The quickest way to change your profile picture
Open Facebook on your phone or computer and tap or click your profile icon in the top left corner. Select "Profile" from the menu. On your profile page, hover over or tap your current profile picture — a camera icon will appear. Click or tap that icon, then choose "Upload photo" to pick a new image from your device, or "Take a photo" if you want to use your camera right now.
The photo uploads when ready and becomes your new profile picture. Facebook keeps your old profile pictures in an album called "Profile Pictures" that only you can see unless you change the privacy settings. You can switch back to any previous picture anytime by going through the same steps and selecting "Choose from photos".
On mobile, the process is identical — the camera icon appears in the same spot, and the upload happens just as fast. The whole change takes under a minute on any device.
Key Takeaways
- Your profile picture updates when ready across Facebook once you upload it, and the change is visible to everyone who can see your profile.
- Facebook stores all your old profile pictures in a private "Profile Pictures" album that you can return to at any time.
- You can upload a photo from your device, take a new photo with your camera, or choose from photos you have already posted.
- The camera icon appears when you hover over or tap your current profile picture on your profile page.
Where to find the upload option on different devices
On a computer, log into Facebook and click your profile icon (usually a small circle with your picture or initials) in the top left of the page. Click "Profile" in the dropdown menu. Your profile page opens. Move your mouse over your profile picture in the top left section of your profile — a camera icon appears in the bottom right corner of the picture. Click it.
On an iPhone or Android phone, tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) at the bottom right of the screen. Scroll down and tap "Profile". Tap your profile picture at the top of the page. A camera icon appears — tap it. The rest of the steps are the same on both phone types.
If you are using Facebook in a web browser on your phone instead of the app, the steps match the computer version — hover over the picture and tap the camera icon when it appears.
Choosing and uploading your new picture
After you tap or click the camera icon, Facebook shows you three options: "Upload photo", "Take a photo", and "Choose from photos". "Upload photo" lets you pick an image already saved on your device — your phone's photo library, your computer's downloads folder, or anywhere else you store files. "Take a photo" opens your device's camera so you can take a picture right then. "Choose from photos" shows pictures you have already posted on Facebook.
Once you select a photo, Facebook may ask you to crop it — you can drag the edges to frame the picture however you want. The crop is optional; you can skip it and use the whole photo. After you confirm the crop (or skip it), the picture uploads and becomes your profile picture when ready.
Facebook accepts JPG, PNG, and GIF files. The image should be at least 180 pixels wide and 180 pixels tall, though larger images work better because Facebook displays profile pictures at different sizes across the site. There is no file size limit that will stop you from uploading.
What happens to your old profile pictures
When you change your profile picture, Facebook does not delete the old one. Instead, it moves to your "Profile Pictures" album, which is private by default — only you can see it. To view all your old profile pictures, go to your profile page, scroll down to the "Photos" section, and click "Profile Pictures". You will see every picture you have ever set as your profile picture, with the most recent at the top.
You can change the privacy settings on individual old pictures if you want to share them with friends or make them public. Click the picture, then click the privacy icon (usually a globe or lock symbol) to adjust who can see it. You can also delete old profile pictures from this album if you do not want to keep them, though deleting them does not affect your current profile picture.
Changing your profile picture back to an old one
If you want to use a picture you have already set as your profile picture before, go to your profile page and tap or click the camera icon on your current profile picture. Select "Choose from photos". Facebook shows your "Profile Pictures" album first. Find the picture you want and click or tap it. You can crop it again if you want, or skip the crop and confirm. The old picture becomes your new profile picture.
This is faster than uploading a new file because the picture is already on Facebook's servers. The switch happens when ready, and the picture you chose moves to the top of your "Profile Pictures" album as the most recent one.
Privacy and who can see your profile picture
Your profile picture is visible to everyone who can see your profile, regardless of your privacy settings for other photos. If your profile is public, anyone on Facebook can see your profile picture. If your profile is set to friends only, only your friends can see it. If someone is blocked, they cannot see your profile picture or any part of your profile.
You cannot hide your profile picture from specific people while keeping it visible to others — it is either visible to a group (public, friends, or custom list) or not visible to them at all. If you want to change who sees your profile picture, you need to change your overall profile privacy settings, not the picture itself.
Facebook also uses your profile picture in search results and in comments you post. The picture appears next to your name whenever you comment on a public post or page. If you change your profile picture, these locations update automatically within a few minutes.
Troubleshooting if the camera icon does not appear
If you hover over or tap your profile picture and the camera icon does not show up, try refreshing the page or closing and reopening the Facebook app. Sometimes the icon fails to load on the first try. On a computer, try a different web browser — if it works in Chrome but not Safari, the issue is usually a browser cache problem. Clear your browser cache and try again.
If you are on a phone and the camera icon still does not appear, make sure Facebook has permission to access your camera and photo library. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Camera and Photos, and turn on permission for Facebook. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Permissions, and turn on Camera and Photos. Restart the Facebook app after you change the permissions.
If the upload fails after you select a photo, the file may be too large or in an unsupported format. Try a different image, or convert the file to JPG format using a free tool like Pixlr or Canva before uploading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set different profile pictures for different people to see?
No. Your profile picture is the same for everyone who can see your profile. You can only control whether a group of people (like friends, public, or a custom list) can see your profile at all. If you want different people to see different pictures, you would need separate accounts, which Facebook does not recommend.
What size should my profile picture be?
Facebook recommends at least 180 by 180 pixels, but larger images display better because your profile picture appears at different sizes across the site — in comments, search results, and on your profile page itself. A square image works best. If your image is not square, Facebook lets you crop it to square during upload.
How long does it take for my new profile picture to show up everywhere on Facebook?
Your profile picture updates on your profile page when ready. It may take a few minutes to appear in search results, comments, and other places around Facebook, but usually it shows up within five minutes. If it has not changed after an hour, try refreshing the page or logging out and back in.
Can I upload a profile picture that is not a photo of me?
Yes. Facebook does not require your profile picture to be a photo of yourself. You can use artwork, a logo, a pet, a landscape, or anything else. However, if you use a fake picture or someone else's photo, Facebook may ask you to confirm your identity later, especially if you are trying to recover a locked account.
What happens to my profile picture if I deactivate my account?
If you deactivate your Facebook account, your profile picture and all other profile information becomes hidden from other users, but Facebook keeps it on its servers. If you reactivate your account later, your profile picture and all your data return exactly as they were. If you permanently delete your account instead of deactivating it, Facebook deletes your profile picture after 90 days.