facebook shows you all the albums where your photos are stored — your profile pictures, photos you've uploaded, photos you're tagged in, and so on. You can browse through these albums and pick any photo. This is useful if you want to use a photo that's already on Facebook without uploading it again.
Once you pick the photo, the same positioning screen appears. You can adjust where the photo sits in the cover frame, then save it. The photo doesn't move from its original album — Facebook just displays it as your cover photo as well.
Positioning and cropping your cover photo
After you pick an image, Facebook shows you a preview with a rectangular frame that matches the size and shape of a cover photo. If your image is larger than this frame, you'll see the full photo with the frame overlaid on top. Drag the photo or the frame (depending on your device) to move it around and choose which part of the image appears in the cover space.
On a computer, you can usually scroll to zoom in and out. On a phone, you may see pinch-to-zoom controls. Position the photo so the most important part — a face, a landscape, a detail you want people to see — sits inside the frame. When it looks right, save it.
What happens to your old cover photo
When you change your cover photo, the old one doesn't disappear entirely. Facebook stores it in your profile photos or albums depending on where it came from. If you uploaded it directly as a cover photo, it stays in a folder you can access later. If you used a photo from an existing album, it remains in that album.
You can go back and use an old cover photo again anytime by selecting Choose from Photos and finding it in your albums. There's no penalty for changing your cover photo often — many people update theirs seasonally, for holidays, or whenever they want a fresh look.
Changing your cover photo on mobile devices
The process on a phone or tablet is nearly identical to a computer, but the layout is slightly different. Open the Facebook app, go to your profile, and tap your cover photo. A menu appears with options including Upload Photo and Choose from Photos. Tap the option you want.
If you upload a new photo, your phone's photo library opens. Select the image, position it in the preview screen by dragging, and tap Save. The whole process takes about 30 seconds. If you're using an older phone or a slower internet connection, it may take a few seconds longer for the new cover to appear on your profile.
Troubleshooting common cover photo problems
If the camera icon doesn't appear when you hover over your cover photo, make sure you're logged into your own account — you can only change your own cover photo, not someone else's. If you're on a computer, try refreshing the page. If you're on a phone, close the Facebook app completely and open it again.
If your photo won't upload, check that the file is in a format Facebook accepts — JPG, PNG, and GIF files all work. If the file is very large (over 4 MB), try compressing it before uploading. If you're on mobile data and the upload keeps failing, switch to Wi-Fi and try again. If the problem persists, log out of Facebook, clear your app cache, and log back in.
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 space only displays a single photo. If you want moving content on your profile, post a video to your timeline instead.
What size should my cover photo be?
Facebook automatically resizes any photo you upload to fit the cover space. On a computer, the cover photo displays at 820 pixels wide by 312 pixels tall. On a phone, it's narrower. You don't need to resize your photo beforehand — Facebook handles that for you.
Can other people see when I change my cover photo?
Your cover photo change doesn't appear in your friends' feeds or send them a notification. However, anyone who visits your profile will see the new cover photo. If your profile is public, anyone on Facebook can see it.
Can I delete my cover photo without replacing it?
You can't leave the cover space completely blank, but you can choose a plain or minimal image. Some people upload a solid-color image or a very straightforward photo if they want a minimal look. Facebook will always display something in that space.
How do I change my cover photo back to one I used before?
Open the camera menu on your cover photo and select Choose from Photos. Browse your albums until you find the old cover photo you want to use again, then select it and save. All your previously uploaded photos remain in your albums.