Having a popular profile picture that has received a lot of likes on social media can be a great feeling. However, sometimes you may want to update your profile picture but are hesitant to lose all of those hard-earned likes. Thankfully, there are some tricks you can use to set a new profile picture while keeping the likes on your old one.
Keep the Old Profile Picture
The simplest way to keep the likes on your old profile picture is to not delete it. On most social media platforms, when you upload a new profile photo, it doesn’t automatically delete the old one. Your previous profile pictures are still saved in your albums or media.
For example, on Facebook your old profile picture will be saved in the Photos section under Profile Pictures. As long as you don’t actively delete that old photo, all of the likes and comments will remain there.
Similarly, on Instagram your previous profile photos are saved under the Posts section. Just leave them there, and don’t archive or delete them.
Repost the Old Photo
If for some reason you do delete your old profile photo, you may be able to repost it to recover the likes. On Facebook, you can share your old profile picture directly from the Photos section to your Timeline. This will create a new post with your old photo.
On Instagram, you can download your old profile picture first, then upload and post it like a new photo. It can be annoying to have to repost the photo, but it should retain all of the previous interactions.
Change Profile Picture Temporarily
Some social networks allow you to temporarily change your profile picture without overriding the main one. This is handy for trying out a new look while keeping your primary photo intact.
On Facebook, you can choose to set a picture as your Temporary Profile Picture. After 7 days it will revert back to your main profile photo. You can repeat this as often as you want.
Facebook also has Frames where you can overlay graphics and images over your current profile picture. This allows you to spice up your photo for holidays, events, causes, etc without changing the underlying picture.
Use Photo Editing Apps
If you want to give your profile picture a fresh look, you may be able to edit the original photo rather than replace it. Photo editing apps like Photoshop Express, Snapseed, and Adobe Lightroom allow you to alter photos right on your mobile device.
Try using filters or presets for an instant effect. You can also crop, adjust colors, and retouch a photo to update it. This way you can keep the likes on your original photo but still change the look.
Ask Followers to Like the New Photo
When transitioning to a new profile photo, you can ask your followers to like the new picture to regain lost likes. On your bio or in a post, let people know you are updating your photo and to show support.
Say that you are sad to lose the likes on your previous profile picture, and hope people will interact with your new one. Give it some time, and hopefully your followers will organically like your new photo again.
Use Your Old Photo in Other Ways
Just because your old profile picture is removed doesn’t mean it has to go to waste. Look for creative ways to reuse that popular photo in other areas of your social media.
Set it as the thumbnail for your YouTube videos or the header image on your Twitter page. Use it in blog posts, Snapchat stories, Instagram carousels, Facebook albums, or anywhere else visuals can be added.
This allows you to get more mileage out of your top-performing visual content even after retiring it as your profile photo.
Let Go of the Likes
At the end of the day, social media likes are fairly trivial. While it’s nice to have a popular profile picture, the number of likes you receive does not define your worth or talent.
If changing your profile picture is necessary for accurately representing yourself, don’t let the loss of likes deter you. Take time to build engagement on your new profile photo until it feels right again.
Remind yourself that high-quality content and meaningful connections are far more important than vanity metrics. The right followers will engage with the real you.
Conclusion
Having to give up a well-liked profile picture can be tough. But with a few simple tactics, you can make a smooth transition to a new photo while maintaining your hard-earned likes.
Keep your old profile photo stored but not public, repost it after changing the picture, use temporary profile photos, edit the original image, ask followers to like your new photo, repurpose the old image, or let go of the like count obsession.
With some strategic planning, you can freshen up your social media presence without losing engagement. Focus on quality connections and content rather than arbitrary internet points.