# Circle Crop for Profile Pictures A circle crop tool cuts a photo into a round profile picture and saves it as a PNG with transparent corners, or as a square sized for each platform. LinkedIn shows your photo as a circle; upload at least 400 x 400 px, max 8 MB. **Key facts:** $0 - No sign-up - No watermark - Runs in your browser, nothing uploaded - Circle crop as a transparent PNG - Six platform sizes, or all in one zip Updated October 2026 Cropping happens in your browser. Your photo never leaves your device. ## How to use it 1. **Upload a photo:** Drop a JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC file, or take one on your phone. The file is opened in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere. 2. **Choose circle or a platform size:** Select Crop to a circle for a round PNG, or pick a platform from the size report. The crop box centres on your face when one is detected, and a dashed circle shows what LinkedIn, Instagram, X and Zoom will cut away. 3. **Adjust the crop:** Drag the box, zoom with the slider or the plus and minus keys, and switch between Square and Circle at any time. The output size, crop source and estimated file size update as you go. 4. **Download:** Save the square as JPG or PNG, or the circle as a PNG with transparent corners. You can also download every platform size at once as a zip. ## What is a circle crop? A circle crop keeps the round middle of a square photo and removes the corners. In a PNG file the corners become transparent, so the picture sits cleanly on any background: a slide, an email signature, a website team page or a document. Most social and work apps do the circle for you. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google accounts all show a square upload inside a circle. For those, upload the square and keep your face inside the circle the app will cut. Make a transparent circle PNG when you place the photo yourself. ## How to crop an image into a circle Upload the photo, select Crop to a circle and drag the box until your face sits in the middle. The darkened area outside the circle is what the PNG drops. Zoom in until your head and the top of your shoulders fill most of the circle, then download. The circle export is always a PNG, because JPG has no transparency and would fill the corners with a solid colour. The file is a square with a transparent background outside the circle, at the size of the platform preset you picked: 800 x 800 px for LinkedIn, 400 x 400 px for X, 240 x 240 px for an email signature. ## Profile picture size by platform Every platform below shows a square photo, and most crop it to a circle. Upload sizes are minimums or recommendations from each platform's own help page; display sizes are much smaller, so a sharp, well framed square matters more than the exact pixel count. LinkedIn needs at least 400 x 400 px and accepts up to 7680 x 4320 px and 8 MB, as JPG or PNG. X recommends 400 x 400 px with a 2 MB limit. Slack asks for at least 512 x 512 px and no more than 1024 x 1024 px. Zoom accepts JPG, GIF or PNG files under 2 MB. Microsoft 365, which supplies Teams photos, keeps copies from 48 x 48 up to 648 x 648 px, so a 648 x 648 px upload fills the largest one. Google publishes no pixel figure for Gmail and Google Account photos. - [LinkedIn upload limits](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a549049/photo-won-t-upload-to-your-profile) - [Slack profile photo help](https://slack.com/help/articles/115005506003-Upload-a-profile-photo) - [Microsoft 365 photo sizes](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/profilephoto-get) ## LinkedIn profile picture size LinkedIn shows your photo as a circle; upload at least 400 x 400 px, max 8 MB. The file must be a JPG or PNG between 400 x 400 and 7680 x 4320 px, and LinkedIn does not accept GIFs for profile photos. This tool exports 800 x 800 px for LinkedIn. That is our advice rather than a LinkedIn rule: twice the minimum keeps the photo sharp on high density screens and still lands far below the 8 MB limit. Upload the square file. LinkedIn applies the circle itself, so the corners never show. - [LinkedIn upload limits](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a549049/photo-won-t-upload-to-your-profile) ## Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pfp size Facebook's help page for Page profile pictures says the picture is cropped into a circle, displays at 176 x 176 px on computers and 196 x 196 px on smartphones, and should be 320 x 320 px for the best quality. Instagram's help centre publishes no profile photo size. The picture is shown as a small circle, and 320 x 320 px is the common advice, which is what the Instagram preset exports. YouTube renders the channel picture at 98 x 98 px and accepts JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG files up to 15 MB, with no animated GIFs. Upload a square of at least 800 x 800 px so it stays sharp on large screens; that figure is our advice. - [Facebook profile picture sizes](https://www.facebook.com/help/125379114252045) - [YouTube channel picture rules](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10456525) ## Circle or square: which file to upload Upload a square to any app that draws the circle itself. A transparent circle PNG uploaded there still works, but the app decides what shows through the transparent corners, and an app that does not keep transparency may fill them with a solid colour. Use the circle PNG where nothing crops for you: presentation slides, email signatures, a website team page, a speaker bio or a printed name badge. Slack is the exception among chat apps: it shows a rounded square, so the corners