Your Skype profile picture allows your contacts to easily recognize you when making calls or chatting. By default, your profile picture is set to public, meaning anyone on Skype can see it. You can change this setting to only allow your Skype contacts to view your profile picture.
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Why Change Your Profile Picture Visibility?
There are a few reasons you may want to limit your profile picture visibility to contacts only:
- Privacy – Making your profile picture visible to contacts only gives you more control over who can see your picture. This prevents strangers on Skype from viewing it.
- Avoid unwanted contact – With a public profile picture, anyone can add you as a contact based on recognizing your picture. Setting it to contacts only reduces unsolicited contact.
- Professionalism – If you use Skype for business, having a public profile picture may seem too casual and personal. Changing the visibility maintains professionalism with colleagues.
How to Change Your Skype Profile Picture Visibility
Changing your Skype profile picture visibility only takes a few simple steps:
On Desktop
- Open the Skype app on your computer.
- Click on your profile picture at the top right.
- Select Profile from the dropdown menu.
- Click on your profile picture again.
- Under Choose who can see your profile picture, select Contacts only.
On Mobile
- Open the Skype app on your iPhone or Android.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap the three dots in the top-right corner.
- Choose Settings > Profile > Profile picture.
- Select Contacts only to limit visibility.
Once you save the setting, only Skype contacts added to your friends list can view your profile photo. Everyone else will see a generic placeholder image instead.
Customizing Your Profile Beyond the Picture
In addition to the profile picture visibility, Skype offers other profile customization options:
- Name – Your display name can include emojis and is visible to all Skype users.
- Mood Message – Set a custom status message visible to your contacts.
- Profile Color – Choose an accent color to personalize your profile.
- Location – Optionally add your location to your profile.
Take advantage of these options to further customize your identity on Skype.
Best Practices for Profile Pictures
When selecting a new profile picture, keep in mind:
- Choose a clear, high-quality headshot of your face. This makes video calls easier.
- Maintain professionalism if using Skype for work. Avoid party pictures or selfies.
- Be mindful of background objects that reveal personal details about your life.
- Update it regularly so contacts see your latest look.
- Make sure the important parts of the picture fit within the circular cropping area.
Troubleshooting Profile Picture Visibility
If your profile picture remains public after updating the visibility setting, try these troubleshooting tips:
- Log out of Skype and log back in to refresh the setting.
- Update to the latest version of the Skype app if available.
- Change the visibility in your Skype account settings online instead of the desktop/mobile app.
- Reinstall the Skype app and change the setting again from scratch.
Following these instructions should successfully limit your profile picture visibility to only your added Skype contacts. This gives you more control over your privacy while customizing your identity on the platform. Adjust other profile settings as well to control what personal details are visible to whom.
