To change your Snapchat profile picture, tap your Bitmoji at the top of the Camera, then tap your avatar and choose Avatar, Fashion, Selfie or Scene. Your personal profile only ever shows a Bitmoji. A real photo goes on your Public Profile instead, via Public Profile, then the pencil icon, and strangers can see that one.
Here's the bit that confuses almost everyone: Snapchat has two different profile pictures, and they work in completely different ways. Your personal profile, the one your friends see in Chat, shows your Bitmoji. You can't upload a photo there. The only place a real photo goes is your Public Profile (or My Profile if you're under 16), and Snapchat says that picture is visible to people you're not friends with.
So before you change anything, decide which one you mean. If you want a different look in your friends' Chat list, you're editing a Bitmoji. If you want your face or a logo showing, you're editing a Public Profile photo.
Which Snapchat picture are you changing?
| Picture | What it shows | Who sees it | Where you change it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal profile | Your Bitmoji (avatar, outfit, selfie pose, scene) | Your friends | Tap your Bitmoji, then tap the avatar |
| Public Profile photo | A photo from Memories or Camera Roll | Anyone on Snapchat, including in Add Friends and Search | Public Profile, then the pencil icon |
| My Profile photo (under 16) | A profile photo and background image | Non-friends can see the photo and background | My Profile |
| 3D Bitmoji header | A posed Bitmoji with a background | Shown on your profile card | Tap the header or pull down on your Profile card |
Steps to change your Bitmoji picture
- Open Snapchat and tap your Bitmoji or Story icon at the top of the Camera screen. This opens My Account.
- Swipe down, or tap your avatar, to open the customisation menu.
- Tap Avatar to change how your Bitmoji looks, Fashion for a new outfit, or Selfie or Scene to change the pose and backdrop people see on your profile.
- Save your changes. Your friends see the new Bitmoji next to your name.
Snapchat's help centre is clear that you can only fully customise your Bitmoji in the mobile app. It isn't available on the web or on a desktop. If you're signed in on Snapchat for Web and can't find the option, that's why: pick up your phone and do it there.
Steps to add or swap a photo on your Public Profile
- Tap your Bitmoji or Story icon at the top, then tap Public Profile.
- Tap the pencil icon at the top of the screen (Snapchat also calls this Edit).
- Tap the empty profile picture, or tap your current one and pick Choose from Library.
- Pick a photo from Memories or your Camera Roll.
- Move and scale it, then tap Confirm.
To take a photo off without replacing it, tap the existing picture and choose Delete Existing Photo. While you're in Edit, you can also change your bio and cover photo.
The privacy catch with a real photo
This is the line people skim past. Snapchat says your Public Profile picture can be seen by people you're not friends with in three places: Add Friends, the Add a Friend section in Search, and the Suggested For You section on Profiles. In other words, it's the photo strangers see when Snapchat suggests you to them.
Snapchat gives Snapchatters aged 16 and over a Public Profile by default in certain countries, so plenty of people have one without realising. If you'd rather keep your face off suggestions, use a Bitmoji-only setup and leave the Public Profile photo empty, or delete the one that's there. If you've decided you don't want the public side at all, my guide to deleting your Snapchat Public Profile walks through clearing it.
For under-16s, Snapchat's My Profile works differently for content, which is friends only, but the profile photo and background image are still visible to non-friends. Worth knowing if you're helping a teenager set up their account.
Don't remove your Bitmoji to start again
If you're tempted to unlink your Bitmoji and build a fresh one, stop and read this first. Snapchat warns that if you created your Bitmoji through Snapchat, unlinking permanently deletes the avatar and every fashion item saved in your Closet, including items you bought. Editing the avatar gets you a completely new look without losing any of that.
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There's one odd side effect Snapchat mentions too. After you remove a Bitmoji, your profile might show an old draft avatar from an earlier attempt. Only you see that draft. Your friends shouldn't see the old Bitmoji, and if they do, closing and reopening Snapchat usually refreshes it for them.
Other places your look shows up
- Snap Map. Your Bitmoji is what friends see on the map, so a new outfit shows there too. See how Snap Map works and who can see you.
- 3D Bitmoji header. Tap the big Bitmoji at the top of your profile, or pull down on your Profile card, to change the pose and background.
- Chat and Friendmoji. Any Bitmoji stickers you send update to match your new avatar.
My advice
If you only want a fresher look for your friends, edit the Bitmoji and you're done in a minute. If you run a business or you're building an audience, a real photo or logo on your Public Profile makes sense, because that's what new people see when Snapchat suggests you. If it's a personal account and you value your privacy, I'd keep the Public Profile photo empty. It's the one picture on Snapchat that strangers can see by default.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a real photo as my Snapchat profile picture?
Only on your Public Profile (or My Profile if you're under 16). Your personal profile shows your Bitmoji, not a photo.
Why can't I change my Bitmoji on my computer?
Snapchat says you can only fully customise your Bitmoji in the mobile app. It isn't available on the web or desktop.
Who can see my Snapchat Public Profile picture?
People who aren't your friends, in Add Friends, the Add a Friend section in Search and Suggested For You on Profiles.
How do I delete my Public Profile photo?
Open your Public Profile, tap the pencil icon, tap your current picture and choose Delete Existing Photo.
Will I lose my outfits if I remove my Bitmoji?
If you created it through Snapchat, yes. Unlinking permanently deletes the avatar and every item in your Closet, so edit it instead.
