How To Make a Temporary Facebook Profile Picture

Sydney Read more February 19, 2021

Have you ever been on Facebook and noticed that your friends’ profile pictures had changed to something like their original picture but with a rainbow background? There’s a Facebook feature that allows users to set up temporary profile pictures. Users can set a temporary profile picture to show support for various causes or groups, or just to express themselves. The idea is that users can set a temporary picture, but that after a period of time set by the user, the picture will revert back to their previous profile picture. This is to prevent that temporary “St. Patrick’s Day” party snap from inadvertently becoming the permanent profile pic of someone who forgot to change it after the hangover wore off.

Introducing the Temporary Profile Picture Frame

Users can also set up frames or filters on their temporary pictures, so that when the next political cause rolls around, you can be a part of it at the click of a button. Once again, these are temporary. In time, the frame or filter will disappear and you’ll have your regular old profile picture back.

How Can I Set a Temporary Profile Picture or Frame?

Setting a temporary profile picture is easy. Start by going through the steps you’d follow to set a regular profile picture.

Log in to your Facebook account.
Select your profile in the top right of the screen.
Click on the camera icon on the lower right of your profile.
Do one of the following to select a new photo:
- Select from the photo options provided.
- Click Upload Photo to choose from photos saved onto your computer.
Click Make Temporary.
Select the length of time for which you’d like the picture to be active.
Click Save.

If you want to add a temporary frame to your new image or to an existing one, follow steps 1 through 3 above to access your current profile photo. Then do the following:

Click Add Frame.
Scroll through the frame options on the left hand side. Click on one to view it.
If you don’t see something you like, search for a keyword in the search bar above the list of themes. More themes will be revealed.
When you’ve selected the theme you like, determine how long you want the theme to be active using the drop down beneath the image.
Click Use as Profile Picture.

What if I Want to Change it Before the Expiration Date?

If you’ve grown tired of your temporary profile picture before it’s time is up, don’t worry. You can easily adjust the length of time for your photo.

Go to your profile page.
Click on your profile photo as if you mean to change it.
Select from the drop down whether you’d like to change the time length, revert back to your old photo now, or keep this photo as your permanent profile picture.

What if you want to make it permanent, but you’re too late and your picture has already reverted to the original image? No problem – look for the temporary picture in your profile pictures photo album.

Access your profile picture album:

Go to profile page.
Click Photos.
Click Albums.
Scroll until you find the Profile Pictures album. It is likely one of the first ones available. Click it.

You can select any of the pictures in this album to reassert it as your profile photo.

No longer will you be the absent-minded friend who always leaves their Fourth of July festive photo active well into the winter. Facebook will keep you accountable and take down your special occasion pics after the fact. After all, you’re busy making more memories to share.