Having an eye-catching and frequently updated Facebook cover photo is important for making a good impression on your connections. But with so many photos to choose from, it can be tricky to know when you should change your Facebook cover photo to keep it looking fresh. Here are some tips to help you decide when it’s time to update your Facebook cover photo.
Change it for the seasons
One of the best times to change your Facebook cover photo is when the seasons change. Swap out your summery beach scene for a cozy autumn landscape in the fall, or trade your snowy winter wonderland for flowers blooming in the spring. Seasonal cover photos are an easy way to reflect the time of year and stay on trend. This is a great option if you don’t have any special events coming up but still want a timely, eye-catching cover photo.
Spring
For spring, look for images with:
- Flowers blooming
- Baby animals like chicks and lambs
- Green grass and budding trees
- Easter themes like eggs, bunnies, and tulips if it’s around that time
- Bright colors
- Sunshine and blue skies
Photoshopping seasonal clipart like flowers onto a solid color background is also trendy for spring cover photos.
Summer
For summer, look for images with:
- Beaches, pools, and ocean waves
- Palm trees, tropical plants, and pineapples
- People doing summer activities like hiking, biking, and kayaking
- Picnics, barbecues, and outdoor parties
- Vacation destinations
- Bright colors like teal, coral, and yellow
- Ice cream cones and watermelon slices
Using a photo from your own summer adventures is always a fun option.
Fall
For fall, look for images with:
- Pumpkins
- Changing fall foliage in red, orange, and yellow
- Cornfields and farmers’ markets
- Scarecrows
- Piles of leaves
- People in boots and flannel shirts
- Rustic wood textures and burlap
- Mugs of apple cider
Autumnal themes like rustic farm stands look great for fall.
Winter
For winter, look for images with:
- Snowy landscapes
- Evergreen trees with snow
- People sledding, skiing, or by the fire
- Holiday themes like Christmas trees, menorahs, and wreaths
- Mittens, hats, scarves, and earmuffs
- Hot chocolate
- Gold and silver accents
Wintery blues, whites, and silvers make great cool-toned color schemes for winter cover photos.
Change it for holidays
Holidays are another fantastic time to change up your Facebook cover photo. They’re a fun way to get festive and show off your holiday spirit to friends and family. Here are some ideas for holiday cover photos:
| Holiday | Cover Photo Idea |
|---|---|
| New Year’s | Fireworks, champagne, confetti, party hats and noisemakers |
| Valentine’s Day | Hearts, roses, chocolates, romantic couples |
| St. Patrick’s Day | Leprechauns, shamrocks, pots of gold, rainbows, people wearing green |
| Easter | Easter eggs, Easter baskets, bunnies, tulips, pastel colors |
| Fourth of July | Fireworks, American flags, red white and blue graphics |
| Halloween | Jack-o-lanterns, black cats, ghosts, haunted houses, people in costumes |
| Thanksgiving | Turkeys, autumn wreaths, cornucopias, fall produce, people around a dinner table |
| Hanukkah | Menorahs, dreidels, latkes, gifts, blue and silver decor |
| Christmas | Christmas trees, ornaments, wreaths, snowmen, gifts, people in Santa hats |
| New Year’s Eve | Champagne, confetti, happy people celebrating, fireworks, 20XX graphics |
Using your own photos from holiday parties or traditions is also a fun way to get festive with your cover photo. Change it a week or two before each major holiday and keep it up until a day or two after.
Change it when you update your profile or cover photos on other social media
If you’re giving your profile a refresh across all your social media platforms, remember to update your Facebook cover photo too for a consistent look. Even if you aren’t actively using Facebook much these days, people can still see your cover photo and profile picture.
For example, if you take some gorgeous new headshots and swap out your Twitter profile pic, change your Facebook photo to match. Or if you take a cute Insta-worthy photo and make it your Instagram cover image, considering making it your Facebook cover photo as well for cohesion across platforms.
Change it for life events and milestones
Major life events are a great excuse to swap out your Facebook cover image. Use these moments as an opportunity to share what’s new in your life and commemorate memories. Here are some examples of life events worth a cover photo update:
- New relationship – Share a sweet photo with your new partner.
- Engagement – Announce the happy news with ring shots!
- Wedding – Show off portraits from the big day.
- Pregnancy announcement – Get creative with the reveal.
- Baby’s birth – Introduce your new arrival.
- New home – Housewarm with photos out front.
- Job promotion – Celebrate your new title.
- New pet – Show them off snuggling with you.
- Major award or accomplishment – Like graduating or running a marathon.
- Special trips and vacations – Feature a dream destination.
Photos from these big events will be meaningful to you and fun to look back on. Don’t be shy about sharing your exciting life updates!
Change it when you want to promote something
Your Facebook cover photo is prime real estate for promoting your business, work, or events. Here are some ideas if you want to take advantage of your cover image space:
- Promote a newly opened business with storefront or product photos.
- Highlight a big event you’re hosting with graphics, like a conference or fundraiser.
- Show off pieces of work like a newly published book.
- Share upcoming events you’re participating in like conferences, 5Ks, or awards shows.
- Feature promotional graphics, content offers, or contests from your business.
Just don’t go overboard with relentless self-promotion. Mix in personal images too to avoid looking spammy.
Change it when you’re bored of your current photo
If you’ve had the same Facebook cover photo for months or years, it’s probably time for a refresh. Here are signs it may be time to swap it out:
- You’ve grown bored of looking at it.
- It was a seasonal photo that is now out of date, like a snowy winter or holiday image in July.
- The photo features an ex you’ve now broken up with.
- You look significantly different, like if you’ve lost weight, changed your hair, or gotten visibly older.
- It’s pixelated, blurry, or poorly cropped.
- It feels like it belongs to a past version of yourself.
Even without any major life or business updates to announce, a fresh Facebook cover photo can still make your profile feel current. Don’t be afraid of hitting that “update cover photo” button just because you feel like a change!
Change it up for fun
At the end of the day, have fun swapping out your Facebook cover photo whenever the mood strikes! Here are some other ideas if you feel like changing it up:
- When you take or find a beautiful new photo you love.
- After a virtual makeover or profile cleanup.
- When your favorite sports team is in the championship.
- On Monday to start your week off right.
- When you’re celebrating a personal milestone like a birthday or work anniversary.
- To share inspiring quotes or your mantras.
- To show off your design, photography, or Photoshop skills.
Express your personality! Changing it up for fun ensures your cover photo stays fresh and on-brand.
Tips for updating your Facebook cover photo
Ready to update that stale cover shot? Here are some best practices for changing your Facebook cover photo:
- Upload high-resolution images so they look crisp and text is legible.
- Avoid too much text that will get cut off on mobile screens. Keep words large or add text to the image itself vs overlaying.
- Use photos you own the rights to or are freely usable.
- Pick vertical images at least 720px high to fit the cover photo shape and size.
- Feature your best self – faces tend to work better than landscapes.
- Select images consistent with your personal brand. Fun for personal profiles, more polished for business pages.
- Play around with filters and editing apps to make images pop.
- Change it frequently enough to stay fresh but not annoyingly often.
With great photos and a little design savvy, you can make a Facebook cover photo that awes and delights.
Conclusion
From seasonal changes to life events to holidays, there are so many opportune times to change up your Facebook cover photo. The right image can enhance your profile, showcase what’s important, and make the right impression on friends old and new. Whatever your reason for the change, a cover photo update can give your Facebook profile new life. With this guide’s tips in mind, you can keep your cover photo feeling fresh, relevant, and uniquely you!