Guides to a better profile picture

Short and practical, for a phone and a window. No studio needed.

How to take a good profile pictureLight, distance, framing, background and the file you upload: ten things that make a profile picture look like you on a good day.
Light for a profile picture, with only a phoneWindow light, shade and the hour before sunset work. Ceiling lamps, midday sun and light from behind do not. How to get good light on your face for free.
Why your profile picture looks blurryA sharp photo can turn soft on its way to your profile: chats compress it, screenshots shrink it, zoom enlarges it. Eight causes and the fix for each.
How big should your face be in a profile picture?Profile pictures are shown small and round. A rule of thumb for how much of the circle your face should fill, and how to crop for it.
A professional headshot at home, with your phoneWindow light, a plain wall, the back camera on a stack of books and a timer: a work headshot at home, step by step, with what to wear and how to stand.
How to retouch a profile picture without looking editedWhat makes a retouch look natural and what gives it away. Keep the skin's texture, the shape of your face and your skin tone; soften the light.