How do I add a profile picture in my user account?

If your institution has enabled profile pictures, you can add and change profile pictures in your account. If you do not see a placeholder picture in your user settings, your institution has not enabled this feature.

There are three ways you can select a profile picture to use throughout Canvas:

  • Upload a Picture from your computer
  • Take a Picture using your computer's camera (not supported when using Safari or Internet Explorer)
  • Import from an existing Gravatar account (this feature may be restricted by your institution and only G-rated images are supported)

Tips for profile pictures:

  • Choose an appropriate picture to represent yourself. Your institution has the right to remove pictures that are not appropriate for a classroom setting.
  • Images should be square in size to prevent your picture from being resized or distorted.
  • Files can be any type (.jpg, .png, .gif) or size as long as you have room in your user files to store the file. Canvas recommends that your profile picture be as small as possible.
  • Your personal files quota is enforced when uploading a profile picture. If you do not have enough storage space in your personal files, you will not be able to upload your profile picture. Create more space by removing some files in your personal files.

00:06: How do I add a profile picture in my user account? 00:10: In Global Navigation, click the Account link. 00:14: Then click the Settings link. 00:17: Click the profile picture icon. 00:20: Choose the desired method to add a profile picture. 00:24: Then click the choose a picture link. You can also drag a picture from your desktop 00:28: and drop it into the uploader. 00:31: Use the selection boxes to crop your image. 00:34: When you are finished, click the Save button. 00:37: To take a picture to use as your profile picture, click the Take a Picture tab. 00:42: Then click the Take Picture button. 00:45: To take another picture, click the Retry button. 00:48: When you are finished, click the Save button. 00:51: If your institution allows gravatar and you have a gravatar account, you 00:55: can import an existing gravatar to use as your profile picture. 00:59: Click the from gravatar table 01:02: Enter your Gravatar email address in the field provided. Click the Preview button to view your Gravatar. 01:09: When you are finished, click the Save button. 01:12: The Profile picture you selected will show up instead of the placeholder profile picture. 01:18: Profile pictures are linked to your personal files so you can easily delete 01:22: them to remove old profile pictures. 01:26: To delete a profile picture, click the Files link. 01:30: Click the profile pictures folder. 01:33: Next to the file you want to delete, click the Options icon. 01:38: Then click the Delete link. 01:41: This guide showed how to add a profile picture in a user account.

Open User Settings

Open User Settings

In Global Navigation, click the Account link [1], then click the Settings link [2].

Open Profile Picture

Open Profile Picture

Click the profile picture icon.

Note: If you don't see a placeholder profile picture icon, your institution does not allow you to add or change your profile picture.

Upload Picture

Upload Picture

To upload a new profile picture file, click the Picture Options drop-down menu and select the Upload a Picture option [1]. Then click the choose a picture link [2]. You can also drag a picture from your desktop and drop it into the window.

Choose Profile Picture

Choose Profile Picture

Find the image you want to upload and click the Open or Browse button.

Crop or Resize Picture

Crop or Resize Picture

To crop your image, use the selection handles [1]. To recenter the image, hover the cursor over the image, then click and drag the circle selector to a new location [2].

When you are finished, click the Save button [3].

Note: Canvas automatically stores a copy of the saved profile picture in your personal user files. When you save a new picture in your profile, the new picture overrides the existing picture file in your personal files.

Take Picture

Take Picture

To take a picture to use as your profile picture, click the Picture Options drop-down menu and select the Take a Picture option [1]. Then click the Take Picture button [2].

Note: Depending on your browser, you may need to allow Canvas to access your camera. The Take a Picture option is not supported when using Safari or Internet Explorer.

Save Picture

Save Picture

To take another picture, click the Retry button [1]. When you are finished, click the Save button [2].

Import from Gravatar

Import from Gravatar

If your institution allows Gravatars and you have a Gravatar account, you can import an existing Gravatar to use as your profile picture.

Click the Picture Options drop-down menu and select the From Gravatar option [1]. Enter your Gravatar email address in the field provided [2]. Click the Preview button to view your Gravatar [3]. When you are finished, click the Save button [4].

Note: Before adding a photo in your Gravatar account, you must rate the photo. Please note that you can use only a G-rated Gravatar photo as a Canvas profile picture.

View Profile Picture

View Profile Picture

The profile picture you selected displays instead of the placeholder profile picture.

Delete Profile Picture

Profile pictures are linked to your personal files, so you can easily delete them to remove old profile pictures.

Note: Gravatar images cannot be deleted from your account through your personal files. However, Gravatar images may be replaced with an uploaded image or with a captured image using the Take a Picture option.

Open Files

Open Files

To delete a profile picture, click the Files link.

Open Profile Pictures

Open Profile Pictures

Click the profile pictures folder.

Delete Profile Picture

Delete Profile Picture

Next to the file you want to delete [1], click the Options icon [2] then click the Delete link [3].