Where to find the image change buttons on Facebook

Your profile picture and cover photo live in different places on your profile, and Facebook puts the change button right on top of each one. To change your profile picture, go to your profile page, look at the circular photo in the upper left, and hover your mouse over it — a camera icon will appear. Click that icon and you'll see options to upload a new photo, choose one from your existing photos, or take a new one with your camera.

Your cover photo is the large horizontal image at the top of your profile. Hover over it and you'll see a camera icon in the bottom right corner. Click it to upload a new cover photo, select from photos you've already posted, or take a fresh one. Both changes happen when ready — you don't need to save or confirm anything.

Key Takeaways

  • Your profile picture is the small circle in the upper left of your profile; hover over it to find the camera icon that lets you change it.
  • Your cover photo is the large banner image at the top of your profile; the camera icon appears in the bottom right corner when you hover.
  • You can upload a new image from your computer, choose an existing photo from your Facebook albums, or take a photo with your device's camera.
  • Profile pictures and cover photos change when ready and are visible to everyone who can see your profile, unless you've restricted who sees your profile.

Uploading a photo from your computer or phone

When you click the camera icon on either your profile picture or cover photo, Facebook gives you the option to "Upload Photo." Click that button and your device's file browser will open. Navigate to the folder where your image is saved, select the file, and click open. Facebook will then show you a preview of how the image will look on your profile.

For profile pictures, Facebook will let you crop and position the image so the part you want is centered and visible. For cover photos, you can drag the image around to choose which part shows. Once you're happy with how it looks, click "Save" or "Confirm" — the exact button name varies depending on whether you're on a phone or computer, but it's always at the bottom of the preview screen.

Choosing a photo you've already posted on Facebook

If you want to use a photo that's already on your Facebook account, click the camera icon and select "Choose from Photos." Facebook will show you your photo albums in order — your most recent uploads first. Scroll through until you find the image you want, click it, and then position it the same way you would for an uploaded photo.

This option is useful if you've already shared a photo on Facebook and want to reuse it without uploading the file again. You can also browse photos that other people have tagged you in, though those will be in a separate section labeled "Photos of You."

Taking a new photo with your device's camera

On phones and tablets, Facebook lets you take a photo directly from the app without leaving to open your camera separately. Click the camera icon on your profile picture or cover photo, then select "Take Photo." Your device's camera will open, and you can snap a new picture right there. Once you take the photo, you'll see a preview and can retake it if you don't like how it looks.

This is the fastest way to update your profile picture if you want a recent photo of yourself. The photo is taken and saved to your profile when ready — it doesn't get saved to your phone's camera roll unless you choose to save it separately.

Understanding who can see your new images

Your profile picture and cover photo are visible to everyone who can see your profile, based on your privacy settings. If your profile is public, anyone on Facebook can see both images. If your profile is set to friends only, only your friends can see them. If you've blocked someone, they cannot see your profile picture or cover photo.

You cannot set different privacy levels for your profile picture and cover photo separately — they follow your overall profile privacy setting. If you want to limit who sees a particular image, you'll need to change your profile privacy setting first, then update the photo.

Removing or temporarily hiding your profile picture

Facebook doesn't have a built-in option to remove your profile picture entirely — you must have some image there. However, you can upload a blank or solid-color image if you want your profile picture to be visually empty. Some people use a white square, a transparent image, or a solid color that matches their cover photo.

If you want to hide your profile picture temporarily, you can change your overall profile privacy to "Only Me" so that only you can see your profile. This hides your profile picture, cover photo, and all other profile information from everyone except you. When you change your privacy back to public or friends only, your images become visible again.

What to do if your image won't upload or looks wrong

If Facebook rejects your image, it's usually because the file is too large, in an unsupported format, or contains content that violates Facebook's policies. Facebook accepts JPG, PNG, and GIF files. If your image is very large (over 4 MB), try compressing it before uploading — most phones and computers have built-in tools to resize images.

If your image uploads but looks blurry or pixelated, the original file may be too small. Facebook recommends profile pictures be at least 170 pixels wide and cover photos be at least 820 pixels wide. If your image looks cropped wrong, try uploading it again and adjusting the crop and position in the preview screen before saving. If the problem persists, try a different image file to see whether the issue is with that specific photo or with your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my profile picture without notifying my friends?

Your profile picture change is visible to everyone who can see your profile, but Facebook doesn't send a notification about it. Your friends will see the new picture if they visit your profile, but they won't get an alert saying you changed it. Some third-party apps claim to notify friends of profile picture changes, but these are not official Facebook features.

What size should my profile picture be?

Facebook recommends profile pictures be at least 170 pixels wide, though larger is better. Cover photos should be at least 820 pixels wide and 312 pixels tall. If your image is smaller than these sizes, it may appear blurry. Most modern phone cameras and digital cameras take photos large enough to work well on Facebook.

Can I use the same image for both my profile picture and cover photo?

Yes, you can use the same image for both, though they display at different sizes and crops. Your profile picture is circular and small, while your cover photo is a large horizontal banner. The same image may look very different in each format, so you might want to choose images that work well in their respective shapes and sizes.

If I change my profile picture, does it change on my old posts?

No. Your profile picture appears next to your name on old posts, but it updates to show your current profile picture when someone views those old posts. The photo itself in the post doesn't change — only the small circular image next to your name does. This is why old posts show your current profile picture even if you've changed it since you posted.

Can I schedule a profile picture change for a specific date and time?

Facebook does not have a built-in scheduling feature for profile picture or cover photo changes. You must change them manually when you want them to go live. Some third-party apps claim to offer scheduling, but these are not official Facebook features and may not be find.