It can be confusing when you see someone’s blank profile picture on Facebook with whom you’ve communicated before. You may wonder if the profile is deactivated or whether it’s a technical error.
In fact, this is more daunting if you’re connected to that friend only online. In this guide, we’ll discuss the common reasons for seeing a blank Facebook profile picture, what to do and how to make a blank profile.
What does a Blank Profile Picture Mean on Facebook?
A blank profile picture on Facebook means either the person deleted or deactivated his/her profile or the person has blocked you. Also, the person could choose to hide the profile picture from others. It’s even possible that someone has hacked the specific account and the profile picture has been removed.
Common Reasons for Blank Profile Picture on Facebook
Reason 1. You’re Blocked
If someone blocks you on Facebook, you’ll not be able to view their profile or post on the news feed. Though their old comments will still be visible, you won’t see their new posts and comments after blocking.
But you need to be sure whether this is the actual case. To find that out, here’re some tips you can try:
Read old messages:
1. Open your one-to-one chat with that person.
2. In case their profile picture is visible, but you can’t open their profile by clicking it, they may have blocked you.
3. If you’re blocked, you can’t send them new messages.
Search By Their Name:
1. Enter that person’s name in the search box.
2. If you’re blocked, their profile will not show up at all, or you will not be able to open the profile.
3. If Facebook displays the “Sorry, this content isn’t available right now” message, the user has either blocked you or deactivated their account.
Check Your Block List:
To verify whether you’ve blocked someone on Facebook accidentally, follow this process and unblock them:
1. Open Settings & Privacy > Settings on Facebook.
2. Choose Blocking and click on the Edit option beside Block users.
3. Check if the user in question is on that block list.
4. If yes, tap Unblock next to the name.
Ask Someone For Help:
You can ask someone else to go to the profile in question. If the profile is visible to them, you might have been blocked.
Reason 2. The User Has Deactivated The Account
If the user has deactivated their Facebook account, you won’t be able to view their profile picture in Messenger or chat.
Even if you can’t see their profile using a third-party tool, they likely have deactivated the account.
You can also check for other clues to know if the account is deactivated:
Check Your Friend List:
If the person deactivated the account but didn’t unfriend you before, you can still see them on your friend list. To check the friend list,
1. Go to your profile.
2. Choose Friends.
3. Select the search icon and enter your friend’s name in the search box.
4. If you find them, check whether their profile picture is visible. If not, that’s a hint that their account is deactivated. Also, If it shows “Account Deactivated,” you can be confirmed.
Reason 3. Their Facebook Account is Private
To keep the profile private and have more control, Facebook users can make their friend lists, photos, videos, and personal information hidden from everyone. Facebook allows users to adjust their privacy where they can make a post visible for all friends, specific friends, or themselves only.
If you access someone’s profile but can’t see anything except for the profile picture, the account is probably private.
Reason 4. Your Facebook or Browser is Not Working
There’re chances that your Facebook or the browser is not working.
If you’re searching for that person on the Facebook app, visit their profile using a browser. If you can view the profile from that browser, your app might be causing the issue. So, update the app and check if that helps in troubleshooting.
If you’re doing Facebook on a laptop or desktop, switch to another browser. If it works, try to update your browser that failed to perform smoothly.
Reason 5. The Person has Set A Blank Profile
The person has decided to make an anonymous Facebook profile for some reason. It’s because they may be concerned about privacy or online security, or it’s about their profession.
By selecting a blank profile picture and sharing content invisible to others, people can enjoy Facebook without bothering about privacy.
How to Make A Blank Profile Picture?
If you want to make a blank profile picture, simply upload a blank image as your profile photo.
Alternatively, you can also delete the profile picture from Facebook and you’ll automatically get a blank image as your default profile picture.
Follow the steps below for each method to make your profile picture blank.
Method 1. Upload a blank picture
The first method requires you to upload a full white or full black picture on your Facebook profile. Here’re steps to do that:
1. Search for a blank picture or use the given one below.
2. Download the picture or save it on your device.
3. Next, log in to Facebook.
4. Click on your name in the top-left corner to open the profile.
5. Select your profile picture.
6. Click Update profile picture.
7. Lastly, select the blank image and click Update to make it your profile picture.
Method 2. Delete your profile photo
The second method for making a blank profile is to delete the profile picture. Follow the steps below:
1. First, go to your profile and click your profile picture.
2. Choose View profile picture.
3. Once you open the picture, click the three dots in the extreme right corner and select Delete Photo.
Frequently Asked Question
Why is Someone’s Profile Picture Blank on Messenger?
When you see a blank profile picture on someone’s Messenger, then it can mean either they’re offline, they’ve adjusted the settings to make them appear offline or you’re blocked on Facebook.
That’s all. The article explained why you see a blank profile picture on Facebook and how to create your own. Follow the guide carefully and you can easily have a blank profile photo. If you find any difficulties, please let us know in the comment box and we’ll reply to you back quickly.