The quickest way to change your Facebook photo

Open Facebook on your phone or computer and tap or click your profile picture in the top left corner. Select Change Profile Picture from the menu that appears. Choose whether you want to upload a photo from your device, take a new one with your camera, or pick one you have already posted. Once you select your photo, Facebook will crop it to a square and ask you to confirm — then it publishes right away.

The whole process takes about 30 seconds. Your new photo shows up on your profile when ready and appears next to your name in comments and posts. If you change your mind, you can swap it out again at any time using the same steps.

Key Takeaways

  • Tap or click your profile picture, then select Change Profile Picture from the dropdown menu.
  • You can upload a photo from your device, take a new one with your camera, or use a photo you have already posted on Facebook.
  • Facebook automatically crops your photo to a square and shows you a preview before you confirm.
  • Your new profile picture appears when ready across your profile, comments, and posts.
  • You can change your profile picture as often as you want — there is no limit.

Step-by-step on a phone

Open the Facebook app and look at the bottom of your screen. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the right side. Scroll down and tap your name to go to your profile. At the top of your profile, you will see your current profile picture. Tap it directly.

A menu will pop up with three options: Take a Photo, Upload Photo, or Choose Photo. If you want to use your phone's camera right now, tap Take a Photo and allow Facebook to use your camera. If you want to pick a photo already on your phone, tap Upload Photo and browse your photo library. If you want to use a photo you have already posted on Facebook, tap Choose Photo and scroll through your past posts.

Once you pick your photo, Facebook will show you a preview with a square frame around the part it will use. You can pinch to zoom in or out, or drag the photo to move it around inside the frame. When it looks right, tap Use This Photo at the bottom. Your new profile picture is now live.

Step-by-step on a computer

Go to Facebook.com and log in. In the top left corner, click your profile picture. A dropdown menu will appear. Click Change Profile Picture. A window will open with the same three options: Upload Photo, Take a Photo, or Choose Photo.

If you want to upload a photo from your computer, click Upload Photo, find the file on your device, and click Open. If your computer has a webcam and you want to take a new photo, click Take a Photo, allow Facebook to use your camera, and click the camera button to snap the picture. If you want to use a photo you have already posted, click Choose Photo and scroll through your timeline.

After you pick your photo, you will see a preview with a square crop box. Click and drag the photo to position it, or use the zoom slider to make it bigger or smaller. When you are happy with how it looks, click Use This Photo. Your profile picture updates when ready.

What happens to your old profile picture

When you change your profile picture, Facebook moves your old one to a folder called Profile Pictures. You can see all your past profile pictures by going to your profile, clicking your current profile picture, and then clicking the camera icon. This opens your profile picture album, where every photo you have ever used is stored in order from newest to oldest.

Your old profile pictures stay private — only you can see them unless you posted them elsewhere on Facebook. If you want to go back to an old profile picture, you can click on it in the profile picture album and select Make Profile Picture. You can also delete old profile pictures from this album if you do not want to keep them, though Facebook keeps a copy on its servers even after you delete it from your album.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Uploading a photo that is too small: Facebook works best with photos that are at least 400 pixels wide. If your photo is smaller, it may look blurry or pixelated when Facebook enlarges it. Check your photo's size before you upload — on most phones, go to your photo library, tap the photo, and look for "Details" or "Info" to see the dimensions.

Forgetting to adjust the crop: Facebook automatically crops your photo to a square, but it may cut off your head or focus on the wrong part of the image. Always look at the preview and drag the photo around so your face is centered and clearly visible. A profile picture that is mostly your face works better than one that is mostly background.

Using a photo that is too dark or blurry: Your profile picture appears small next to your name in comments and posts, so it needs to be clear and well-lit. Avoid photos taken in dim lighting or with motion blur. A straightforward, well-lit headshot works best.

If your photo will not upload

If you tap or click Upload Photo and nothing happens, first check that you have a strong internet connection — switch to WiFi if you are on mobile data. Close the Facebook app completely and open it again, or refresh the page if you are on a computer. Try uploading a different photo to see if the problem is with that specific file.

If a different photo uploads fine, the original photo may be in a format Facebook does not support (like HEIF on older Android phones) or it may be corrupted. Try taking a new photo with your phone's camera instead, or converting the photo to JPG format on your computer before uploading. If nothing works, contact Facebook through the app's Help Center — tap the menu icon, scroll to Help & Support, and tap Help Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a photo that is not of my face?

Yes. Facebook does not require your profile picture to be a photo of you — you can use a photo of your pet, a landscape, a logo, or anything else. Keep in mind that people use your profile picture to recognize you, so something recognizable works better than a random image.

Does everyone see my new profile picture right away?

Yes. Your new profile picture appears when ready on your profile and next to your name in all your comments and posts. People who follow you may see a notification that you changed your photo, depending on their notification settings.

Can I make my profile picture private so only certain people see it?

No. Your profile picture is always visible to anyone who can see your profile. If you want to limit who sees your profile picture, you need to change your overall profile privacy settings to restrict who can view your profile at all.

What size should my profile picture be?

Facebook accepts photos between 400 and 1200 pixels wide. Larger photos give you more detail, but any size in that range will work. Your phone's camera takes photos large enough automatically.

Can I change my profile picture on Facebook Messenger?

No. You have to change your profile picture through the main Facebook app or website. Your Messenger profile picture is the same as your Facebook profile picture, so changing one changes the other.