X (Twitter) profile picture guide
X (Twitter) profile picture: size and how to change it
X recommends 400 × 400 px for the profile photo, as a JPEG, GIF or PNG of up to 2 MB (animated GIFs are not supported). It shows the photo as a circle. To change it on the web: Edit profile, the camera on the photo, Upload photo, Apply, Save. AwaCut puts you on a clean background first, offline.
2 computers per licence. Full refund within 14 days, no reason needed.
- Works offline
- No account, no uploads
- As many photos as you want, all year
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Pick a sharp head-and-shoulders photo
Good light, looking at the camera. The office behind you is about to go.
Cut yourself out with AwaCut
Drop the photo into AwaCut and choose Custom, then type a colour such as #FEF3C7, a warm cream. You get the same photo on a plain background, at its full size, in about 4 seconds on a Mac Studio (M4 Max).
Export 400 × 400 or larger and upload
Crop square and export at 400 × 400 px or more, under 2 MB. On x.com: your profile, Edit profile, the camera on the photo, Upload photo, then Apply and Save.
The finished X photo
The AwaCut cutout on warm cream (Custom, #FEF3C7), cropped square around the head and shoulders.
Check it small
The same picture as a circle at 110 px, about the size on a profile page, and at 40 px, the size beside a comment or a message. The face still reads at both, because it fills the frame and the background is plain.
X (Twitter) profile picture size in 2026
Size
- X's rule
- 400 × 400 px recommended
- What to do
- Export at 400 × 400 or a larger square.
File size
- X's rule
- Up to 2 MB
- What to do
- A 400 × 400 JPG is far below it.
File type
- X's rule
- JPEG, GIF or PNG (no animated GIF)
- What to do
- JPEG for a photo.
Where to upload
- X's rule
- x.com or the official X app
- What to do
- Not through third-party tools.
Your cutout (AwaCut)
- X's rule
- Keeps the photo's own size
- What to do
- A 12 MP phone photo is about 4000 × 3000, far above any profile size.
| What | X's rule | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 400 × 400 px recommended | Export at 400 × 400 or a larger square. |
| File size | Up to 2 MB | A 400 × 400 JPG is far below it. |
| File type | JPEG, GIF or PNG (no animated GIF) | JPEG for a photo. |
| Where to upload | x.com or the official X app | Not through third-party tools. |
| Your cutout (AwaCut) | Keeps the photo's own size | A 12 MP phone photo is about 4000 × 3000, far above any profile size. |
Source: X Help Center (“Common issues when uploading a profile photo”), read on 25 October 2026.
Three mistakes on X profile pictures
A file over 2 MB
X does not take it. Export a 400 × 400 JPG and it is a fraction of that.
An animated GIF
Not supported for the profile photo.
Forgetting Apply
X's help says the image is not saved until you click Apply, then Save.
One photo, every network
Once you have a cutout on a plain colour, the same file works on X, LinkedIn and everywhere else, which makes you easy to recognise. AwaCut keeps the full-size cutout, so you can export any square from it. It runs on your computer, with no credits: as many photos as you want, all year.
Try it on your own photos: the first 10 are free, no account.
2 computers per licence. Full refund within 14 days, no reason needed.
Frequently asked questions
What size is an X (Twitter) profile picture?
X recommends 400 × 400 px, as a JPEG, GIF or PNG of up to 2 MB. Animated GIFs are not supported.
How do I change my X profile picture?
On the web, open your profile, click Edit profile, click the camera on the photo, choose Upload photo, then Apply and Save. In the app, open Profile, then Edit profile, make the change and Save.
Why won't X save my profile photo?
Check the file is a JPEG, GIF or PNG under 2 MB and not animated, and click Apply before Save.
How do I change the background of my X profile picture?
Drop the photo into AwaCut and choose Custom to put yourself on a plain colour, or White, or Alpha for a transparent PNG. It runs offline on Mac, Windows and Linux.
A clean profile picture, from the photo you already have
The first 10 photos are free on each computer, with no account and no card. Then one yearly licence for as many photos as you want.
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No AwaCut account. No credits. No uploads. 2 computers per licence, full refund within 14 days.