You can change your cover photo directly from your profile without it showing up in your feed
Facebook lets you swap your cover photo without triggering a post that notifies your friends. When you upload a new cover photo through your profile settings, it replaces the old one silently — no notification goes out, and nothing lands in your timeline or your friends' feeds. The key is using the cover photo editor on your profile page rather than posting an image as a regular status update.
The process takes about 30 seconds on desktop or mobile. You click the cover photo itself, choose your upload method, and confirm. That's the entire transaction. Your friends won't see it happen unless they visit your profile directly.
Key Takeaways
- Click your current cover photo to open the cover photo editor — this is the only way to change it without posting.
- You can upload a new photo from your device, choose one from your existing photos, or use a photo someone else uploaded of you.
- The change takes effect when ready and does not create a notification or timeline post.
- On mobile, the process is identical: tap the cover photo, select your new image, and confirm.
How to change your cover photo on desktop
Open your Facebook profile and locate your current cover photo at the top of your page. Hover your mouse over the cover photo until a camera icon appears in the bottom right corner of the image. Click that camera icon to open the cover photo editor.
A menu will appear with three options: "Upload Photo," "Choose from Photos," or "Reposition." If you want to use a photo already on your device, select "Upload Photo" and navigate to the file. If you want to use a photo you've already uploaded to Facebook, select "Choose from Photos" and browse your albums. Once you've selected your image, you can drag it to reposition it if needed, then click "Save" at the bottom right.
The new cover photo replaces the old one when ready. No post appears on your timeline, and your friends receive no notification.
How to change your cover photo on mobile
Open the Facebook app and go to your profile by tapping your name at the bottom of the screen. Tap your current cover photo. A menu will appear with options to "Upload Photo," "Choose from Photos," or "Reposition."
Select "Upload Photo" to choose an image from your phone's camera roll, or "Choose from Photos" to pick from photos already on Facebook. After selecting your image, you can adjust its position by dragging it, then tap "Save" in the top right corner. The change takes effect when ready without creating a post or notification.
What happens if you upload a photo as a status instead
If you post a photo as a regular status update and then set it as your cover photo, that original post remains visible on your timeline. Your friends will see both the post and the cover photo change. To avoid this, always use the cover photo editor (the camera icon method) rather than posting first.
If you've already posted a photo and want to use it as a cover without the post being visible, you can delete the original post after setting the cover photo. The cover photo itself will stay in place even after you delete the post that created it.
Where to find photos to use as your cover
You can use any photo stored on your device, any photo you've uploaded to Facebook before, or any photo someone else has uploaded that you're tagged in. Facebook also offers a library of free cover photo templates if you want something generic — these appear in the "Choose from Photos" menu under a "Templates" section, though availability varies by region.
If you want to use a photo someone else took of you, make sure you have permission to use it. You can find photos you're tagged in by going to your profile, clicking "Photos," then "Photos of You." From there, you can set any of those images as your cover photo.
Why your cover photo might not be changing
If you click "Save" and the cover photo doesn't update, try refreshing your page. Sometimes the change takes a few seconds to display. If you're on mobile and the upload seems stuck, close the Facebook app completely and reopen it.
If the image you selected is too small, Facebook may reject it. Cover photos need to be at least 400 pixels wide. If you're trying to use a very old or low-resolution photo, try uploading a larger version instead. The ideal size is 820 by 312 pixels, though Facebook will resize most images automatically.
Changing your cover photo back to the default
If you want to remove your cover photo and return to Facebook's default blue background, click the camera icon on your cover photo, then select "Remove." This takes effect when ready. You can always add a new cover photo later using the same camera icon method.
Removing your cover photo does not delete any images from your account — it straightforward clears the cover photo slot on your profile. If you change your mind, you can restore a previous cover photo by selecting it from your "Cover Photos" album in the "Choose from Photos" menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing my cover photo send a notification to my friends?
No. Changing your cover photo through the cover photo editor does not create a notification or a post on your timeline. Your friends will only see the new cover photo if they visit your profile directly. This is different from posting a photo as a status update, which does notify people.
Can I change my cover photo if my profile is private?
Yes. Your privacy settings do not affect your ability to change your cover photo. The process is the same whether your profile is public or private. Your cover photo visibility depends on your privacy settings — if your profile is private, only your friends can see your cover photo.
What if I want to use a photo that's not on Facebook yet?
Select "Upload Photo" from the cover photo editor menu and choose the image from your device. Facebook will upload it and set it as your cover photo in one step. The photo will be added to a hidden album called "Cover Photos" on your profile.
Can I schedule a cover photo change for later?
No. Facebook does not have a scheduling feature for cover photos. You can only change your cover photo when ready. If you want to change it at a specific time, you'll need to do it manually at that moment.
Will my old cover photo disappear completely?
Your old cover photo will no longer appear on your profile, but it remains in your "Cover Photos" album if it was uploaded to Facebook. You can find it by going to your profile, clicking "Photos," then looking for the "Cover Photos" album. You can delete it from there if you want to remove it entirely.