If you’re using a Google Workspace email address and see a message saying you need to contact your administrator when trying to change your profile picture, that’s because profile photo changes must be allowed by the admin account first.
Once that setting is turned on, you can update your photo yourself.
Step 1: Sign in to the Google Workspace admin account
This step must be done using the admin account for your Google Workspace.
Go to admin.google.com or log into your website dashboard, click Google Workspace and then Go to your admin console.
Sign in using the admin email address for your Google Workspace (this is often the first email created for the business).
If you’re not sure which account is the admin, check with whoever originally set up your Google Workspace, or head into the Google Workspace section of your website dashboard. The admin email account will have (ADMIN USER) next to it.
Step 2: Allow users to change their profile photo
Once you’re signed in as an admin:
Go to Directory
Click Directory settings
Open Profile editing
Make sure Photo editing is turned on for users (leave it on for admins too)
This allows people in your organisation to update their own profile pictures.
Step 3: Change your profile picture
Now that photo editing is enabled:
Sign in to your Google Workspace account (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, etc.)
Click your profile picture (or your initials) in the top-right corner
Select Manage your Google Account
Click Personal info
Under Basic info, click Photo
Upload a photo or choose one from Google Photos
Adjust the image and click Set as profile photo
Your new photo will update everywhere — Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Drive, and more.
Good to know
Changes can take a few minutes to appear everywhere
You only need to enable the admin setting once. After that, users can update their own photos anytime