Updating your Facebook profile picture is a great way to freshen up your profile, but you may not want everyone to be notified about it right away. The good news is that Facebook offers options to update your profile picture with minimal or no notifications. In this article, we’ll walk through the steps to change your profile photo on Facebook desktop or mobile app with limited or no notifications to other users.
Should you update your Facebook profile picture?
Here are some key considerations on whether to update your Facebook profile photo:
- Do you want a new look? Updating your profile picture can help give your profile a fresh look.
- Have you updated it recently? If your current picture is very old, changing it can help keep your profile current.
- Do you want to update life events? Updating with a new photo of a major life event like graduation, new job, or marriage can be meaningful.
- Is your current photo unflattering? Changing from an unflattering or blurry current photo can improve your profile.
In most cases, updating your Facebook profile picture periodically is recommended to keep your profile looking updated. But you may prefer to do so without triggering notifications to all your friends and family.
How to update profile picture on desktop
Here are the steps to update your Facebook profile picture on a desktop computer with limited notifications:
- Go to your profile page and click on your profile picture in the top left. Select “Update Profile Picture”.
- Click on the profile picture you want to use to select it.
- Click on the audience selector that says “Public” by default. Change it to “Friends” or “Only Me”.
- Click “Save” to confirm the photo change. The page will refresh with your new profile picture.
Setting the audience to “Friends” will share the update with your friends only. “Only Me” will prevent notifications and limit visibility to just you.
How to update profile picture on mobile
On the Facebook mobile app, here are the steps to change your profile photo with limited visibility:
- Tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
- Tap on your profile picture to go to your profile.
- Tap on your profile picture again to bring up the update icon.
- Select a new photo and tap “Choose”.
- Tap the audience selector, choose “Friends” or “Only Me” and tap “Done”.
- Tap “Save” to confirm the profile picture change.
As on desktop, setting the audience limits notifications of your updated profile picture.
How to turn off notifications when updating profile picture
If you want to eliminate notifications entirely for your new profile picture, here are steps to do so:
- Go to the “…” menu at the top right of your profile.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” then “Settings”.
- Click on “Notifications” on the left menu.
- Turn off notifications for “Profile Picture Changes”.
This will prevent all notifications to your friends when you update your profile photo in the future.
Privacy considerations
Here are some privacy considerations when updating your profile picture:
- Profile pictures are always public. Anyone who visits your profile will see your current profile picture.
- Limiting the audience for updates only limits notifications. It does not affect public visibility.
- Double check the photo for any private information you don’t want publicly visible.
- The previous profile picture remains public in your profile picture history.
So while you can limit notifications, keep in mind your current and past profile pictures remain publicly visible to anyone.
Tips for updating your profile picture
Here are some tips for updating your Facebook profile picture smoothly:
- Choose a clear, high-quality photo so it looks great as your small profile picture.
- Pick a photo that clearly shows your face for easy identification.
- Check that it represents your personal brand appropriately.
- Consider editing or cropping it to the right shape and size.
- Use recent photos instead of outdated ones.
- Stay authentic and choose photos that reflect the real you.
Choosing the right photo and updating it periodically can help you put your best foot forward on Facebook.
Alternative ways to update profile photo
While the standard profile picture is the main photo on your profile, there are a couple other options to update your pictured identity on Facebook:
Cover Photo
Your Facebook cover photo appears at the top of your profile. You can update it similarly to your profile picture, but with a few more size and positioning options. Updating your cover photo allows you to change the overall look of your profile.
Profile Frames
Facebook offers temporary profile frames to support causes or events. Adding a colorful frame around your profile picture allows you to update your visual profile without actually changing the picture.
Conclusion
Updating your Facebook profile picture is a great way to keep your profile looking fresh and current. With the steps above, you can update your profile photo without blasting notifications to all your Facebook friends using the audience selector. Limiting notifications allows you to change your profile picture more freely and frequently if desired. Just be aware that all profile pictures remain public, even with limited notifications. With the right photo and privacy controls, you can quietly update your profile picture to put your best face forward on Facebook.