How to Add a Profile Picture to Your YouTube Profile

Last Updated: September 15, 2021 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to set a profile picture for your YouTube account. Since Google owns YouTube, the profile picture you use for your Google account is the same picture used for your YouTube account.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Computer

1
Go to https://www.youtube.com in a web browser. You can use any web browser on PC or Mac.
2
Log-in to your YouTube account. If you are not logged into your YouTube account automatically, click the blue Sign In button located in the top right of the YouTube webpage. Then select the Google account associated with your YouTube account.
- If none of the accounts listed are associated with your YouTube account, click Use another account and sign in with the email address and password associated with your YouTube account.
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3
Click the icon in the upper-right corner. This is where your profile picture normally goes. If you do not have a profile picture set, it will be a colored circle with your initial in the middle. This displays your account menu.
4
Click
Settings. It's towards the bottom of your account menu. It's next to an icon that resembles a gear.
5
Click Edit on Google. It's the blue text next to your name and profile image at the top of the Settings menu. This opens the "About Me" page for your Google account.
6
Click the
icon in the circular icon. The circular icon in the middle of the page contains your current profile image, or a colored circle with your initial. Click the white camera icon in the middle to display the "Pick a Photo" window.
7
Click Upload Photo. It's the first square in the upper-left corner of the "Pick a Photo" window. This displays a file browser you can use to select a photo.
8
Select a photo and click Open. Use the file browser to navigate to a photo file on your computer. Different folders are listed in the sidebar to the left of the file browser. Click an image file to select it, and then click Open in the lower-right corner of the file browser.
- Make sure you have a file saved to your computer that you can upload.
- Alternatively, if you have photos already uploaded to your Google account, you can click one of those photos in the "Pick a photo" window.
9
Click Done. It's in the upper-right corner of the "Pick a photo" window. This confirms the changes you have made to your account. The photo you select applies to all your Google accounts, including your YouTube account.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using iPhone and iPad

1
Open the YouTube app. The YouTube app has an icon that resembles a red TV screen with a white 'Play' triangle in the middle. Tap the icon on your homescreen to open the app.
- If you are not signed in automatically, tap the icon that resembles a person in the upper-right corner and select the Google account associated with your YouTube account. If this account is not listed, tap Add account and sign in with the email address and password associated with your YouTube account.
2
Tap the icon in the upper-right corner. This is normally where your profile picture goes. If you have not set a profile picture for your YouTube account, it displays a colored circle with your initial in the middle.
3
Tap your name. It's below your profile icon at the top of the "Account" menu. This displays list of account you can sign in with.
4
Tap
. The gear icon is in the upper-right corner of the "Accounts" menu. This displays the "Manage accounts" menu.
5
Tap the account you want to set a new picture for. This displays the menu for that Google account.
6
Tap Update Photo. It's the blue text below your name and email at the top of the Google Account menu.
7
Tap Set profile photo. It's the blue text in the lower-right corner of the pop-up.
8
Tap Take photo or Choose from photos. If you wish to take a photo with your camera, tap Take photo. If you wish to choose a photo, tap Choose from photos.
- If you are asked if you want to allow YouTube to access your photos, tap Allow.
9
Tap or take a photo. If you are taking a new photo, tap the circular icon at the bottom of the screen to take a photo, then tap Use Photo. Otherwise, tap Camera roll and then tap a photo you want to use as your YouTube photo. This sets the photo as your YouTube photo.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Android

1
Open the Google app. The Google app has a white icon with a red, yellow, green, and blue "G". Tap the icon on your homescreen, Google folder, or apps menu to open the Google app.
2
Tap the More … tab. It's in the lower-right corner of the app. It's the icon with three horizontal dots.
3
Tap your name and email address. It's at the top left-hand corner of the "More" menu.
4
Tap the Google account associated with your YouTube account. If the Google account you are signed in to is different from the one associated with your YouTube account, tap the account associated with your YouTube account in the menu.
- If none of the accounts listed are associated with your YouTube account, tap Add another account and sign in with the email address and password associated with your YouTube account.
5
Tap Manage your Google account. It's the button below your name and email address at the top of the screen. This displays your Google account menu.
6
Tap the Personal info tab. It's the second tab at the top of the screen. This is where you edit your personal info.
7
Tap Photo. It's the first option at the top of the Personal Info menu.
8
Tap the your profile icon. It's the circular image above your name. This either displays your current profile image, or a colored circle with your initial. This displays the "Pick a photo" menu.
9
Tap Upload Photo. It's the first square in the upper-left corner of the "Pick a photo" menu. This displays some apps you can use to select a photo.
- Alternatively, if you already have a photo uploaded to Google that you would like to use, you can tap that photo in the "Pick a photo" menu to set it as your profile image.
10
Tap Capture image or Files. If you wish to take a photo with your camera, tap Capture image and then tap Camera. Use the white button at the bottom of the screen to take a photo. If you wish to select a photo from your Gallery, tap Files and then tap the file you want to use as your profile image.
- If you are asked if you want to allow Google to access your camera or photos, tap Allow.
11
Tap Done. It's in the upper-right corner of the screen that displays your profile image. This confirms and sets the image for your Google and YouTube account.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I do it on an iPhone 5?

Community Answer

You can't currently do it on an iPhone. They might change it in the future.
Question

How do I make my own profile picture?

Community Answer

You can make pictures on Pixlr.com.
Question

How can I add photos after creating a channel?

Community Answer

Get a picture on Google Images and download it. Then upload it to your your YouTube profile. FYI: do a Google Image search for Creative Commons licensed images to make sure you're not using an image illegally.