How do I add pictures in MyFitnessPal? A comprehensive guide

December 28, 2025 •

4 min read

Studies have shown that visual tracking can be a powerful tool for maintaining motivation during a fitness journey. Fortunately, MyFitnessPal offers several ways to add pictures to your account, from logging your meals to documenting your physical transformation. This guide will walk you through the process for each photo type so you can leverage the visual power of your health data.

Quick Summary

This guide explains the step-by-step process for adding photos to your MyFitnessPal account, covering progress pictures, meal photos, and your profile picture on both the mobile app and website.

Key Points

Progress Tracking: Add progress photos to the 'Progress' section to track your body's visual changes over time.
Meal Logging: You can add photos to custom meals and recipes you create, which makes logging easier in the future.
Effortless Logging: Premium users can use the Meal Scan feature to identify foods and log them instantly by taking a picture.
Personalize Your Profile: Change your profile picture on both the mobile app and the website to personalize your account.
Be Consistent: For accurate comparisons, take progress photos at the same time of day, in the same lighting, and wearing the same clothing.

Adding Progress Photos in the MyFitnessPal App

Visual records of your progress can be a significant motivator, and MyFitnessPal makes it simple to track your journey with photos. This is the most common reason users want to know how do I add pictures in MyFitnessPal.

For iOS and Android Users

Open the MyFitnessPal app on your mobile device.
Navigate to the 'More' tab, which is typically represented by three dots (...) or a menu icon in the bottom right corner.
From the menu, select 'Progress'. This will take you to your progress tracking dashboard.
Tap the '+' button in the top right corner to add a new entry.
If you haven't already added your weight for the day, you'll need to enter it before attaching a photo.
Tap the camera icon above the weight scroll wheel to either take a new photo or select one from your phone's photo gallery.
Choose the photo you want to upload. The app will automatically crop it into a square frame.
Once the photo is selected, tap the checkmark or 'Save' button to save your progress entry.

Your progress photo will now be stored in your account, visible on your progress graph and in your entries list.

Attaching Photos to Meals and Recipes

While you cannot add photos directly to your daily food diary, you can add them to custom meals and recipes you create. This is especially useful for saving visual references for meals you eat frequently.

Creating a Custom Meal with a Photo

Go to the 'More' menu and select 'My Meals, Recipes & Foods'.
Tap the 'Meals' tab and select 'Create a Meal'.
Give your meal a name.
Tap the area that says 'Add Photo' to upload a picture of your dish.
Add all the food items included in the meal.
When you are finished, tap 'Save'. The meal, complete with its picture, will now be saved in your 'My Meals' library.

Using the Meal Scan Feature

For Premium users, the Meal Scan feature offers an innovative way to log food by simply taking a picture.

Tap the blue '+' button on your dashboard.
Select 'Meal Scan'.
Point your camera at your plate of food.
The app uses AI to identify the items and will provide a list of potential foods for you to log.

Changing Your MyFitnessPal Profile Picture

Adding a profile photo helps personalize your account and is visible to friends and community members. The process is slightly different depending on whether you use the app or the website.

Via the Mobile App

Go to the 'More' tab and select 'Settings'.
Under 'My Account', tap 'Edit Profile'.
Tap your current profile picture, or the placeholder image, to open your photo gallery.
Select a new photo and tap 'Choose' or 'Save' to confirm.

Via the MyFitnessPal Website

Log in to the MyFitnessPal website.
Go to 'My Home' > 'Profile' > 'Edit Photos'.
You will see an option to 'Browse' or 'Choose File'.
Select a photo from your computer and click 'Upload Photo'.

How to Take Effective Progress Photos

Consistency is key to getting accurate and comparable progress pictures. Follow these best practices for the most useful results:

Maintain Consistent Lighting: Take photos in the same location with the same natural light source. This prevents misleading shadows and highlights.
Wear the Same Clothing: Wearing the same or similar form-fitting clothes helps highlight changes in your body composition over time.
Use a Neutral Pose: Stand relaxed in a neutral stance. Avoid flexing or sucking in your stomach. Take front, side, and back shots for a complete view.
Use a Timer or Tripod: Using a timer or a tripod ensures your photos are taken from the same angle and distance every time.

Feature Comparison: Adding Photos in MyFitnessPal


Feature	Functionality	Mobile App (iOS/Android)	Website
Progress Photos	Visual tracking of body changes over time, logged with weight entries.	Fully supported via 'More' > 'Progress'.	Viewable, but not available for uploading.
Meal/Recipe Photos	Adding a photo to custom meals you have created and saved.	Supported via 'More' > 'My Meals, Recipes & Foods'.	Not supported, custom meals are text-based.
Meal Scan	Using your camera to identify and log food items in real-time.	Supported for Premium users on iOS/Android.	Not available.
Profile Photo	Uploading an image to represent your user profile.	Supported via 'More' > 'Settings' > 'Edit Profile'.	Supported via 'My Home' > 'Profile' > 'Edit Photos'.
Forum Photos	Posting pictures in the MyFitnessPal community forums.	Supported via 'Community' and upload tool.	Supported via 'Community' and upload tool.

Conclusion: Making the Most of MyFitnessPal's Photo Features

Knowing how do I add pictures in MyFitnessPal is the first step toward a more engaging and visually rewarding tracking experience. Whether you are using progress photos to celebrate victories, adding meal photos for quicker logging, or simply personalizing your profile, these features provide a deeper, more personal connection to your health journey. For the most comprehensive experience, remember to utilize the features available on the mobile app, as it offers the most robust photo functionality, including the advanced Meal Scan tool for Premium users. Start snapping today to get a more complete picture of your success. For further details on any MyFitnessPal feature, you can always consult their official help pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you cannot add a picture directly to a standard food entry in your daily diary. Pictures can only be attached to custom meals and recipes that you have created and saved to your library.

Yes, by default, your progress photos are for your eyes only. You have the option to share them manually with friends or on social media, but they are not public on your profile.

The Meal Scan feature is available to MyFitnessPal Premium subscribers using the iOS and Android mobile apps. It is not available on the website.

You can view your past progress photos by navigating to the 'Progress' section in the mobile app. The photos are linked to your weight entries and can be viewed by scrolling through your history.

For best results, take your photos in the same location, at the same time of day (e.g., in the morning), and wearing the same or similar form-fitting clothing. Using a tripod or phone stand also helps maintain consistency.

Yes, you can add photos to forum posts. Both the mobile app and the website have an 'Upload image' tool within the Community section that allows you to post pictures.

To add a photo to an existing custom meal, go to the 'More' menu, select 'My Meals, Recipes & Foods', and navigate to the 'Meals' tab. Tap on the meal you wish to edit and then tap the gray square to add a photo from your gallery.