Setting a custom background photo for your TikTok profile is a great way to personalize your profile and make it stand out. On TikTok, your profile photo is displayed prominently on your videos and profile page, so setting a background image allows you to showcase your personality and style.
Customizing your TikTok profile with a unique background photo is popular among many users on the platform. Using an eye-catching background image can help your profile connect better with viewers and fellow creators. It allows you to brand your TikTok page and curate the kind of aesthetic you want associated with your content.
Prerequisites
Before setting a photo as your background on TikTok, there are two key prerequisites:
First, you must have the TikTok app installed on your mobile device. As of 2024, TikTok has been downloaded over 4.1 billion times globally, making it one of the most popular apps worldwide (source). The TikTok app is available for free download on both iOS and Android devices.
Second, you’ll need to have a photo saved on your mobile device that you want to use as your TikTok background. This can be any photo in your camera roll or photo library. Make sure it is a high-quality image that will look good cropped into a circle shape.
Once you meet these two prerequisites, you’ll be ready to set your chosen photo as the background for your TikTok profile.
Access Profile Photo Settings
To access your profile photo settings on TikTok:
- Open the TikTok app on your device.
- Tap on the profile icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.
- Tap on the 3-dot menu icon in the top right corner of your profile.
- Select “Edit profile” from the menu options.
This will open up your profile editing page, where you can access and change various profile settings including your profile photo. For more details, visit the TikTok help article on setting up your profile.
Select Background Photo
After opening your profile tab, find your current profile photo and tap ‘Change photo’ below it. This is where you can select a new photo to use as your background.
You’ll be presented with the option to choose an existing photo from your camera roll or take a new photo directly within the TikTok app. If you want to use a photo you’ve already taken, tap ‘Camera Roll’ and select the desired picture.
According to TikTok’s image size guide, your profile photo should be around 200 x 200 pixels for optimal quality on the platform. Consider selecting or taking a square-shaped photo close to this size.
Once you’ve picked the photo, you can edit or crop it before setting it as your background image.
Crop and Adjust Photo
Once you’ve selected the photo you want to use as your background, you can crop and adjust it to get the perfect look. Use the cropping tool in TikTok to focus on the key part of the photo you want to highlight. You can move and resize the crop box to hone in on your subject.[1]
After cropping, you can adjust things like brightness, contrast, saturation and more to really make your photo pop. TikTok provides slider controls to alter the light and color aspects of your pic. Boost the brightness a bit to liven it up or increase the contrast for more dramatic shadows. Play around with the editing tools until your background photo has the right mood and style for your profile.[2]
The goal is to crop out unnecessary parts and enhance the remaining section with some tactical editing adjustments. This will make your background photo shine on your TikTok profile.
[1] https://nealschaffer.com/tiktok-photo-editing-hack/
[2] https://www.popsugar.com/tech/tiktok-iphone-photo-editing-hack-48305898
Save Background Photo
Once you have cropped and adjusted the photo to your liking, tap ‘Save’ in the upper right corner to confirm the background photo change.
TikTok will prompt you to confirm the new background photo. Tap ‘Change’ to make the selected image your new TikTok background photo.
According to this source, TikTok will automatically compress images over 1080p when uploading to conserve storage space and bandwidth.
Customize Further
Once you have set your profile photo as your TikTok background, you can further customize it by adding effects, stickers, filters and more. Here are some ways to personalize your TikTok background:
- Add sparkle effects or animations – TikTok has sparkle effects like “Glitter” and animations like “Disco” that can jazz up your background.
- Use stickers – Add fun stickers like animals, food items or custom text to your background photo.
- Apply filters – TikTok has colorful filters like “Inkwell” and “Vintage” that can alter the look of your background photo.
- Draw or add text – Use the drawing and text tools to add a cool design or your name to your background.
- Adjust brightness/contrast – Make subtle tweaks to the photo’s brightness, contrast and saturation.
Getting creative with effects, stickers, filters and text can help make your TikTok background feel totally unique. Add your own flair to stand out on your profile!
Change or Remove Background Photo
If you want to use a different background photo or remove the background entirely, you can easily do so from the Edit Profile screen:
1. Tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner to open your profile.
2. Tap “Edit profile” at the top right.
3. Tap on your profile photo to open photo editing.
4. Tap “Background photo” at the bottom.
5. To change the photo, select a new one from your camera roll and adjust/crop as needed.
6. To remove, tap “Remove current photo” at the bottom.
7. Tap “Done” to save your changes.
Once saved, your new background photo or lack of background will be reflected across TikTok. You can come back and customize it further anytime.
Troubleshooting
If you are having issues setting or seeing your background photo in TikTok, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Clear the TikTok app cache by closing the app, going to your phone’s settings, finding the TikTok app, and choosing the option to clear cache. After clearing the cache, restart the TikTok app and try setting the background photo again. Clearing the cache can often fix issues with the app not functioning properly (source).
Make sure your chosen background image meets TikTok’s size requirements – the image must be under 2 MB and have minimum dimensions of 720×720 pixels. Check the size and dimensions of your image before trying to upload it. Images that don’t meet the requirements may fail to upload or display properly (source).
If you’ve checked the cache and image size and are still having no luck, you may need to consult TikTok support for further troubleshooting.
Conclusion
In summary, setting a background photo on TikTok involves going to your profile, tapping Edit Profile, selecting the Background tab, choosing a photo from your camera roll or taking a new one, adjusting and saving the photo as your background. You can further customize the look by adjusting the photo’s positioning, blur, and brightness.
There are many creative ways to make your TikTok profile stand out with a background photo, like using cool scenery shots, stylized graphics, or meaningful images. The possibilities are endless for personalizing your presence on the platform.
With just a few simple steps, you can set a background photo on TikTok to liven up your profile. The process is quick and easy whether you’re using TikTok on iPhone or Android. So grab your favorite picture and let your profile showcase your unique personality and style.
