How to Display a Profile Photo Instead of Video in Zoom

Do you want to show your profile photo instead of your webcam’s video on a Zoom call? This tutorial shows you how to set up your profile photo and display it instead of your webcam feed in a meeting.

Note: you can only upload a profile photo if you have a Zoom account. If you don’t want to add a profile picture or if you don’t have an account, use the methods below to have Zoom display your name instead of the video feed.

How to Change Zoom Profile Picture on Desktop

Follow the steps below to change your Zoom profile picture (even during a meeting) to anything you would like.

1. Launch the Zoom app from your desktop.
2. Click on your profile photo in the top-right corner of the app window.

3. Click on “Change My Picture” in the drop-down to open your account settings on Zoom’s website.

4. Click on “Profile” under “Personal” in the sidebar on the web page.

Note: in the “Profile” tab, you will see information, such as name, display name, phone number, language, time zone, and more. This tab is also where you can change your profile photo.

5. Hover over the default profile photo and click on the pencil button to edit or change it to a new photo.

6. A pop-up window will appear. Drag your preferred profile photo onto the space provided or select and upload a photo from your computer.

Note: you can only upload a photo with a maximum file size of 2MB. If the photo you want to use is a larger file, compress your photo.

7. After selecting your preferred photo, crop it to a 1:1 ratio, as photos with 4:3 and other ratios can’t be seen at full size.
8. Click on “Save” to change your profile photo.

Tip: switched to a Linux PC? See how to install Zoom on Linux.

How to Display Your Profile Photo Instead of Video in Zoom on Desktop

If you don’t want to display your webcam feed during a Zoom meeting, you can set up your profile photo to replace the feed.

Note: if you’re joining a meeting without signing up, Zoom allows you to choose your display name while joining and also edit it later.

1. In the Zoom app, click on the gear icon to open its settings.

2. Go to the “Video” tab and check the box for “Turn off my video when joining meeting.” You’ll see a similar “Turn off my video” option while joining a video meeting without an account.

If you’re already in a video meeting and want to display your Zoom profile photo instead of your webcam feed, simply click on the “Stop Video” button in the bottom toolbar.

Tip: prep for Zoom meetings with these video conferencing tips.

How to Change Zoom Profile Photo on Mobile

You can change your profile photo in the mobile version of the Zoom app, which is available on Android and iOS.

1. Launch the Zoom mobile app.
2. Tap “More” in the toolbar at the bottom, then tap on the arrow beside your name at the top.

3. Tap “Profile Photo” under “My Profile.”

4. Tap “Take Photo” or “Choose Photo” and proceed with the on-screen instructions to set up a new profile photo.

How to Display Your Profile Photo Instead of Video in Zoom on Mobile

Note that Zoom may automatically pick your phone’s name as the display name.

1. In the Zoom mobile app, tap “More” in the toolbar at the bottom and go to the “Meetings” tab.

2. Enable “Turn Off My Video” under “Video.” People without a Zoom account can join a meeting without turning on the video to display their name instead of their feed from the get-go.

If you’re already in a video meeting, click on “Stop Video” in the bottom menu to display your profile picture (or name) instead of the feed.

Tip: make meetings more interesting by sharing your audio on a Zoom call.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I change my display name on Zoom?

Anyone can edit their display name during a meeting. Click on “Participants” in the toolbar and access the “Rename” option via “More” next to your name in the participant list. Note that this tweak applies only to the active meeting. If you want to change the display name associated with your Zoom account, you’ll have to edit your profile from Zoom’s settings in the web version or in the mobile app.

Can I use Zoom on my web browser and change my profile photo from there?

Yes, you can. However, Zoom insists on having the desktop app installed for certain tasks. For a few others, the desktop version redirects you to the Web version automatically.

Image credit: Pixabay. All screenshots by Natalie dela Vega.