Where to find your profile photo settings
Your profile photo on Facebook lives in the top left corner of your profile page. To change it, go to your profile by clicking your name or the profile icon in the top right corner of Facebook. Once you're on your profile page, look for your current photo — it appears as a circle in the upper left area.
Hover your mouse over that circular photo and you'll see a camera icon appear in the bottom right corner of the image. Click that camera icon and Facebook will show you two options: "Upload Photo" or "Choose from Photos". This is where the actual change happens.
Key Takeaways
- Click the camera icon that appears when you hover over your current profile photo to open the upload menu.
- You can upload a new photo from your computer, take one with your camera, or choose from photos you've already posted on Facebook.
- Facebook compresses photos, so uploading a clear, well-lit image works better than a blurry or dark one.
- Your new profile photo appears immediately to your friends and the public, depending on your privacy settings.
- You can change your profile photo as often as you want — there's no limit to how many times you do this.
Uploading a photo from your computer
Click "Upload Photo" from the menu that appears. Your computer will open a file browser window showing your folders and files. Navigate to wherever you keep your photos — usually a "Pictures" folder or "Downloads" folder. Select the photo you want and click "Open".
Facebook will then show you the photo and ask you to position it in a square frame. You can drag the photo around or use the zoom slider to make it bigger or smaller. The square frame is important because that's what people will see as your profile picture. Once you're happy with how it looks in the frame, click "Save" or "Confirm".
Choosing a photo you've already posted
If you've already posted photos on Facebook and want to use one as your profile picture, click "Choose from Photos" instead of "Upload Photo". Facebook will show you all the photos you've posted, organized by album. Scroll through until you find the one you want.
Click the photo and Facebook will show it in the square frame again, letting you position it the same way as an uploaded photo. This is useful if you've already shared a photo with friends and want to make it your profile picture without uploading it twice.
Taking a photo with your camera or phone
If you're using Facebook on a phone or tablet, the process is slightly different. Open your profile the same way, tap the camera icon on your profile photo, and you'll see options including "Take a Photo". Tap that option and your device will open the camera app.
Take your photo, confirm it looks good, and your device will ask permission to use it. Once you approve, the photo goes into the upload frame where you can position it in the square. Tap "Save" when you're done. On a computer, you can also click "Take a Photo" if your computer has a built-in camera, though this is less common.
What happens after you change your photo
Your new profile photo appears on your profile page immediately. It also shows up next to your name on posts and comments you make. Friends will see it in their feeds and notifications. The old photo disappears from your profile, though Facebook keeps it in your photo albums if you want to look back at it later.
The timing of when others see the change depends on how Facebook's system updates. Usually it's instant, but occasionally it takes a few minutes for the new photo to show everywhere. If someone doesn't see your new photo right away, they probably just need to refresh their browser or close and reopen the app.
Fixing common problems with profile photos
If your photo looks blurry or pixelated after you upload it, the issue is usually the original file. Facebook compresses photos to save space, so starting with a clear, well-lit image helps. Avoid photos that are too dark, too small, or already blurry. A photo that's at least 400 pixels wide works well.
If the photo won't upload at all, check that the file is in a common format like JPG or PNG. If you're on a slow internet connection, the upload might time out — try again on a faster connection. If you see an error message, try a different photo to see if the problem is with that specific file or with Facebook itself.
Controlling who sees your profile photo
Your profile photo is visible to everyone by default — both friends and people who aren't your friends. Facebook doesn't give you an option to hide your profile photo from specific people or groups. If you want more control over who sees your face, your only option is to use a photo that isn't a close-up of your face, like a landscape, pet, or object.
You can still control who sees the rest of your profile by adjusting your privacy settings, but the profile photo itself follows the same visibility rules as your name. It appears in search results and on your profile page regardless of those settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a photo that's not of my face as my profile picture?
Yes. Facebook doesn't require your profile photo to be a picture of you. You can use a photo of a pet, a landscape, an object, or anything else. Some people use logos or artwork. The only requirement is that it follows Facebook's community standards — no nudity, violence, or hate speech.
What happens to my old profile photos?
When you change your profile photo, the old one stays in your photo albums. Facebook keeps all photos you've ever uploaded unless you delete them yourself. You can go back and look at old profile photos anytime by visiting your photo albums.
How often can I change my profile photo?
You can change your profile photo as many times as you want. There's no limit. Some people change it daily, others keep the same one for years. Facebook doesn't restrict how frequently you make changes.
Why does my profile photo look different on my phone than on my computer?
The photo itself is the same, but the screen size is different. On a phone, the circular profile photo appears smaller, so details might be harder to see. The actual image Facebook stores is identical — it's just displayed at different sizes on different devices.
Can I change my profile photo back to an old one?
Yes. Go to your photo albums, find the old photo you want to use, and click the three dots menu on that photo. Select "Make Profile Picture" and it becomes your profile photo again. You don't have to re-upload it.