How to Change PSN Avatar from PS4 or Companion App

I’ve been a long PlayStation fan, but I never cared much about customising my avatar. In fact, I have only recently taken a break from my games to customise the look of my profile. The standard line up of PSN avatars that Sony has is very limiting. Of course, you can get more, but that means you’ll have to buy some. In any event, I’ve recently discovered that it’s possible to set up a custom image as a profile picture.

I’m not saying that the PS4 is not a great console, it really is. But the main problem with Sony is the user interface. They tend to overcomplicate things and treat important features as easter eggs. Such is the case with changing the default PSN avatar. Despite being a dead-simple operation, changing the PSN avatar is counter-intuitive. Even more, it cannot be done from a desktop computer, even though you can do everything else from the web version of PSN.

To set things straight, below you have two different methods of changing the default PSN avatar. If you have the time, I suggest going with Method 2 that uses the PlayStation Companion app. It might take longer, but it will allow you to set a custom picture (for free).

If you want to change your PSN Avatar, follow one of the guides below:

Method 1: Changing the PSN Avatar from Your PS4

This chore is normally done the very first time you set your PSN account. But if you were as excited as me, you probably skipped through the whole process. If you want to change the PSN Avatar directly from your PS4 console, follow the steps below:

1. Navigate to your PS4 dashboard. Once you’re in the main menu, use the left thumbstick to highlight Profile and press the X button to select it.
   
2. Once you’re in the Profile window, use the left thumbstick to highlight the three dot icon and select it with the X button.
3. From the newly appeared menu, select Edit Profile.
   
4. Now you will be faced with a list of customising options. Navigate downwards and select Avatar with the X button.
   
5. Now we arrived at the selection part. You can choose an avatar from a list of over 300 entries. Although they seem like a lot, in reality, that’s not the case. You can buy more, but they’re quite expensive. Highlight an avatar using the thumbstick and press X to confirm your selection.
6. You will then get an additional confirmation window. Select Confirm to proceed.
   
7.  You have successfully managed to change your PSN avatar. You can confirm by visiting your Profile window.
   

If you weren’t able to find a suitable avatar, there’s still hope for you. Follow Method 2 to learn how to use a custom image as a PSN avatar.

Method 2: Using the Companion App to Set a Custom Picture

If you’re keen on setting your own custom picture on PSN, the only way to do it is via the PlayStation Companion app. This will require you to install an app from Google Play Store, but it’s worth it. You can use the companion app to change the Avatar as well as the profile picture, among other things. Let’s get to it:

1. First things first, download the PlayStation Companion App from App Store or Google Play Store.
2. When you first open the app, you’ll need to insert your credentials and log in with your PSN account.
3. After you manage to log in, tap on your profile picture (top-right corner).
   
4. From the newly appeared drop-down menu, tap on Profile.
   
5. You will be presented with a new list of options. Tap on Edit profile, then select Add Profile Picture from the drop-down menu.
   Note: You can also change the Avatar by tapping on Change avatar. But if you add a profile picture, it will automatically override the avatar. This means that other users will see the custom picture instead of the avatar when looking at your profile. However, when inside a game, the avatar will be featured instead of the profile picture.
6. Now you can either take a photo or select one from your gallery. After you decide o a picture, hit OK to confirm your selection.
   
7. That’s it, you have successfully replaced your default avatar with a custom picture. Wait a while before you check on your PS4 system because it takes some time for the changes to be updated.

Conclusion

Until Sony decides to make well-deserved UI changes, we are stuck with these two methods. If you want to set a custom picture in your profile, the only way to do it is via the PlayStation app (Method 2). But if you’re in a rush, you can easily do it directly from the console by following Method 1. If you found this content helpful, let us know in the comment section below.