Alexis Kestler
Have you ever wanted to change your profile picture on Messenger but couldn‘t figure out how? As a long-time Messenger user myself, I totally get the frustration. Unlike Facebook, Messenger doesn‘t give you an obvious way to update your pic within the app.
But don‘t worry – you can change your Messenger profile photo easily by making the update on Facebook.
In this comprehensive guide from a streaming and tech expert, I‘ll walk you through how to change your profile picture on Messenger step-by-step. I‘ll also provide tips, interesting stats, and answers to common questions about changing your Messenger pic.
Let‘s get started!
Before we dive into the step-by-step instructions, it helps to understand why you can‘t change your Messenger profile picture directly within the app.
The reason is simple – Messenger does not store your profile information. All of your profile data, including your name, photo, bio, etc. is stored and managed by Facebook.
Messenger taps into your Facebook account to display your profile details in the app. So if you change your Facebook profile picture, Messenger automatically syncs to use the updated photo as well.
But Messenger itself does not let you alter your profile information. Any changes need to be made in Facebook in order to carry over to Messenger.
This unified profile experience keeps things consistent across Facebook‘s family of apps. Whether you‘re messaging friends in Messenger or scrolling through your News Feed, people see the same profile photo of you.
While it may seem inconvenient at first, changing your pic through Facebook is still straightforward. And it ensures you have one consistent identity across the Facebook ecosystem.
Now let‘s get into the step-by-step process!
Ready to update your photo on Messenger? Follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Open the Facebook App
First, open up the Facebook app and log into your account. Make sure you log into the same account connected to the Messenger app where you want to change your picture.
If you have multiple Facebook accounts, double check that you are in the right one!
Step 2: Go to Your Profile Page
From your News Feed in the Facebook app, tap the menu icon (the three line icon) in the top right corner. Then tap on "View Profile" to open up your profile page.
On desktop, click the down arrow at the top right and select "View Profile".
Step 3: Tap Your Profile Picture
Scroll down on your profile page until you see your current profile picture. Tap on your current picture to bring up the camera icon that allows you to change it.
Step 4: Select a New Photo
You now have two options to choose a new profile photo:
A) Choose an Existing Photo
Tap "Choose Existing" to browse and select a new picture from photos already on your device or Facebook albums.
B) Take a New Photo
Alternatively, tap the camera icon to take a brand new photo with your device‘s camera right from the Facebook app. You‘ll need to allow Facebook access to your camera.
Once you‘ve chosen or taken a new picture, tap "Select" or "Use Photo" to continue.
Step 5: Edit the New Picture (Optional)
On the editing screen, you can crop or edit your new picture, add frames, filters and effects before setting it as your profile photo. Edit to your liking.
Step 6: Save the New Profile Picture
Finally, tap "Save" at the bottom to update your profile picture. This will change your photo on both Facebook and Messenger!
And that‘s it! After following these steps, your Messenger and Facebook profiles will both display the new picture.
An interesting bit of research from Sprout Social in 2022 looked at how often people change their profile pictures on major social platforms.
Here‘s an overview of what they found:
-
Facebook – 38% of users change their profile picture less than once per year. Only 14% change it monthly.
-
Instagram – 45% change their profile picture a few times per year. 13% change it monthly.
-
LinkedIn – A whopping 71% said they have never changed their LinkedIn profile pic.
-
Twitter – 33% change their header/avatar once per year, while 15% change it monthly.
So across most platforms, the majority of users only update their profile picture a few times per year at most.
Monthly profile picture changes are much less common, seen in only 13-15% of users.
This data indicates most people like to stick to the same profile photo for extended periods of time rather than constantly changing it up.
But the choice is yours – if you want to change your Messenger profile picture monthly, or even weekly, go for it! Just know most people update just a few times a year.
If you want your new picture to look crisp and clear on Messenger, it helps to select an image with the proper dimensions.
Here are the recommended Messenger profile picture sizes:
- Standard Profile Picture – 170 x 170 pixels
- Expanded Profile Picture – 720 x 720 pixels
The expanded profile picture is displayed when you tap on someone‘s profile in an active Messenger chat. This larger size allows their picture to look high-quality when expanded.
Aim for a 1:1 aspect ratio like square images when picking a new Messenger profile photo. Pictures with drastically different height and width proportions may look distorted.
Using an image editing tool, you can crop and resize any photo to 170 x 170 pixels for optimal quality. This ensures your pic looks great in the standard Messenger profile thumbnail.
Not sure how to take a flattering, engaging profile photo? Here are my top 5 expert tips for capturing great profile pics:
1. Use Natural Lighting
Taking your picture outdoors or near a window creates attractive natural lighting that is more appealing than harsh indoor lights.
2. Get Clear Framing of Your Face
Frame your face as the main focus, taking up most of the picture area. Avoid cutting off parts of your head.
3. Smile Genuinely
A natural, warm smile makes you seem friendly and approachable. Avoid stiff or forced expressions.
4. Look Directly at the Camera
Maintaining eye contact with the camera creates an engaging connection with your audience.
5. Shoot Multiple Angles
Take shots from different positions – straight on, slightly profile, angled up or down. Choose the most flattering!
Following these photography best practices results in eye-catching, vibrant Messenger profile shots.
An important question to consider – should your Messenger profile picture match your other social media profiles, or display different photos?
Potential benefits of a consistent profile photo:
- Presents a unified personal brand/image across networks
- Makes you easily recognizable to friends & connections
- Saves you time from managing multiple photos
Benefits of using unique pictures:
- Allows you to showcase different sides of your personality
- Provides visual variety for your different audiences
- Less repetition for your own viewing
There are good arguments on both sides. Ultimately, it comes down to your own preferences.
Using the same profile pic everywhere helps reinforce your personal brand consistently. But feel free to get creative and tailor different photos to different apps!
Let‘s wrap up with answers to some frequently asked questions:
Can I choose different profile pictures for Facebook and Messenger?
No, since the two platforms are directly connected, your profile picture must be the same on both Facebook and Messenger.
What if I don‘t have a Facebook account?
You need a connected Facebook account to use Messenger and change your profile picture. Messenger profile information is stored and managed by Facebook.
How do I know if my new Messenger picture updated properly?
Simply open up Messenger after changing your Facebook profile picture to confirm your new pic is displaying.
Can I change my profile pic on desktop?
Yes! Just follow the steps above while logged into Facebook on a web browser rather than the mobile app.
How do I change my picture back to a previous profile photo?
You can revert to an older Messenger profile picture at any time. Just repeat the steps to choose one of your existing Facebook photos.
Does Messenger compress image quality?
Messenger does compress photos to optimize picture size and performance. Some minor image quality loss may occur.
I hope this complete guide gives you a better understanding of how to update your Messenger profile picture by making the change on Facebook.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help fellow Messenger users master their profile settings.