of your square stay partly visible there. ## How the crop should frame a face A profile picture works when the face is the largest thing in it. Crop to head and shoulders, with the top of the shoulders along the bottom edge and a little room above the hair so the head does not touch the frame. Put the eyes on the upper third line rather than in the middle; the tool draws that line for you. Keep the face centred left to right. Off centre framing that looks stylish at full size becomes half a face inside a small circle. Treat the middle 80 percent of the square as the safe zone: about a fifth of a square disappears in the corners when an app shows it as a circle. - [Preview your photo at real avatar sizes](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/profile-picture-tester) ## Resume photos by country Whether a photo belongs in a resume depends on the employer and the application format. Harvard and Canada's Job Bank advise against photos; Germany's Bundesagentur für Arbeit describes the photo as optional. The 600 x 600 px resume export is a practical preset, not a universal CV photo requirement. Follow the dimensions of the form or template you are using. - [Read the source-backed resume photo guide](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/guides/headshot-for-resume) ## Profile picture sizes by platform, from each platform's own help page, checked October 9, 2026. Not published means the platform gives no official figure. Shapes are how each app shows the photo in October 2026. | Platform | Shown as | Upload size | Max file size | File types | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | LinkedIn | Circle | At least 400 x 400 px, up to 7680 x 4320 px | 8 MB | JPG or PNG, no GIF | This tool exports 800 x 800 px (our advice). | | Facebook | Circle | 320 x 320 px for best quality | Not published | Not published | Displays at 176 x 176 px on computers, 196 x 196 px on smartphones (Facebook's figures for Page profile pictures). | | Instagram | Circle | Not published | Not published | Not published | 320 x 320 px is the common advice and what this tool exports. | | YouTube | Circle | Square, renders at 98 x 98 px | 15 MB | JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG, no animated GIF | Upload at least 800 x 800 px so it stays sharp (our advice). | | X | Circle | 400 x 400 px recommended | 2 MB | JPG, PNG or GIF, no animated GIF | This tool exports 400 x 400 px. | | Slack | Rounded square | 512 x 512 px to 1024 x 1024 px | Not published | Not published | The corners stay partly visible, so keep them clean. | | Microsoft Teams | Circle | Up to 648 x 648 px is stored | Not published | Not published | Microsoft 365 keeps sizes from 48 x 48 to 648 x 648 px; upload at least 648 x 648 px. | | Zoom | Circle | Not published | Under 2 MB | JPG, GIF or PNG | This tool exports 512 x 512 px (our advice). | | Gmail and Google Account | Circle | Not published | Not published | Not published | Google publishes no size; a 400 x 400 px square or larger works well (our advice). | | Email signature | Depends on your template | 240 x 240 px (our advice) | Keep under 100 KB | JPG, or PNG for a circle | Shown at about 80 to 120 px in most email clients. | | Resume | Square | 600 x 600 px, 2 x 2 in at 300 dpi (our advice) | Keep under 1 MB | JPG | Follow the employer's form or template first. | - [LinkedIn upload limits](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a549049/photo-won-t-upload-to-your-profile) - [Facebook profile picture sizes](https://www.facebook.com/help/125379114252045) - [YouTube channel picture rules](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10456525) - [X profile photo guidance](https://help.x.com/en/managing-your-account/common-issues-when-uploading-profile-photo) - [Slack profile photo help](https://slack.com/help/articles/115005506003-Upload-a-profile-photo) - [Microsoft 365 photo sizes](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/profilephoto-get) - [Zoom profile photo limits](https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0064565) ## Free tool, AI headshots or a photographer The free Circle Crop Tool vs an AI headshot service vs a studio photographer. Prices are published US prices in USD. | | This cropper | AI headshot service | Studio photographer | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Cost | $0 | $29 to $79 per person | $150 to $300 per session, US median $250 | | Turnaround | Instant, in your browser | About 2 hours or less at Smart Headshots AI | A booked session, then retouched files later | | What you get | A circle or square crop sized for each platform | A batch of new headshots made from your selfies | A directed session and retouched photos | | What changes | Only the crop and size; light, attire and background stay as shot | Lighting, framing, attire and background | Everything, set up in person | | Best for | A good photo that needs the right size | LinkedIn, resumes and company pages | Actors, executives and personal brands | - [Capturely: Professional headshot cost](https://www.capturely.com/professional-headshot-cost/) - [Photography Shark: Average Professional Headshot Cost by City: 2026 Data Study](https://www.photographyshark.com/blog/headshot-cost-by-city/) ## FAQ ### What is the recommended size for LinkedIn profile pictures in 2026? LinkedIn shows your photo as a circle; upload at least 400 x 400 px, max 8 MB. It accepts JPG or PNG files up to 7680 x 4320 px. We suggest an 800 x 800 px square, which this tool exports, so the photo stays sharp on high density screens. ### How can I resize my photo for my LinkedIn profile picture? Upload the photo above