Telegram profile picture
How to set, change and delete your Telegram profile picture, make a video or emoji avatar, hide your photo from some people and change the photo of a channel.
You set a Telegram profile picture from Settings: tap your current photo and pick a picture or a video. To delete it, follow Telegram's FAQ: open your profile, tap your profile picture, open the menu and choose Delete. A normal photo and a video avatar need no Premium subscription; Premium adds one thing — your animated avatar plays for everyone across the whole app.
How to set a profile picture on Telegram
Open Settings and tap your profile photo. The app offers to take a new photo or pick an existing one; a video and an avatar made from a sticker or emoji are separate options, covered below. Button names differ between apps and versions, but the order is the same: pick a picture, move and crop the frame, confirm.
Your profile picture shows up in chats, in the chat list and in your profile.
How to change your profile picture
A new picture doesn't erase the old ones. Telegram says you can switch back to a previous profile photo or video quickly: open it in your profile and tap "Set as Main". So changing the picture, and going back if you don't like it, takes a few taps.
You don't have to delete old photos. But if you don't want anyone paging through your earlier pictures, delete them.
How to delete a profile picture on Telegram
According to Telegram's FAQ: open your profile, tap your profile picture, open the menu and choose Delete. If you have several photos, delete each one separately.
Where the menu button sits depends on the app: it looks different on Android, iPhone and desktop.
Video avatar and animated profile picture
Telegram lets you upload a video to your profile. You pick any frame you like, and it stays as the still picture in chats. Anyone can set a video avatar — no subscription needed.
What Premium adds: per Telegram's announcement, the profile videos of Premium users animate for everyone throughout the app, including in chats and in the chat list. The subscription is a separate purchase: see Premium prices and how to buy Premium.
"Animated avatars" on Telegram mean exactly two things: a video avatar and an avatar made from an animated emoji. Telegram doesn't hand out ready-made picture collections, and a site or bot that asks you to log in for a "cool avatar" is not to be trusted: how to avoid Telegram scams.
An avatar from a sticker or an emoji
In February 2023 Telegram added a profile photo maker: any sticker or animated emoji can be turned into a profile picture quickly — for your account, a group or a channel. Animated and custom emoji can be used for this by everyone, even without Premium. Look for the emoji or sticker option when you choose a profile photo.
You can also make stickers yourself: how to make Telegram stickers.
Who can see your profile picture
Open Settings → Privacy and Security → Profile Photo. Telegram describes it like this: you can choose "Nobody" and add exceptions — people or groups who will still see your photo.
The people you hide it from can be shown a different, public picture. If you allow your photo only to some people, you set a public photo for everyone else: the hidden one is seen by your exceptions, the public one by the rest.
There is also a personal photo for a contact. When you edit a contact, you can choose a photo for them that only you will see, or suggest a photo to them — they add it in two taps.
Related settings: who can see your last seen time and how to hide your phone number.
Channel and group photos
A channel's photo is changed by its owner: Telegram's FAQ says the owner can change the channel's name, profile image and link. An admin can edit the channel's info if they were given that right. The photo is changed in the channel's edit screen; buttons depend on the app and version. The profile photo maker with stickers and emoji works for both channels and groups.
Who can do what in a channel is in channel admins; to start one, see how to create a channel.
Frequently asked questions
How do I delete a profile picture on Telegram?
Open your profile, tap your profile picture, open the menu and choose Delete — that's what Telegram's FAQ says. If you have several photos, delete each one separately.
How do I set a profile picture on Telegram?
Open Settings, tap your profile photo and pick a picture or a video, or build an avatar from a sticker or emoji. Confirm the frame and the picture changes.
How do I delete a Telegram channel's profile picture?
The channel owner can, and so can an admin who was given the right to change the channel's info: the photo is changed in the channel's edit screen. Subscribers can't.
How do I make a video profile picture on Telegram?
Upload a video as your profile photo and choose the frame that will be the still picture. No Premium needed; the subscription only makes your avatar animate for everyone in chats and the chat list.
How do I set an animated profile picture on Telegram?
Upload a video avatar or build one from an animated emoji in the profile photo maker. Neither takes a subscription.
How do I hide my profile picture from some people on Telegram?
Settings → Privacy and Security → Profile Photo: choose "Nobody" and add exceptions. Everyone else can be shown a public photo.
