Be aware of public visibility
A profile photo is intended to represent your account and may be publicly visible. Depending on the available feature, it may appear in particular on your profile, on your own listings, in message views or in connection with reviews.
Therefore, do not use an image that contains confidential information or is intended only for a private group of recipients. Changing the profile photo does not anonymise previous activities and changes neither your profile name nor the association of your account.
Prepare a suitable image
Choose a sharp, clearly recognisable image with sufficient lighting and an uncluttered composition. Because profile photos may be displayed as square, round or greatly reduced in size in different views, the main subject should be as central as possible and remain recognisable even in a small preview.
For a personal account, this may, for example, be a portrait of yourself or another permitted image that suits the profile. A genuine portrait is not strictly required, provided that the image used is not misleading or in breach of applicable rules.
For a business account, a clearly recognisable company logo that you are authorised to use or another accurate brand image is often suitable. Small text, narrow borders and important image elements at the very edge may become difficult to read because of the way the image is displayed or automatically cropped.
Change the profile photo using an available option
Sign in and open your own profile or the account settings. If an option to edit or upload the profile photo is offered there, select the desired file and follow the steps shown to save it.
Labels, positions and editing options may vary depending on the account type, device or current design of the platform. Therefore, do not assume that a particular button or menu path will be available.
Before saving, check any image crop that may be displayed. Once finished, check how the photo appears on the profile and in a smaller display.
File format and file size
The guidance in the current upload dialog specifies which file formats, file sizes and image dimensions are supported. Use only image files accepted there and take note of any error message displayed.
Do not simply rename a file in an attempt to pass off an unsupported format as supported. If necessary, convert or resize the image using a trusted local image editor. Do not upload executable files, archives or files with misleading extensions.
If the image is too large, corrupted or saved in an unsupported format, the upload may fail. In this case, use an unaltered backup of the original and create a new, suitable image file from it.
Clarify the rights to the image
Upload only an image that you are permitted to use. A photograph may be protected by copyright even if it shows you or has already been published online. Relevant factors may include who took the photograph and which usage rights were granted.
If the photograph shows other identifiable people, you may need their consent or another legal basis for publication, depending on the circumstances. Where possible, crop uninvolved people out of the image if showing them is not necessary for the profile.
Do not use third-party photographs, illustrations, trademarks or logos without the required authorisation. An image that is freely available online or a screenshot from a website is not automatically approved for use as a profile photo.
Take particular care with images of minors
Images of children and young people require special care. Check whether their public use is necessary at all and legally permitted. In particular, take into account the rights of the person shown and the authority of those with parental responsibility.
Avoid images that reveal a location, a school, a name badge, daily routines or other sensitive information. If in doubt, use a neutral profile picture and seek expert advice.
Protect personal data and metadata
A profile photo should not show identity documents, bank cards, tickets, official documents, vehicle registration numbers, full addresses, telephone numbers, QR codes or other unnecessary personal information. Check the background of the image as well.
Image files may contain metadata, such as when the photo was taken, the device model or location information. Before uploading, remove unnecessary metadata using a trusted local feature or image editor. Do not rely on all metadata being removed automatically during upload.
Further information about the processing of personal data can be found in the Privacy Policy.
Special considerations for a business account
For a business account, the profile photo must accurately represent the company and must not convey a false identity or a business connection that does not exist. Use a logo or brand image only if the company is authorised to use it and the person uploading it is permitted to act for the account.
Changing the profile photo changes neither the legal company name nor account ownership. Changes to essential company details may require a separate request and review.
Signing in with Google
For a personal account, signing in with Google can serve as both registration and activation. However, a profile picture used with Google is not necessarily adopted automatically as the profile photo on suchen.expert or synchronised later.
Therefore, change the image using the profile option offered on suchen.expert. Conversely, a new photo on suchen.expert does not automatically change the image on your Google account.
Signing in via Facebook or Apple is planned for the future. Neither option’s availability nor a specific launch date is promised. This does not mean that profile pictures from these services will be transferred automatically.
Avoid prohibited or misleading images
The profile photo must not be unlawful, offensive, discriminatory, pornographic, glorify violence or otherwise be prohibited. Do not use images that deceive other people, impersonate someone else or give the impression of an official, professional or business position that does not exist.
Spam, material consisting solely of advertising, prohibited contact details or content that infringes third-party rights may also be prohibited. The General Terms of Service and the usage rules incorporated into them apply.
A technically successful upload does not confirm that the image is legally permitted. A profile photo may be reviewed, rejected, restricted or removed if it breaches rules, legal requirements or third-party rights. Do not assume any particular review time.
If the old image continues to appear
After saving, an older cached version may temporarily remain visible. Reload the page and, if necessary, check the profile in a new browser window or on another device of your own.
Do not upload the same file repeatedly within a short period. First check whether the change was saved to the profile and whether only individual views still show the previous image. Depending on caching, the update may become visible in different areas at different times; no fixed timeframe should be promised.
Remove the profile photo or change the profile name
If you do not want to upload a new image but instead want to delete the existing photo, follow the guidance in How do I remove my profile photo?
The profile name is managed separately from the photo. Information can be found in How can I change my profile name?
Contact support about technical problems
If no upload option is displayed, the process repeatedly fails or the saved image continues to be displayed incorrectly, use the contact form. The following information is helpful:
- the account type,
- the link to your own profile,
- the device and browser used,
- the file format and approximate file size,
- the exact wording of any error message,
- a brief description of the steps already taken.
A screenshot of the error message may help. Obscure any passwords, security codes, full activation or reset links and other unnecessary personal data. Do not send login details to support or upload a sensitive original image as an attachment unless asked to do so.