and choose Crop for LinkedIn. The tool centres the crop on your face, lets you adjust it, and saves an 800 x 800 px JPG or PNG in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and the file is well inside LinkedIn's 8 MB limit. ### How to fit a picture in LinkedIn profile? Crop it to a square first, with your head and shoulders in the middle 80 percent of the frame. LinkedIn cuts the square to a circle, so anything in the corners disappears. The dashed circle in the crop workspace shows exactly what will remain. ### How to get full size LinkedIn profile picture? Open the profile and select the photo; LinkedIn shows a larger view than the small circle in the feed. How sharp that view looks depends on the file that was uploaded, so upload at least 400 x 400 px, ideally 800 x 800 px or more. ### How do I crop a picture into a circle? Upload the photo, select Crop to a circle, position your face in the middle and download. You get a PNG with transparent corners, made in your browser with no sign-up and no watermark. Use it for slides, signatures or websites; apps like LinkedIn draw the circle themselves, so upload a square there. ### What size is a Facebook profile picture? Facebook's help page for Page profile pictures recommends 320 x 320 px for the best quality. The picture is cropped into a circle and displays at 176 x 176 px on computers and 196 x 196 px on smartphones. ### What size should a YouTube profile picture be? YouTube renders the channel picture at 98 x 98 px and accepts JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG files up to 15 MB, with no animated GIFs. Upload a square of at least 800 x 800 px so it stays sharp on large screens; that size is our advice, not a YouTube rule. ### Is my photo uploaded anywhere? No. The file is opened, checked and cropped by your browser on your own device. Nothing is sent to Smart Headshots AI or to any other server, and closing the page discards it. ## More free tools - [LinkedIn Photo Checker](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/headshot-photo-checker): A LinkedIn photo checker is a tool that scores a profile picture out of 100 for light, sharpness, framing, eye line and background, rating the photo rather than the person in it. - [Background Changer](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/headshot-background-changer): A headshot background changer is a tool that separates the person in a portrait from the background behind them and replaces that background with plain white, grey, a brand color or a blurred version of the original. - [Cost Calculator](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/headshot-cost-calculator): A headshot cost calculator estimates what professional headshots cost from a studio photographer, an on-site corporate photographer or an AI headshot service, using published prices for your city, team size, looks and retouching. - [Headshot Prompt Generator](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/ai-headshot-prompt-generator): An AI headshot prompt generator builds a ready-to-paste prompt that asks ChatGPT, Gemini or another image tool to turn your own photo into a professional headshot while keeping your face unchanged. - [Profile Picture Tester](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/profile-picture-tester): A profile picture tester, or pfp tester, previews your photo as the round or rounded square avatar that LinkedIn, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, Zoom and X show, from the large profile view down to the small icons beside comments and chat messages. - [Background Picker](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/headshot-backgrounds): A headshot background picker shows which professional backgrounds suit each industry and a LinkedIn photo, with examples, color codes and the attire that pairs with each one. - [Color Analysis Quiz](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/color-analysis): A color analysis quiz is a short set of questions about your undertone, hair, eyes and contrast that sorts you into a seasonal color type and shows which colors flatter you. - [Face Shape Detector](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/face-shape-detector): A face shape detector is a tool that measures the length of a face and the width of its forehead, cheekbones and jaw in a photo to estimate whether it is oval, round, square, oblong, heart, diamond or triangle shaped. - [LinkedIn Profile Checker](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools/linkedin-profile-checker): A LinkedIn profile checker is a tool that scores your headline, About section and profile photo against clear rules, such as LinkedIn's character limits, an opening line that lands before "see more" and a way to contact you. ## Related headshot packs - [LinkedIn Headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/linkedin-headshots): A LinkedIn headshot is a head and shoulders portrait, framed for the circle crop LinkedIn applies, that represents you on your profile, in recruiter search results and beside every message and comment you post. - [Professional Headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/professional-headshots): A professional headshot is a head and shoulders portrait, evenly lit against a plain or softly blurred background, used to represent you on company websites, staff directories, email signatures, conference programs and press coverage. ## Links - [Create your headshots](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/start) - [All free tools](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/tools) - [Home](https://www.smartheadshots.ai/)