Change your profile picture on Facebook in under two minutes
Open Facebook on your phone or computer, click your profile picture in the top left corner, and select "Change profile picture" from the menu. You can upload a photo from your device, take a new one with your camera, or choose an existing photo already on Facebook. Once you pick an image, crop it to frame your face, then click "Save" or "Confirm". The new picture appears when ready on your profile and in all your comments and posts.
The entire process takes less than two minutes from start to finish. Your old profile pictures do not disappear — Facebook stores them in a folder called "Profile Pictures" that only you can see, so you can switch back to an old picture anytime or delete ones you no longer want.
Key Takeaways
- Your profile picture updates when ready across Facebook once you save it, and everyone who visits your profile sees the new image right away.
- You can upload a photo from your phone or computer, use your camera to take a new one, or pick from photos you have already posted.
- Facebook lets you crop the image before saving, so you can zoom in on your face or adjust what shows in the frame.
- Your old profile pictures stay in a folder called "Profile Pictures" that only you can see unless you change the privacy setting.
How to upload a photo from your phone or computer
Tap or click your profile picture in the top left corner of Facebook. A menu appears with several options. Select "Change profile picture" or the camera icon next to your current picture. A window opens showing three choices: "Upload photo", "Take photo", or "Choose photo".
If you choose "Upload photo", your device opens a file browser. Navigate to the folder where your photo is saved, tap or click the image, and it appears in the crop window. Use your fingers or mouse to move the image around and zoom in or out until your face is centered and the size looks right. When you are satisfied, tap or click "Save" or "Confirm" — the exact button name depends on whether you are on a phone or computer.
How to take a new photo with your camera
From the same menu, select "Take photo". Facebook opens your device's camera app. Frame your face in the viewfinder and tap the shutter button to take the picture. The photo then appears in the crop window, where you can adjust it the same way as an uploaded image.
On a computer, this option works only if your device has a built-in or connected camera. On a phone, it uses your front-facing camera by default, though you can usually switch to the rear camera if you prefer. After you take the shot, you get the same cropping tools as with any other photo.
How to choose a photo you have already posted
Select "Choose photo" from the menu. Facebook shows a grid of photos you have posted to your profile. Scroll through and tap or click the one you want. It appears in the crop window, ready to adjust.
This option is useful if you want to use a photo that is already on Facebook without uploading it again. You can only choose from photos you posted yourself — you cannot use photos from other people's profiles or photos where you are tagged but did not upload. Once you select the image, you can still crop and resize it before saving.
How to crop and frame your profile picture
After you select or take a photo, a crop window appears. The image sits inside a circle (on mobile) or a square (on desktop), which shows how your profile picture will look. Pinch or drag to move the image around, and pinch outward or use the zoom slider to make the image larger or smaller.
Position your face so it fills most of the frame and is centered. Avoid cutting off the top of your head or having too much empty space around your face. Once the framing looks right, tap or click "Save" or "Confirm". The new picture replaces your old one when ready and appears everywhere on your profile within seconds.
Where your old profile pictures go
Facebook keeps every profile picture you have ever used in a folder called "Profile Pictures". Only you can see this folder unless you change the privacy setting. To view your old pictures, go to your profile, click "Photos", then click "Profile Pictures" in the left sidebar.
You can make an old profile picture your current one again by opening the folder, clicking the photo you want, and selecting "Make profile picture" from the menu. You can also delete old profile pictures from this folder if you do not want them stored on Facebook anymore. Deleting a picture from this folder removes it permanently.
What happens when you change your profile picture
Your new profile picture appears on your profile page, in your comments, in your posts, and next to your name in messages within seconds. Anyone who visits your profile sees the new image right away. Your old profile picture disappears from view but stays in your "Profile Pictures" folder for you to access later.
If you have a profile frame (a decorative border around your picture), it stays in place with your new photo. If you want to remove the frame or change it, click your profile picture and select "Edit frame". The frame updates along with your picture across all of Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a photo where someone else is in the picture?
Yes. Facebook does not require your profile picture to show only your face. You can use a photo of you with other people, a pet, a landscape, or anything else. However, profile pictures work best when your face is clearly visible and recognizable, since that is how your friends identify you in comments and messages.
What size should my profile picture be?
Facebook automatically resizes your image to fit the profile picture frame, so you do not need to worry about exact dimensions. The platform works with photos of any size. Just make sure the image is clear and not blurry, and that your face is large enough to see.
Can I change my profile picture on the Facebook app and the website?
Yes. The steps are the same on both. You can change your picture using the Facebook app on your phone or the website on your computer, and the change syncs across all devices within seconds.
What if I want to hide my profile picture from certain people?
Facebook does not let you hide your profile picture from specific people. Your profile picture is visible to everyone who can see your profile. If you want to limit who sees your profile, you can change your profile privacy setting to "Friends only" or "Only me", which restricts who can view your entire profile including your picture.
Can I set a temporary profile picture that changes back automatically?
No. Once you change your profile picture, it stays until you change it again. Facebook does not have a feature to schedule a picture to revert after a certain time. If you want to use a picture temporarily, you will need to manually change it back when you are ready.