The quickest way to change your Instagram photo
Open Instagram and tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) at the top right, then select "Settings and privacy." Go to "Account" and tap "Photo." You can then choose to take a new photo with your camera, pick one from your phone's photo library, or remove your current photo entirely.
The whole process takes about 30 seconds. Instagram compresses the image automatically, so you don't need to resize it beforehand — just make sure it's a photo you want the world to see, since your profile picture is visible to anyone who visits your account.
If you're on a computer instead of a phone, log into Instagram.com, click your profile icon in the top right, select "Settings," choose "Edit profile," and click the camera icon over your current photo to upload a new one.
Key Takeaways
- On your phone, go to your profile, tap the menu, select Settings and privacy, then Account, then Photo to change your image.
- You can upload a photo from your phone's library, take a new one with your camera, or delete your current photo.
- Instagram automatically resizes and compresses your photo, so you don't need to edit it first.
- On a computer, log into Instagram.com, go to Settings, click Edit profile, and click the camera icon over your photo.
- Your profile photo is public and visible to anyone who visits your account, even if they don't follow you.
Uploading a photo from your phone's library
When you tap "Photo" in the Account settings, Instagram shows you two main options: "Choose from library" and "Take photo." If you pick "Choose from library," your phone opens your photo app. Scroll to find the image you want and tap it once to select it.
Instagram then shows you a preview of how the photo will look as your profile picture — usually a square crop of the center of the image. You can pinch to zoom in or out, or drag the image around to choose which part shows in the circle. Once you're happy with how it looks, tap "Next" and then "Done" to save it.
The photo uploads when ready. Your followers will see the new image within seconds, and it will also update on your profile grid and in search results.
Taking a new photo with your camera
If you choose "Take photo" instead of "Choose from library," Instagram opens your phone's camera app directly. You can take a selfie (front-facing camera) or a photo of something else (rear camera). Tap the button to take the shot, then review it.
After you take the photo, Instagram lets you retake it or move forward. If you proceed, you get the same preview and cropping screen as you would with a library photo — you can zoom and reposition before you confirm. Tap "Done" to save it as your new profile picture.
Removing your profile photo
If you want to delete your current profile photo instead of replacing it, go through the same steps: profile icon, menu, Settings and privacy, Account, Photo. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see an option to "Remove current photo." Tap it, and Instagram will delete your profile picture.
When you remove your photo, Instagram shows a blank circle with a generic person icon in its place. You can add a new photo anytime by following the same steps.
Why your new photo might not show up right away
In rare cases, your new profile photo takes a few minutes to appear everywhere on Instagram — especially if you have a lot of followers or if the app is running slowly. If you change your photo and it doesn't show up on your profile within a minute or two, try closing the app completely and reopening it.
If the old photo is still showing after you've waited and refreshed, log out and log back in. This forces Instagram to reload your profile data. On very rare occasions, Instagram's servers take longer to sync the change across all devices, but it usually resolves within an hour.
Photo size and format guidelines
Instagram accepts photos in JPG, PNG, GIF, and WebP formats. There's no strict minimum or maximum file size — Instagram will compress any photo you upload to fit its servers and load quickly on phones.
The best profile photos are square or close to square, since Instagram displays your profile picture in a circle. If you upload a rectangular photo, Instagram crops it to a square from the center, so make sure your face or main subject is in the middle of the frame. A photo that's at least 400 pixels by 400 pixels will look sharp on most phones, though Instagram can work with smaller images.
Changing your photo on the Instagram app versus the website
The steps are slightly different depending on whether you use the Instagram app on your phone or the website on a computer, but the end result is the same. On your phone, you navigate through profile, menu, settings, and account. On the website, you click your profile icon, then Settings, then Edit profile, and then the camera icon.
The website version doesn't let you take a new photo with your computer's camera — you can only upload from your computer's files. If you want to take a selfie, the phone app is faster. Both methods upload your photo to the same account, so it doesn't matter which device you use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a photo that's not of my face?
Yes. Your profile photo can be anything — a pet, a landscape, a logo, or an abstract image. Instagram doesn't restrict what you upload. Keep in mind that your profile picture is public and visible to anyone, so choose something you're comfortable with people seeing.
What happens to my old profile photo after I change it?
Instagram deletes it from your profile. The photo doesn't stay in your account history or appear anywhere else on Instagram. If you want to keep a copy, save it to your phone before you upload a new one.
Can I change my profile photo more than once?
Yes, as many times as you want. There's no limit to how often you can update your profile picture. You can change it daily if you choose to.
Why does my photo look different in the preview than it does on my actual profile?
Instagram crops your photo into a circle for your profile picture, which can make it look different from the original square or rectangular image. The preview screen shows you exactly how it will appear as a circle, so what you see there is what your followers will see.
Can I change my profile photo if my account is private?
Yes. Your profile photo is public regardless of whether your account is private or public. Even if your posts are only visible to followers, your profile picture shows up in search results and is visible to anyone who visits your profile.