Having a frame around your Facebook profile picture is a common occurrence that many users want to remove. Thankfully, getting rid of the frame is an easy process that can be done in just a few steps.
What is the Frame Around the Profile Picture?
The frame around your profile picture on Facebook is part of the design and layout of the site. It serves both functional and aesthetic purposes:
- The frame clearly delineates the profile picture from the background and other page elements.
- It gives a clean, finished look to each user’s profile picture.
- The frame’s color and shape may change during certain events, holidays, or causes to allow users to show support.
This frame is added automatically by Facebook any time a user uploads a new profile photo. Some users prefer the look of the frame, while others find it distracting or unnecessary. The good news is you can keep or remove the frame easily.
Step 1: Download Your Desired Profile Picture
Before you can remove the Facebook frame, you’ll need to have the desired profile picture saved on your computer:
- Go to your profile page and view your current profile picture.
- Right click on your profile picture and choose ‘Save image as’.
- Save the photo to your computer.
This will give you the raw image file without the surrounding frame. Make sure you save it as the highest quality available so it won’t be blurry or pixelated on your profile.
Step 2: Edit the Picture (Optional)
With the picture saved off of Facebook, you can now edit or modify it if desired. Some options include:
- Cropping or resizing the picture
- Adding filters and touch up effects
- Adding graphics or text
Use your favorite photo editing software like Photoshop, Gimp, Pixelmator, or an online editor. Just make sure to save the new file.
Step 3: Reupload the Picture to Facebook
Now you’re ready to upload the edited or original picture to your profile:
- Go to your Facebook profile.
- Click on your current profile picture to open the edit options.
- Choose ‘Update Profile Picture’ to select a photo from your computer.
- Find and select the saved profile picture.
- Click ‘Open’ or ‘Choose’ to upload the new profile picture.
That’s it! The picture will now display on your profile without the surrounding frame. You are free to change it back any time if you prefer the framed look.
Troubleshooting Tips
If the frame still appears after updating your profile picture, try these tips:
- Be sure you selected the correct saved version of the picture without the frame.
- Double check that the picture is high resolution and meets Facebook’s size requirements.
- After uploading, wait a few minutes and refresh your profile to see if the frame disappears.
- Resize or crop your picture slightly and reupload it.
Sometimes minor edits or reuploading the picture can help clear any glitches with the frame appearing. If it still remains, you may need to contact Facebook support for assistance removing it.
Maintaining Your Frameless Profile Picture
A few things to keep in mind once you’ve successfully removed the profile picture frame:
- If you edit your profile picture on Facebook, the frame will likely reappear.
- Uploading a new profile picture directly will also add the frame back.
- Always save an edited or frameless version of your profile picture offline.
- You can then reupload this version anytime to maintain a frameless look.
Essentially, you will have to repeat the process of saving the picture offline, editing it, and reuploading whenever you want a new frameless profile photo on Facebook.
Using Other Options to Customize Your Profile Picture
In addition to removing the frame, there are a couple other options to customize your profile picture on Facebook:
Temporary Frames
As mentioned earlier, Facebook will sometimes add temporary frames automatically to all profile pictures for events, causes, or holidays. For example:
- Colored rainbow frames for Pride Month
- Flag frames for the World Cup or other major sporting events
- Red frames for World AIDS Day
These are applied across all user profiles, but you can opt-out by removing your frame during that time period.
Profile Picture Borders
Facebook has an option to add borders to your profile picture with different patterns, shapes, and colors. This can allow you to customize the look while keeping a frame.
To use profile picture borders:
- Go to your profile picture.
- Click ‘Add Frame’ below your picture.
- Browse different border options and select one.
- Adjust the scale and placement.
- Save changes to apply border.
The border will then display around your profile picture. You can change or remove it any time.
Conclusion
Removing the Facebook profile picture frame only takes a few easy steps, but makes a big difference in customizing your profile. Simply save your picture, edit it as desired, and reupload the version without the frame. Be aware the frame may reappear if you edit or change the photo on Facebook directly. Maintain an offline frameless version of your profile picture to reapply anytime you want to keep the clean, borderless look on your profile.