Why can't I change my profile picture on Outlook.com?

Ok I have been struggling with this for a while now and I finally found out how to fix it. This worked for me, I don't know if it works for anybody else though.

go to the cog in right hand corner, select options.

In the options page under "Reading email" is "Third-party content" go there and select "Don't show public content from third-party networks" and save. this worked for me, and it also showed me my email is linked to my facebook and twitter account. I never asked for this, and outlook never asked me this.

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for posting your concern here in Microsoft Community forum. I'd be glad to assist you on how to remove your profile picture in your account.

AlexStoj suggestion is actually correct. If your account was linked to Facebook, Twitter or other social networking sites, your profile picture in that social networking site is also sync in your Outlook.com account. By removing the link accounts, it will surely remove the profile picture in your account.

Please follow the steps below on how to remove the link accounts:

1. Sign in to Outlook.com.
2. Click the cog icon at the upper right and select More mail settings.
3. Under "Managing your account," click Account details.
4. At the left pane under "Microsoft Account," click Permissions.
5. Under "Permissions", click Manage your accounts.
6. Under "Accounts that you can access," you can now see all the linked accounts. Click the Edit button under the linked account.
7. In the next page, click the Remove the connection completely.

If the above steps didn't help you out, feel free to reply back and we are happy to further assist you.

Thank you.

I am encountering the same situation that outlook is yanking my facebook profile picture (I haven't posted the pic anywhere else other than facebook) but there is no profile picture loaded onto my Hotmail.com profile.  In reviewing the permission section of the Hotmail program as outlined by your support team above, I obtained the following information:

Accounts that you can access:

You haven't added any accounts yet.

Apps and services you've given access:                

You haven't given access to any apps or services yet. Once you do, they'll show up here.

How do we get whatever phantom link that exists severed so that my e-mail does use as a profile pic a pic that appears in another program?

Hi MK-Sydney,

I have provided a response to your post in the Private Message tab. Please sign into this website to be able to read it.

Thank you.

Hi MK-Sydney,

Thank you for posting your concern here in Microsoft Community. I understand that your profile picture is showing your old Picasa photo album. Let me help you with that.

Did you already tried to change your profile picture in your Profile page? If not, kindly follow the steps below:

1. Login to your Profile page in this link: https://profile.live.com.
2. Click Change picture right below of your profile picture.
3. Click Browse button and select the picture you want to be your profile picture.
4. Click Save.

If the issue still persists and your old Picasa photo album still showing to your outgoing emails, kindly provide us the screen shot showing your Profile page and your outgoing email showing your old Picasa photo album. Please follow the steps that RoseKatrina_H provided in her post and upload the screen shot that I've created for security purposes. You need to click the notification that states “You have a private reply to this message. Click here to read it on our secure private messages section."

Note: You need to be signed in to the Microsoft Community forum to view the link. Kindly notify us here when the needed information has been provided in the private message area.

We look forward for your response.

Thanks!