Facebook profile video: how to swap your boring picture for a moving, looping clip

The tool has only rolled out to some users so far — here's how to check if you've been chosen, and how to get one if you have

The application works by comparing a user's Facebook 'likes' to those of six million other people (Getty)

Facebook profiles are about to get a lot more moving: the site has added profile “videos”, rather than photos, so that people can have little looping clips on the top of the page.

The tool has only rolled out to some users so far. But here’s how to use it.

First, you need to be using the mobile app on iOS, and the pictures will only show for people using the same setup. Secondly, it needs to be enabled — which has only happened for selected people in the UK and Canada — which you’ll know has happened because profile pictures will be in the centre of people’s pages, rather than off to the left.

If that’s all in place, you can head to the “More” tab at the bottom right corner of the app and go to your own profile. If you can use the profile videos, the option should be there — if you can’t, it will show a message saying “Coming soon: profile videos”.

From your profile page, you can also add the other extra features, like profile pictures that will expire after a certain time, new “Bio” field and selecting featured photos that will show at the top of your page.

Facebook said that it will be rolling out the features to people beyond those selected iOS users in the UK and Canada.