How to Edit a Twitter Thumbnail

By David Nield

Your Twitter thumbnail picture represents you on the social network.
i Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images

The Twitter thumbnail that follows you around the social network, appearing next to your tweets and direct messages, is a smaller version of the main avatar picture associated with your account. You can change this at any time, but bear in mind that it represents you to the outside world via your Twitter account -- if you want real-life friends to be able to recognize you and find you on Twitter, for example, choose a clear and well-lit photo of your face.

Step 1

Log in to Twitter and click the "Gear" icon, then choose "Settings" from the drop-down menu that appears.

Step 2

Click "Profile" and then "Change Photo" next to your current avatar picture (the "Photo" entry, not the "Header" one). Select "Upload Photo" from the drop-down menu; you can also choose "Take Photo" to take a picture with your computer's webcam.

Step 3

Pick out a new image and choose "Open." The subsequent pop-up window enables you to control the zoom and cropping of your new photo -- unless it is a perfect square, some parts of it will need to be cut.

Step 4

Click "Apply" when you're happy with the photo. After a few moments, the new photo appears under the following message: "Your avatar was published successfully."

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