Changing or Removing Your TikTok Profile Picture

When you first sign up for a TikTok account, the people who see your profile on the social media platform will have no idea who you are or what you look like. Your TikTok bio will be blank, and instead of a photo or graphic that represents you, visitors will see a generic TikTok logo or a random cartoon instead.

It’s smart to take care of those details as soon as you get onto the app unless you’re intent on vigorously protecting your privacy. Your bio and profile picture (PFP) represent the image and personality traits you want to convey to other TikTok users when they’re checking out your account or deciding whether to follow you.

Setting up the bio is easy because you just have to enter some text. Many people hesitate before uploading a PFP, though, even though it takes just seconds.

Choosing a TikTok Profile Picture

New users give many reasons for sticking with the system’s default choice of PFP.

They may not like the way they look; they might not have a suitable photo and don’t want to just take a quick picture of themselves in a T-shirt and uncombed hair; or they might just be undecided about the image they want to portray on TikTok. They decide to wait on the PFP for a while, and never get around to uploading a photo.

There’s no reason to delay. 

If you look presentable, just snap a photo on your phone, upload it immediately, and be done. Or you can use a picture of almost anything (except another person, without their permission) as your PFP. You can use a GIF or a short video, or you can use a cool icon or generate an AI image with a third-party tool. (Always upload original content, not copyrighted material).

Here’s the best part. If you decide you don’t like your PFP, have come up with a better idea, or want to use a specific photo or image to establish a new TikTok brand, you can change your profile picture whenever you want. And if you have a reason why you want to go back to being “anonymous” on the app, you can use a simple trick to remove your PFP.

Read on.

How To Change Your TikTok Profile Picture

You haven’t even replaced the default icon inserted into your TikTok profile when you joined? Replacing the icon couldn’t be simpler. You already have a PFP but want to change it? It’s just as easy.

You use the same process to do either one.

1. Go to your profile screen (the icon is at the bottom right of your homepage).
2. Tap “Edit profile” in the middle of the screen.
3. Click “Edit photo or avatar” below your current PFP.
4. A pop-up window will give you a choice between using a photo or an avatar to represent your TikTok presence.
5. To use a photo, tap the “Photo” option at the top of the window, and then choose “Take a photo” (to snap a new PFP with your phone) or “Upload photo” (to choose one from your phone’s camera reel). You’ll be able to edit the photo before posting it.
6. To use an avatar instead, click the “Avatar” option and tap “Create avatar.” You can either take a picture with your phone for the app to work with, or select 3-10 photos from your camera reel. Next, choose several avatar styles and tap “Continue.” The app will create 30 avatars for you to choose from; you can edit them if necessary. Be patient, creating the avatars can take the system a while.
7. If you’re already using an avatar as your PFP, you can edit it and repost it, or choose “Regenerate avatar” and create a new one.

When you’re done, your placeholder icon or existing profile picture will be replaced by the new one.

How to Remove Your TikTok Profile Picture

We’ll start with some bad news: TikTok doesn’t let you just remove your PFP. It has to be replaced with something.

Here’s the good news: you can replace it with a blank image, which will functionally leave you without a profile picture.

1. Use your phone to take a picture of a blank space, like a white sheet of paper or a wall.
2. Go to Profile > Edit photo or avatar, and choose “photo.”
3. Tap “Upload photo” and select your blank picture from the camera reel.
4. Confirm the upload, and you’ll have a blank TikTok profile picture.

This option won’t help you gain followers or show other people the user behind the username. If your goal is to remain as anonymous as possible, though, it’s a viable way to avoid revealing anything personal about yourself on the app.