How to Change Your Profile Picture on YouTube

Last Updated: July 20, 2021

This wikiHow teaches you how to update your profile picture on YouTube using a computer, phone, or tablet. Because your YouTube account is linked to your Google account, you'll need to make your profile photo change in your Google account settings. Changing your profile photo will also change it on other Google apps, including Gmail and Hangouts.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Mobile

1
Open the YouTube app on your phone or tablet. It's the red rectangle icon containing a white sideways triangle.
2
Tap your current profile picture. It's in a circle at the top-right corner. If you don't have a photo, you'll see your first initial instead.

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3
Tap Manage your Google Account. It's at the top of the menu below your email address. This opens your Google Account screen.
4
Tap your current photo. It's at the top-center part of the screen. A pop-up alert will appear.
5
Tap Set Profile Picture on the pop-up. Now you'll see two new options.
6
Tap Choose from photos to upload a photo from your phone or tablet. This opens your phone or tablet's gallery.
- If you'd rather take a new photo right now with your camera, tap Take photo to open the camera instead.
7
Select a photo and tap Accept. If you captured a new photo instead of selecting one, tap Use photo instead. Your new profile photo now represents you on YouTube and in all other Google apps.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Using a Computer

1
Go to https://www.youtube.com in a web browser. You can use any web browser of your choice on PC or Mac.
- If you are not signed in to YouTube, click Sign In in the upper-right corner and sign in with the email address and password associated with your YouTube/Google account.
2
Click your current profile photo or initial. It's in the upper-right area of the page.
3
Click Manage your Google Account. It's near the top of the menu below your email address.
4
Hover the mouse cursor over your current profile photo. It's in the large circle at the top-center part of the page. A camera icon will appear on the photo.
5
Click the camera icon on your profile photo
. This opens the "Select profile photo" window.
6
Select the photo you want to use.
- If the photo you want to use is saved on your computer, drag it to the "Drag a profile photo here" box, or click Select a photo from your computer to browse for the file.
- If you want to use a photo from your Google Photos, click the Your photos tab, then select the photo you want to use.
7
Click Set as profile photo. It's the blue button at the bottom-left corner of the "Select profile photo" window. Now that you've set a new photo for your Google account, the photo will also appear on your YouTube profile, in Gmail, and on all other Google services.

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Community Q&A

Question

Why can't I do this on my tablet?

Community Answer

It could possibly be due to some minor bugs on your tablet. Try a computer instead.
Question

Is there any way to change at least the Google+ picture without changing my YouTube picture?

Community Answer

Probably not, as your Google profile defaults as your YouTube profile.
Question

How can I do this on a tablet?

Community Answer

Open the Google+ site on your device. On your left, you see a menu. Click on My Profile. Your profile picture will be shown, and you can tap the picture to change it.
Question

How can I change my YouTube profile picture without Google Plus or a mobile device?

Community Answer

You can change your YouTube profile picture without a mobile device, as is said in Method 1: Using a Computer. However, a Google+ account is now required to use Google services.
Question

How do I change my YouTube picture on my phone?

Community Answer

Go into the settings menu and you should be able to tap on your current profile picture to change it.
Question

I don't have a Google+ account. What should I do?

Community Answer

You need to make a Google account in order to change your profile picture.
Question

What do I do if I got a message that I changed the profile picture, but the picture didn't show up?

Community Answer

Refresh the page. If that doesn't work, check that the size of the pic is not too big.
Question

What should I do if the tiny camera is not showing next to the picture on my profile so I can change it?

Community Answer

If you are on a mobile, then go to Settings and make sure you have allowed YouTube to use photos.
Question

I have changed my profile picture but when I comment it does not show up

Community Answer

Give it an hour or two, the YouTube servers need time to update your profile.
Question

What do I do if YouTube shows an error message when I try to upload my photo?

Community Answer

Try again. It did the same thing for me at first but then I tried it again the second time and it worked fine.