How to Upload a Twitter Profile Picture

In This Article

How to Change Your Twitter Profile Picture on a Computer
Change Your Twitter Profile Picture on Mobile
Pros of a Twitter Profile Pic
Twitter Profile Picture Size and Specifications
Twitter Profile Picture Tips

Part of setting up your Twitter account is choosing the image that serves as your profile picture throughout the Twitter website. If you don't upload an image, your account displays a boring gray silhouette.

Accounts without profile pictures are often considered not credible because fake accounts rarely upload them.

How to Change Your Twitter Profile Picture on a Computer

To change your picture, sign in to Twitter on your computer and then:

Select Profile.
Select Edit profile under your header photo.
Select Add Photo, which is superimposed over your existing profile image to open the screen where you'll select a new image for your Twitter profile.
Choose a photo, crop it to your liking, then select Apply.
Select Save. The image saves to your profile and appears next to your Twitter posts, both past and current.

How to Change Your Twitter Profile Picture on Mobile

Here's how to change your Twitter picture using the mobile Twitter app for iOS and Android mobile devices.

Tap your Profile image.
Tap Profile.
Tap Edit profile.
Tap the camera icon that is superimposed over your current picture. You may be asked to allow Twitter access to your photos.
Select a photo from your collection or take a new photo, position the image in the circle as you want it to appear on Twitter, then tap Use.
Tap Save.

Benefits of Using a Twitter Profile Picture

Your profile pic plays an important role. It identifies your tweets to your followers and builds your brand. Usually, your best choice is a headshot of you at your best. Still, it can be anything else, like a pet, company logo, car, or building.

Twitter requests two photos when you set up an account:

Header photo: The large image that appears at the top of your profile.
Profile photo: This photo adds personality to your Twitter account and posts.

If you didn't upload an image when you signed up for your account or are unhappy with your current profile, upload a new photo.

Your profile picture appears in several areas on Twitter. You'll find it next to every tweet you enter, in the menu bar, in your account information panel, and on your profile page. Twitter handles the sizing of the photos automatically.

Twitter Profile Picture Size and Specifications

Your Twitter image must be a JPEG, GIF, or PNG file. Twitter does not support animated GIFs for profile images. If the image you want to use isn't a file format Twitter supports, put it through a free photo converter and choose one of Twitter's supported formats for the conversion.

Twitter profile images cannot exceed 2 MB in size and must be square. Twitter recommends 400 x 400 pixels for your profile image, but any square image will do as long as it's no smaller than 400 x 400 pixels.

If you plan to upload a square logo, leave space around the edges. The image appears in a circle on Twitter, and the corners of the square image won't show in the circle.

What Your Twitter Picture Should Look Like

Select a well-lit, high-quality image to represent you on Twitter. A casual selfie works best for personal accounts. A formal headshot or a company logo is suitable for a business account. Keep a few things in mind:

Some of the best-looking Twitter profile pictures have a solid background contrasting with the user's face.
If you use Twitter for business, consider conveying a short message with one or two words or incorporate a telltale graphic element. A baker might hold a cake, and a web designer might showcase a logo.
After you upload an image, change it only rarely. When your followers see a consistent image over time, it builds your brand.

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