Find and remove your old profile picture in three steps
To delete an old profile picture on Facebook, go to your profile, click the profile picture itself, select "Delete" from the menu that appears, and confirm. The picture disappears from your profile when ready, though Facebook keeps a copy in its servers. If the photo is still visible to others after you delete it, wait a few minutes for the change to spread across Facebook's systems — this usually happens within seconds, but can occasionally take longer.
The process works the same whether you're on a computer or phone. The picture must be one you uploaded yourself; you cannot delete profile pictures that someone else tagged you in, though you can untag yourself from those.
Key Takeaways
- Click your profile picture from your profile page, then select "Delete" from the menu to remove it permanently from your account.
- Deleted profile pictures disappear from your profile right away, but Facebook retains copies on its servers for its own records.
- If a photo you want to remove was uploaded by someone else and you're tagged in it, you can untag yourself but cannot delete the original photo.
- Profile pictures you delete are gone from your profile history, but anyone who screenshotted or downloaded the image before deletion still has their own copy.
How to delete a profile picture on a computer
Open Facebook and go to your profile by clicking your name or profile picture in the top left corner. Once on your profile page, click directly on your current profile picture — the large photo at the top of your profile. A window will open showing the picture in full size.
Look for three dots or a menu icon in the top right corner of that window. Click it to open a dropdown menu. Select "Delete" from the options shown. Facebook will ask you to confirm — click "Delete Photo" to finish. Your profile picture is now removed and your profile will show no picture until you upload a new one.
How to delete a profile picture on a phone
Open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Tap "Profile" to go to your profile page. Tap your profile picture at the top of your profile. The photo will open in full screen.
Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the photo. Select "Delete" from the menu. Confirm by tapping "Delete Photo" when Facebook asks. The picture is removed from your profile when ready.
What happens to your profile picture after you delete it
When you delete a profile picture, it stops showing on your profile right away. Friends and other people who visit your profile will no longer see that photo. Your profile will appear without a picture until you upload a new one.
Facebook's servers keep a record of the deleted photo in case you want to recover it later, but the photo is no longer visible to anyone on the platform. If someone took a screenshot or downloaded the image before you deleted it, they still have their own copy — deletion only removes it from Facebook itself.
Deleting photos you're tagged in but didn't upload
If someone else uploaded a photo and tagged you in it, you cannot delete the original photo from their account. You can only remove the tag so the photo no longer appears on your profile. To do this, go to the photo, click the three dots, and select "Remove Tag." The photo stays on the other person's profile, but it no longer shows on yours.
If you want the photo removed entirely, you can message the person who uploaded it and ask them to delete it. If the photo violates Facebook's rules — for example, if it's a nude image or shows you without consent — you can report it to Facebook instead, and they will review whether it breaks their policies.
Recovering a deleted profile picture
Facebook keeps deleted photos for a limited time. To see if you can recover a profile picture you deleted, go to your profile and look for a section called "Photos" or "Photo Albums." Some deleted photos appear in a folder called "Trash" or "Recently Deleted," though this varies by account.
If you find the photo there, click it and select "Restore" to put it back on your profile. If the photo is not in a recovery folder, it may be too old to restore. In that case, you would need to find the original file on your computer or phone and upload it again as a new profile picture.
Why you might want to delete old profile pictures
People delete old profile pictures for many reasons: the photo no longer looks like them, they want a fresh start on their profile, they're concerned about privacy, or they straightforward prefer a different image. Removing old pictures is a straightforward way to control what appears on your profile and what image you present to friends and the public.
If you're cleaning up your profile as part of a broader privacy review, deleting old pictures is one step. You might also want to review your photo albums, adjust who can see your pictures, or delete photos you no longer want associated with your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete my profile picture if someone else is in the photo with me?
Yes. If you uploaded the photo, you can delete it even if other people are in it. They will no longer see that photo on your profile, but if they were tagged in it, they may still have a copy in their own tagged photos or memories.
Will deleting my profile picture notify my friends?
No. Facebook does not send notifications when you delete a profile picture. Your friends will straightforward see that your profile picture has changed the next time they visit your profile.
What if I delete my profile picture and then want it back?
Check your photo albums or a "Recently Deleted" folder on your profile — Facebook may have kept a copy you can restore. If not, you'll need to find the original image file on your computer or phone and upload it again.
Can I delete multiple old profile pictures at once?
No. Facebook requires you to delete profile pictures one at a time. Go to each photo on your profile, click the menu, and select delete. There is no bulk delete option for profile pictures.
Does deleting my profile picture delete it from my photo albums too?
Your profile picture and your photo albums are separate. If a photo is both your profile picture and in an album, deleting it as your profile picture does not remove it from the album. You would need to delete it from the album separately if you want it gone entirely.