How to Change Your Cover Photo on Facebook (Profile and Page)

Your cover photo is the large banner across the top of your profile or business Page, and it's often the first thing a visitor notices. Changing it takes less than a minute, but the small details trip people up: which button to press, how to move the picture so a head isn't chopped off, and who can see it. I've followed Facebook's Help Centre articles for both a personal profile and a Page, and I'll say where menus vary by app version.

Who can see your Facebook cover photo

Start with the point that matters most. Facebook's help page says that, like your profile picture, a cover photo is public, which means anyone visiting your profile can see it. The article for Pages says the same: all cover photos are public, so anyone visiting your Page can see it. So choose something you'd be comfortable with the whole world seeing.

Change your Facebook profile cover photo on a computer

1. Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook, then click your name to go to your profile.
2. Click Edit cover photo in the bottom right of your cover photo.
3. Click Choose cover photo. If you don't have a cover photo yet, click Upload Photo.
4. Click Upload Photo to use a photo from your computer, or Select Photo to pick one from one of your Facebook albums.
5. Once you've chosen a photo, click the image and drag it up or down to reposition it.
6. Click Save Changes.

Facebook adds a note on size: your cover image has to be at least 720 pixels wide for a personal profile.

Change your Facebook profile cover photo on the app

1. Tap Menu in the top left of Facebook, then tap your name.
2. Tap your cover photo.
3. Tap Upload Photo to use a photo from your device, or Choose cover photo to use one already on Facebook.
4. Tap the photo you'd like to use.
5. Drag the photo to adjust it.
6. Tap Save in the top right.

Reposition your Facebook cover photo

Facebook's steps build repositioning into the process. On a computer you click the image and drag it up or down after choosing it, and on the app you drag the photo to adjust it before you save. If you want to change the position later, repeat the edit cover photo steps with the same photo and drag it again. A computer is easiest, because dragging with a mouse is more precise than with a thumb.

Change the cover photo on a Facebook business Page

A Page cover photo has its own article, and the key difference is that you need to be switched into the Page rather than acting as your personal profile.

1. On a computer, click your profile photo in the top right, click See all profiles and select the Page you want to switch into.
2. Click your Page name in the left menu to go to it.
3. Click Edit cover photo in the bottom right of your Page's cover photo.
4. Click Upload Photo to use a photo from your computer, or Select photo to use one you've already uploaded to your Page.
5. Click the photo and drag it up or down to reposition it, then click Save changes.

On an iPhone, Facebook's steps are to tap Menu or your profile picture, tap Options, select the Page you want to switch into, then tap Menu or your profile picture again and tap your Page's name. Tap Edit cover photo in the bottom right of the cover photo, then choose Upload photo or Choose cover photo.

If you can't see the edit button, you probably don't have the right access to the Page. My guide to adding an admin to a Facebook Page explains how access works. And if you're setting up from scratch, creating a Facebook business Page has the full checklist.

Facebook Page cover photo size and rules

For Pages, Facebook publishes dimensions, so I can give you the numbers it states rather than guessing:

Detail	What Facebook says
Minimum size	At least 400 pixels wide and 150 pixels tall
On a computer	Left aligned with full bleed and a 16:9 aspect ratio
On a mobile device	Left aligned with full bleed and a 2.4:1 aspect ratio
Fastest loading	An sRGB JPG file that's 851 pixels wide and 315 pixels tall, under 100 kilobytes
Logo or text	A PNG file may give a better result

Facebook also notes that the left side of the cover photo is partly covered by your profile picture, and the photo may be cropped and resized to fit different screens. So keep anything important away from the edges. For a personal profile, the only size Facebook states in the article I read is the 720 pixel minimum width.

Page cover photos can't be deceptive or misleading, and they can't infringe on anyone's copyright. The help page suggests using a unique image that represents your Page, such as a popular menu item, album artwork or a picture of people using your product. If your banner looks fuzzy after upload, my article on fixing a blurry Facebook cover photo covers the common causes.

What makes a good Facebook cover photo for a small business

• Show what you do. A picture of your product, team or workspace beats a stock-looking logo.
• Keep the words short. A single line, such as your service and area, is plenty.
• Remember the crop. Facebook says the profile picture covers part of the left side, so place text away from it.
• Try a different image from time to time to see what your audience responds to, which is Facebook's own tip.
• Check it on your phone as well as a computer, because the aspect ratios differ.

If you can't change your Facebook cover photo

• The edit button's missing on a Page: check you've switched into the Page and have the access you need.
• The upload won't work: choose a larger image, since Facebook sets a minimum width.
• The picture looks cropped: reposition it, or choose a wider image.
• The app's behaving oddly: update it, or try on a computer.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change my cover photo on Facebook?

Go to your profile, tap or click your cover photo or Edit cover photo, upload a photo or choose one already on Facebook, drag it into place and save.

Can everyone see my Facebook cover photo?

Yes. Facebook's help page says cover photos are public, so anyone visiting your profile or Page can see them.

How do I reposition my cover photo?

After choosing the photo, drag it up or down (on the app, drag the photo to adjust it), then save.

What size should a Facebook Page cover photo be?

Facebook says at least 400 pixels wide and 150 pixels tall, and an sRGB JPG of 851 by 315 pixels under 100 kilobytes loads fastest.

Why can't I change the cover photo on my Page?

You may be acting as your personal profile instead of the Page, or lack access to the Page. Switch into the Page first.