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How to update your Gmail picture on desktop and mobile

A man holding a teacup staring at laptop screen.
Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels

There are lots of reasons why you'd want to change your Gmail profile picture. Maybe you have a great, new selfie you want to show off. Or you just want to update your work email with a photo that's recent and professional-looking. Whatever the reason, we can help you update your Gmail picture in just a few quick steps. We've also got you covered whether you choose to change your photo via Gmail's desktop website or through its mobile app.

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Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Desktop PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone

  • Gmail app (optional)

How to change your profile picture in Gmail: Desktop method

Step 1: Navigate Gmail via your browser and log into your Gmail account if you're not already logged in.

Step 2: Click on your profile photo icon, which is located in the top right corner of your screen. From there, you have two options: You can either click on the little camera icon at the top of the menu that appears, or you can click on Manage your Google Account. If you choose the camera icon, just follow the on-screen prompts to change your profile picture and then click Set as profile photo. If you choose Manage your Google Account, go to Step 3.

Gmail profile photo change step 1
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Step 3: On your Google Account page, select the Personal info tab on the left side of your screen.

Step 4: Within the Photo section, under Basic info, select your current profile picture icon.

Step 5: Follow the on-screen prompts to choose or upload your photo. Then select Set as profile photo.

gmail profile photo change step 5
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How to change your profile picture in Gmail: Mobile app method

Changing your profile picture in the Gmail app on iOS and Android are much the same as in the web browser. Here's how to do it.

Step 1: Select the Gmail app on your Android or iOS device to open it.

Step 2: Click on the photo icon you see at the top right corner.

Step 3: A window will pop up that says either Manage your Google Account or Google Account button, depending on your version of Android.

Gmail Manage Your Google Account
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Step 4: When the next screen loads, select Personal info.

Step 5: Find the Basic info header, and click the profile photo that is currently uploaded.

Gmail android app screenshot 2
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Step 6: A window will appear with an explanation; the message is longer on more recent versions of iOS, but the process is the same. Tap on Set profile photo.

Gmail app step 5 screenshot
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Step 7: A pop-up window (Android) or slide-up menu (iOS) appears on the screen. Navigate to your photo library to pick an image you’ve already saved, or click on the camera to take a new picture.

Anita George
Anita George has been writing for Digital Trends' Computing section since 2018. So for almost six years, Anita has written…
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