The quickest way to change your Facebook picture
Open Facebook and click your profile picture in the top left corner (on desktop) or tap the menu icon and select your name (on mobile). Click or tap the camera icon that appears over your current picture. Choose "Upload photo" to pick a new image from your device, or "Take a photo" to use your camera right now. Select the image you want, adjust it if needed by dragging to reposition, then click "Save".
The whole process takes about 30 seconds. Your new picture appears immediately on your profile and in comments and posts you make going forward. People who already follow you will see the change within a few minutes.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your profile picture from your profile page by clicking the camera icon over your current picture.
- Facebook lets you upload a photo from your device, take a new one with your camera, or choose from photos you have already posted.
- Your new picture shows up right away on your profile and in your activity, but may take a few minutes to appear everywhere across Facebook.
- You can also change your cover photo (the large banner behind your name) using the same camera icon method on the cover image itself.
Uploading a photo from your device
When you click "Upload photo", Facebook opens a file browser showing the folders on your computer or phone. Navigate to wherever you keep your pictures — usually a "Photos" or "Pictures" folder. Select the image you want and click "Open" or "Choose".
Facebook then shows you a preview of how the picture will look as your profile photo. You can drag the image around to change what part shows in the circular frame. Most people center their face or the main subject. Once you are happy with the positioning, click "Save" to make it official.
Taking a new photo with your camera
If you choose "Take a photo", Facebook accesses your device's camera. On a phone, you will see the camera view on your screen. Take the picture, review it, and tap the checkmark to accept it. On a computer with a built-in or connected webcam, Facebook will show you a live preview and let you click to capture.
After you take the photo, you get the same positioning screen where you can adjust what part of the image appears in your profile picture frame. This is useful if you want a fresh picture without hunting through your files.
Choosing from photos you have already posted
Facebook also lets you use any photo you have already uploaded to your account. When you click the camera icon, look for an option like "Choose from photos" or "Select photo". This opens a gallery of your past uploads organized by album.
This option is handy if you want to use a picture that was already on your profile or in an album, without downloading it to your device first. You still get to reposition it in the circular frame before saving.
What happens to your old profile picture
When you change your profile picture, Facebook does not delete the old one. Instead, it moves to a section called "Profile Pictures" in your photos. You can see all your past profile pictures by going to your profile, clicking "Photos", then selecting the "Profile Pictures" album.
This archive stays private unless you change your photo privacy settings. By default, only people who can see your profile can see your profile picture history. If you want to remove an old picture from this album entirely, you can delete it like any other photo.
Changing your cover photo at the same time
Your cover photo is the large banner image behind your name at the top of your profile. You can change it using almost the same steps: click the camera icon that appears over the cover image itself, then upload, take a new photo, or choose from existing photos.
Many people change both their profile picture and cover photo together to create a coordinated look. There is no rule about this — you can change one without the other, or change them on different schedules.
Troubleshooting if the change does not appear
If you change your picture but it still shows the old one, try refreshing the page or closing and reopening Facebook. Sometimes your browser holds onto the old image in its cache. On mobile, close the app completely and open it again.
If the new picture appears on your profile but not in your comments or posts, wait a few minutes. Facebook syncs the change across its servers, and this usually happens within 5 to 10 minutes. If it has been longer than that, log out and log back in to force a refresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a picture that is not of my face as my profile picture?
Yes. Facebook does not require your profile picture to be a photo of you. Many people use pictures of pets, artwork, logos, or anything else. The only restriction is that the image cannot violate Facebook's community standards — for example, it cannot contain hate speech or graphic violence.
What size should my profile picture be?
Facebook automatically resizes any image you upload to fit the profile picture frame. You do not need to resize it yourself beforehand. The platform works with photos of any size, from small phone pictures to large high-resolution images.
Can I make my profile picture private so only certain people see it?
Your profile picture visibility is tied to your overall profile privacy settings. If your profile is public, your profile picture is public. If your profile is set to friends-only, only friends can see your profile picture. You cannot make just the picture private while keeping the rest of your profile public.
What if I accidentally deleted a profile picture I wanted to keep?
Check your "Profile Pictures" album in your photos section — deleted pictures sometimes stay there for a while. If it is gone from there too, you can try downloading it from an older backup or post where it appeared, then re-upload it as your new profile picture.
Does changing my profile picture notify my friends?
Facebook does not send a notification when you change your profile picture, but the change shows up in your activity feed. Friends who look at your profile or scroll their feed may see that you updated your picture, but they are not alerted specifically about it.