- Change your main Discord avatar on a computer
- Change your Discord profile picture on the mobile app
- Switching back to an older Discord avatar
- Setting a different profile picture for one Discord server
- Your Discord avatar, banner and per-server settings in one place
- Discord avatar file types and size limits
- Choosing a Discord profile picture that works for business
- If your new Discord profile picture won't update
- Frequently asked questions
To change your Discord profile picture on a computer, open User Settings, go to the Profiles tab, click Change Avatar and upload an image. On a phone, tap your avatar, choose Edit Profile, change the picture and tap Save. The step people miss on mobile is that final Save, without it the new avatar won't stick.
Your avatar is the tiny circle people see next to every message you send, in every server you're in. On a busy channel it's often the only thing that tells people it's you. If you use Discord for a brand, a creator community or client work, a clear, recognisable picture does a surprising amount of quiet trust-building.
Discord gives you two kinds of profile picture: a main avatar that shows everywhere, and a per-server avatar for one community only. Here's how to change both on a computer and on your phone, following Discord's Custom Profiles and Per-Server Profiles help articles.
Change your main Discord avatar on a computer
Your main avatar is the one everyone sees unless you've set something different for a particular server.
- Open Discord on your computer or at discord.com.
- Click the cog icon next to your name at the bottom left to open User Settings.
- Select the Profiles tab.
- Click Change Avatar, then choose Upload Image and pick a picture from your computer.
- Crop and position it in the editor, apply it, then click Save Changes.
Discord's help says you can upload your own image as your avatar, and animated GIF avatars are for Nitro users. If you're not on Nitro, a still image is the way to go.
Change your Discord profile picture on the mobile app
- Open the Discord app and tap your avatar at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Edit Profile.
- Tap your current profile picture, then choose Change Avatar.
- Pick a photo from your phone, crop it and confirm.
- Tap Save so the change sticks.
Menus vary a little between iPhone and Android and between app versions, but Edit Profile is the entry point Discord's help describes on mobile.
Switching back to an older Discord avatar
Changed your mind? You don't have to dig the old file out of your photos. Discord's help says you can press Change Avatar and pick one from the Recent Avatars section, which keeps pictures you've used before. It's a quick way to swap between a seasonal picture and your usual headshot.
Setting a different profile picture for one Discord server
Per-server profiles let you use a different avatar in a single server, while your main avatar stays the same everywhere else. Discord's help describes this as a Nitro feature. It's handy if you're in a professional community and a gaming server and want each to see a picture that fits.
On a computer:
- Go to the server you want to change it for.
- Click your avatar in a channel or in the Member List.
- Choose Edit Per-server Profile.
- Upload the image you want for that server, then click Save Changes.
On the mobile app, select your avatar in that server, tap Edit Per-server Profile, tap your current server avatar to upload a new one, then tap Save. Discord's help reminds mobile users that the change isn't confirmed until you tap Save.
Your Discord avatar, banner and per-server settings in one place
The avatar isn't the only picture on your profile. There's also a banner, the wider image across the top of your profile card. Discord's per-server help says you can set a banner for a single server by going to User Settings, then Profiles, then Per-server Profiles, and pressing Change Banner. It's the same area where you can review the per-server avatar you've chosen, which makes it a handy place to check everything at once. If you've lost track of which server shows which picture, I'd start there rather than hopping from server to server.
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Discord avatar file types and size limits
| Avatar type | What Discord's help says |
|---|---|
| Main avatar | Upload your own image; animated GIFs are for Nitro users |
| Per-server avatar | JPG, PNG and GIF files up to 8 MB |
| Who can change it | Only you; server admins can't change a member's server avatar |
| Older pictures | Pick one from Recent Avatars under Change Avatar |
Discord's per-server help also notes that if you want to undo per-server avatars, you'll need to reset your avatar in each server separately.
Choosing a Discord profile picture that works for business
If Discord is part of how you work, I'd treat your avatar the same way you'd treat a headshot on any other platform. A few things help it read well at tiny sizes:
- Use a clear, close crop of your face or a simple logo. Busy pictures turn into a blur in a small circle.
- Keep a strong contrast between you and the background.
- Use the same picture across platforms so people recognise you. My guide on saving time managing a LinkedIn profile covers keeping profiles consistent without a lot of effort.
- Only use photos you took or have the right to use, and never someone else's face.
Remember that your Discord avatar is visible to everyone who shares a server with you, not just friends. If you prefer more privacy on your social accounts in general, my guide to locking your Facebook profile from strangers is a good next stop.
If your new Discord profile picture won't update
- You didn't save. On a phone in particular, the change only sticks after you tap Save.
- You changed a per-server avatar and expected it everywhere. Per-server pictures only show in that one server.
- You're looking at a server where you set a per-server avatar earlier, which overrides your main one there.
- The file type isn't supported, or it's a GIF on an account without Nitro. Try a still PNG or JPG.
- Others still see the old one. Ask them to restart the app, as it can take a moment to refresh.
If none of those explain it, update the app and try again, or contact Discord through its help centre.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change my Discord profile picture?
On a computer, open User Settings, go to Profiles and click Change Avatar. On a phone, tap your avatar, tap Edit Profile, then change the picture and tap Save.
Can I use a different Discord avatar in each server?
Yes, with per-server profiles. Discord's help describes this as a Nitro feature, set through Edit Per-server Profile in each server.
Can I use a GIF as my Discord profile picture?
Animated GIF avatars are for Nitro users, according to Discord's help. Everyone else can use a still image.
How do I go back to an old Discord avatar?
Press Change Avatar and choose a picture from the Recent Avatars section.
Can server admins change my Discord avatar?
No. Discord's help says server admins can't change a member's server avatar.
