Change your profile picture from your phone or computer
To change your Facebook profile picture, tap or click your profile icon in the top left corner, select "Profile," then tap or click the camera icon that appears over your current photo. Choose whether to take a new photo, upload one from your device, or select from photos you have already posted. Facebook will let you crop and position the image before you confirm the change.
The process is the same on Facebook's mobile app and on a web browser — the camera icon is always positioned in the bottom right corner of your profile photo. Once you upload or take a photo, you can adjust how it appears by dragging it within the frame before you save.
Your new profile picture appears when ready to everyone on Facebook. You can change it as often as you want, and Facebook keeps a record of your previous profile pictures that only you can see.
Key Takeaways
- Open your profile, find the camera icon over your current photo, and select whether to take a new photo, upload from your device, or choose from existing posts.
- You can crop and reposition the image in the frame before you save the change.
- Your new profile picture is visible to everyone on Facebook when ready after you save it.
- Facebook stores all your previous profile pictures, and you can view or restore an old one from your profile photo history.
- Profile pictures are different from cover photos — the cover photo is the large banner image at the top of your profile.
Where to find the camera icon on mobile
On the Facebook mobile app, open your profile by tapping the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right, then tap your name at the top of the menu. Your profile opens with your current photo displayed. The camera icon appears in the bottom right corner of your photo — tap it to start the upload process.
After you tap the camera icon, Facebook shows you three options: "Take a Photo" (which uses your phone's camera), "Upload Photo" (which opens your device's photo library), or "Choose from Photos" (which shows pictures you have already posted to Facebook). Select whichever matches what you want to do.
Where to find the camera icon on a computer
On a web browser, click your profile icon in the top left corner of Facebook, then click "Profile" from the dropdown menu. Your profile page opens with your current photo displayed. Hover your mouse over the photo until you see the camera icon appear in the bottom right corner, then click it.
A menu appears with the same three options: "Upload Photo," "Take a Photo," or "Choose from Photos." If you choose "Upload Photo," your computer's file browser opens so you can select an image from your device. If you choose "Take a Photo," Facebook will ask permission to use your computer's camera.
How to crop and position your new profile picture
After you select or upload a photo, Facebook shows you a preview with a circular frame overlaid on the image. This frame shows how your profile picture will appear to other people — only the part inside the circle is visible. You can drag the image left, right, up, or down to position it however you want within that circle.
Some phones also let you pinch to zoom in or out on the image before you save. Once you are happy with how it looks, tap or click the checkmark or "Save" button to confirm the change. Your new profile picture is now live.
Viewing or restoring a previous profile picture
Facebook keeps a record of every profile picture you have ever used. To see them, open your profile, click or tap the camera icon over your current photo, then select "See all photos" or "View profile picture history" (the exact wording depends on whether you are on mobile or a computer). A gallery of your past profile pictures appears in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top.
If you want to use an old profile picture again, click or tap it in the gallery, then select "Set as Profile Picture." Facebook restores it when ready. This is useful if you accidentally changed your picture and want to go back, or if you straightforward prefer how you looked in an older photo.
What happens to your old profile picture
When you change your profile picture, your old one does not disappear — it moves to your profile picture history, which only you can see. Other people on Facebook see only your current profile picture on your profile page and next to your name in comments and posts.
If you want to delete an old profile picture from your history entirely, open the history, click or tap the picture you want to remove, and select "Delete." This removes it from your history, but it does not affect any posts where that photo was tagged or shared by other people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can other people see my old profile pictures?
No. Your profile picture history is private and visible only to you. Other people see only your current profile picture on your profile and next to your comments and posts. They cannot access your history of previous pictures.
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. However, photos that are already square or close to square tend to look better because less of the image gets cropped by the circular frame.
Can I use a photo that is not on my phone or computer?
Yes. If you choose "Choose from Photos," Facebook shows you all pictures you have already posted to your profile or tagged in. You can select any of those images and use it as your profile picture without uploading it again.
Does changing my profile picture notify my friends?
Facebook does not send a notification when you change your profile picture, but your friends may see it if they visit your profile or if it appears in their news feed. Some people choose to post about a new profile picture if they want to draw attention to the change.
Is my profile picture the same as my cover photo?
No. Your profile picture is the circular image that appears in the top left of your profile and next to your name everywhere on Facebook. Your cover photo is the large banner image that stretches across the top of your profile page. They are changed separately using different camera icons.