How to View Large Size Profile Picture of Locked Profiles on Facebook

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Facebook is a platform where we connect with friends, family, and even strangers who share similar interests. Often, when we stumble upon an interesting profile, our curiosity leads us to check out the profile picture to get a better sense of the person. However, many Facebook users lock their profiles to maintain privacy, which restricts others from viewing their profile pictures in full size.

View locked profile pics on facebook in large size
View locked profile pics on facebook in large size

This can be frustrating, especially when you want to see a clearer version of someone's display photo. While there is no official way to bypass this privacy setting, there are a few clever workarounds that still work. These methods use simple browser tricks and do not require any third-party tools. In this guide, we will walk you through the most effective ways to view large profile pictures of locked Facebook profiles. Let's get started!

Method 1: The Image URL Modification Trick

This is the easiest method and does not require any special tools or extensions. It works by manipulating the image URL that Facebook generates for profile pictures. Facebook stores multiple versions of each profile picture, and by tweaking the URL, you can access the larger version.

  1. Open your browser and navigate to Facebook.com
  2. Go to the profile of the person whose picture you want to view
  3. Right-click on the profile picture and select "Copy image address" or "Copy image URL" from the context menu
  4. The copied URL will look something like this:
    5. https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-snc6/c37.37.466.466/s160x160/168693_171397999572370_4771033_n.jpg
  5. Notice the part that says s160x160/ in the URL. This indicates the size of the image Facebook is showing you
  6. Remove the s160x160/ part from the URL and press enter
  7. The browser will now display the full-size version of the profile picture

Alternative: Instead of removing the size part, you can also replace s160x160/ with s720x720/ and get the same enlarged result. Both methods work perfectly.

Method 2: The mbasic Legacy Browser Trick

Facebook has a legacy mobile version of its site that runs on mbasic.facebook.com. This stripped-down version of Facebook has fewer restrictions and does not enforce the click-to-enlarge blocking layer. This makes it an excellent way to view locked profile pictures.

  1. Open the locked Facebook profile using a web browser on your phone or desktop. Do not use the Facebook app
  2. Look at the URL in the address bar. It will be something like
    3. https://www.facebook.com/username or https://m.facebook.com/username
  3. Replace the www or m with mbasic so that the URL becomes
https://mbasic.facebook.com/username
  1. Hit enter to load the page
  2. The page will now display a very basic, text-heavy version of Facebook
  3. Long-press on the profile picture if you are on mobile, or right-click if you are on desktop
  4. Select "Open image in new tab" or "Save image as" from the menu
  5. The image will open in a new tab where you can view it in its original size. You can also zoom in or download it for later viewing

Method 3: The Graph API ID Method

This is a more advanced method that involves locating the user's unique numerical ID and using Facebook's Graph API to fetch the profile picture directly from their servers. This method often gives you access to higher resolution images.

  1. Open the locked Facebook profile in your desktop browser
  2. Right-click anywhere on the page and select "View Page Source" from the menu. You can also press Ctrl + U on Windows or Cmd + U on Mac
  3. The page source code will open in a new tab. Press Ctrl + F to open the search box
  4. Type entity_id in the search box and press enter
  5. You will find a long string of numbers next to entity_id. This is the user's unique Facebook ID (e.g., 1000xxxxxxxxx)
  6. Copy this number
  7. Open a new browser tab and paste the following URL, replacing USER_ID with the number you copied:
    8. https://graph.facebook.com/USER_ID/picture?width=800
  8. Press enter. The browser will automatically load the profile picture at 800 pixels wide

Alternative: You can also use https://graph.facebook.com/USER_ID/picture?type=large to fetch the largest available version of the profile picture.

Method 4: The Inspect Element Technique

This method is great for Chrome users. It uses the browser's built-in developer tools to extract the image URL. You can then open that URL in a new tab to view the full-size image.

  1. Open the locked Facebook profile in Google Chrome
  2. Right-click on the profile picture and select "Inspect" from the context menu
  3. The developer tools panel will open on the right side or bottom of your browser
  4. In the panel, you will see the HTML code for the profile picture. Look for the src attribute that contains the image URL. It usually starts with https://scontent-
  5. Right-click on the image URL and select "Open in new tab"
  6. The full-size profile picture will open in the new tab where you can view it clearly

A Note on Safety

You might come across websites or browser extensions that promise to unlock private profile pictures with one click. Be very careful with these. Many of them are designed to steal your personal information or infect your computer with malware. Stick to the manual methods we've covered above. They are safe, effective, and do not require you to share any personal information.

For more Facebook-related tips, check out our articles on securing your Facebook account, regaining a hacked Facebook account, and bulk Facebook messaging tips.