Where to find your avatar settings

Your avatar — the small circular photo that appears next to your name on Facebook — lives in your profile settings, not in a separate menu. The fastest way to reach it is to click your profile picture in the top right corner of Facebook, then select "Settings and privacy" from the dropdown menu that appears.

Once you're in Settings and privacy, click "Settings". You'll see a left sidebar with different categories. Look for "Personal information" and click it. Under that section, you'll see "Profile picture" listed as one of your options. This is where you change what appears as your avatar across Facebook.

If you're on a mobile phone, the process is similar but the menu layout differs slightly. Tap the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) in the bottom right corner, scroll down to "Settings and privacy", then tap "Settings". From there, tap "Personal information" and then "Profile picture".

Key Takeaways

  • Your avatar settings are in Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information > Profile picture, not in a separate photo menu.
  • You can upload a new photo from your device, choose an existing photo from your Facebook albums, or use a photo you've already posted.
  • Facebook stores your old profile pictures in a dedicated album, so you can switch back to a previous avatar without re-uploading.
  • Your avatar change is visible to everyone who can see your profile, unless you've restricted who can view your profile picture specifically.
  • The photo you choose as your avatar also appears as your messenger icon and on comments you make across Facebook.

Uploading a new photo as your avatar

Once you're in the Profile picture section, you'll see a button that says "Upload photo" or shows a camera icon. Click or tap it. Your device will open a file browser where you can select an image from your computer or phone. Facebook accepts JPG, PNG, and GIF files. The photo doesn't need to be a specific size — Facebook will let you crop it to fit the circular avatar shape after you upload.

After you select a photo, Facebook shows you a preview of how it will look as your avatar. You'll see the circular crop area with handles you can drag to position the photo the way you want it. Zoom in or out using the slider if you need to adjust how much of the photo shows. Once you're satisfied with how it looks, click "Save" or "Confirm".

The change takes effect when ready. Your new avatar appears next to your name on your profile, in comments, in messenger conversations, and anywhere else your profile picture displays on Facebook.

Choosing from photos you've already posted

You don't have to upload a brand new file. Facebook lets you use any photo that's already in your albums. In the Profile picture section, look for an option that says "Choose from photos" or shows a photo gallery icon. Click it, and Facebook displays your photo albums.

Browse through your albums until you find the photo you want to use. Click on it, and you'll get the same cropping preview screen as you would with a new upload. Position the crop area the way you want it, then save. This method is useful if you want to use a photo that's already on Facebook without uploading it again.

Understanding your profile picture album

Every time you change your avatar, Facebook automatically saves your old profile pictures in a special album called "Profile pictures". You can view this album by going to your profile, clicking "Photos", and looking for the "Profile pictures" album in the list. This album is visible to anyone who can see your profile, unless you've changed your privacy settings.

The profile pictures album is useful if you want to switch back to an avatar you used months or years ago. Instead of searching through all your photos or re-uploading, you can straightforward click on the old photo in the Profile pictures album and set it as your current avatar. Facebook remembers when each photo was your avatar, so you can see the timeline of your profile pictures.

Privacy and who can see your avatar

Your avatar is one of the most visible parts of your profile. By default, anyone who can see your profile can see your avatar. However, Facebook lets you control this separately from your overall profile privacy. In your profile picture settings, you'll see privacy options that let you choose who can see your profile picture — "Public", "Friends", "Friends except", or "Only me".

Keep in mind that even if you restrict who can see your profile picture, Facebook may still display it in certain places, such as in your own messages to friends or in notifications you send. The privacy setting controls who can view your profile picture when they visit your profile or see your profile information, not every place it appears on the platform.

Troubleshooting common avatar problems

If your new avatar doesn't appear after you save it, try refreshing the page or closing and reopening Facebook. Sometimes the change takes a few seconds to display across all of Facebook's servers. If you're on mobile, try closing the app completely and reopening it.

If Facebook rejects your photo with an error message, the file may be too large, corrupted, or in an unsupported format. Try converting the image to JPG format using a free online converter, or try a different photo. If the problem persists, your internet connection may be unstable — try again on a stronger connection.

If you want to remove your avatar entirely and show no profile picture, Facebook doesn't offer a true "no avatar" option. However, you can use a blank or transparent image as your avatar to achieve a similar effect. Some users upload a solid-colored square or a minimalist image instead.

How avatar changes affect your activity and privacy

When you change your avatar, Facebook doesn't notify your friends that you've made the change. Your new picture straightforward appears the next time they see your profile or interact with you. However, your change does appear in your activity log, which you can view in your privacy settings if you want to see a record of when you changed your avatar.

Changing your avatar does not affect your privacy settings, your friend list, or any other part of your account. It's purely a visual change. If you've restricted who can see your profile picture, changing the image doesn't change those restrictions — the new avatar will be visible to the same people the old one was.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a photo that's not on Facebook as my avatar?

Yes. In the Profile picture section, click "Upload photo" and select any image file from your device. Facebook doesn't require the photo to already exist on the platform. You can upload a completely new image that you've never posted before.

What happens to my old profile pictures when I change my avatar?

Facebook saves all your old profile pictures in your "Profile pictures" album automatically. You can view them anytime by going to your Photos section. You can switch back to any old avatar by clicking on it in that album and selecting "Set as profile picture".

Can I change my avatar on mobile the same way as on a computer?

The process is the same, but the menu layout is slightly different on mobile. Use the hamburger menu (three lines) instead of the profile picture dropdown, then navigate to Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information > Profile picture. The upload and cropping steps work identically.

Does everyone see my new avatar right away?

Your new avatar appears on your profile when ready, but it may take a few seconds to display everywhere across Facebook — in comments, messenger, and other places. If you don't see it update after refreshing, try closing and reopening the app or browser.

Can I hide my profile picture from certain people?

Yes. In your profile picture settings, you can choose who sees your avatar using the privacy dropdown. You can set it to "Public", "Friends", "Friends except" (to hide it from specific people), or "Only me". This setting applies to your current avatar and any future ones you choose.