{"id":8458,"date":"2009-06-21T18:16:28","date_gmt":"2009-06-21T12:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=8458"},"modified":"2026-10-13T15:03:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T09:33:32","slug":"green-twitter-profile-avatars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/","title":{"rendered":"Green Twitter Avatar: The 2009 Story and How to Tint Your X Profile Picture"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In June 2009, thousands of Twitter profiles suddenly turned green. The <strong>green Twitter avatar<\/strong> was a show of support for protesters after Iran&#8217;s disputed presidential election, and it was one of the first times a whole social network changed its profile pictures for a cause. Here is what the green avatars were about, and how you can add a colour tint or a cause frame to your X profile picture today.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-65546\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/green-twitter-avatar.webp\" alt=\"Green Twitter avatar: how to tint your X profile picture\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/green-twitter-avatar.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/green-twitter-avatar-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/green-twitter-avatar-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/green-twitter-avatar-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/green-twitter-avatar-768x403.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> To make a green (or any colour) avatar on X today, open your profile photo in a free editor such as Canva or Photopea, add a semi-transparent green layer on top, export it as a square image and upload it in X under Edit profile. For a cause or campaign frame, use a frame site like Twibbonize. The old 2009 one-click &#8220;go green&#8221; site no longer works.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae80d0d951bc\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ae80d0d951bc\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/#Why_Twitter_avatars_turned_green_in_2009\" >Why Twitter avatars turned green in 2009<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/#What_has_changed_since_then\" >What has changed since then<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/#How_to_make_a_green_avatar_for_X_in_2026\" >How to make a green avatar for X in 2026<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/#Tips_before_you_change_your_avatar\" >Tips before you change your avatar<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/#Why_were_Twitter_avatars_green_in_2009\" >Why were Twitter avatars green in 2009?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/#Does_helpiranelectioncom_still_work\" >Does helpiranelection.com still work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/#Can_I_make_a_green_Twitter_avatar_on_my_phone\" >Can I make a green Twitter avatar on my phone?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/06\/green-twitter-profile-avatars\/#How_do_I_change_my_profile_picture_on_X\" >How do I change my profile picture on X?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Twitter_avatars_turned_green_in_2009\"><\/span>Why Twitter avatars turned green in 2009<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>After the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2009_Iranian_presidential_election_protests\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2009 Iranian presidential election protests<\/a> began, green became the colour of the opposition movement. Developer Arik Fraimovich set up a site called helpiranelection.com that used Twitter&#8217;s OAuth sign-in to add a green overlay to your avatar automatically and tweet a message of support. Celebrities and tech names joined in, the #iranelection hashtag trended for days, and supporters said tens of thousands of profiles went green within a week.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8459\" title=\"green twitter avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/green-twitter.jpg\" alt=\"green twitter avatar from 2009\" width=\"161\" height=\"81\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/green-twitter.jpg 161w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/green-twitter-150x75.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 161px) 100vw, 161px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Some people joined because they supported the cause, and some because the green look was simply the trend of the week. Either way, it showed how quickly a profile picture could become a badge.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_has_changed_since_then\"><\/span>What has changed since then<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Twitter is now <strong>X<\/strong>, and its API is far more restricted, so one-click avatar changers like the 2009 site no longer work.<\/li>\n<li>Profile picture campaigns moved to <strong>frames<\/strong> rather than colour tints: rainbow flags, national flags, awareness ribbons and event badges.<\/li>\n<li>Facebook and LinkedIn have built-in frames for some causes and events, but on X you edit the image yourself and upload it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_make_a_green_avatar_for_X_in_2026\"><\/span>How to make a green avatar for X in 2026<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Download your current profile picture, or pick a clear square photo of yourself.<\/li>\n<li>Open it in a free editor such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canva<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.photopea.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Photopea<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Add a rectangle covering the whole photo, fill it with green (or any colour) and lower its opacity to about 30 to 50%.<\/li>\n<li>Export as a square PNG or JPG, at least 400 x 400 pixels.<\/li>\n<li>On X, go to your profile, click <strong>Edit profile<\/strong>, click the camera icon on your photo and upload the new image.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>To use a ready-made cause frame instead of a tint, search for the campaign on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twibbonize.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twibbonize<\/a>, upload your photo, download the framed version and upload it to X the same way. For more ideas, see our guide on how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/08\/add-twitter-profile-icons\/\">add a frame or icon to your X profile picture<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_before_you_change_your_avatar\"><\/span>Tips before you change your avatar<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep your face recognisable so followers still know it&#8217;s you.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid sign-in-with-X sites that ask to post on your behalf; editing the image yourself is safer.<\/li>\n<li>Save your original photo so you can switch back later.<\/li>\n<li>Change back once the campaign or event is over, so your profile doesn&#8217;t look out of date months later.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_were_Twitter_avatars_green_in_2009\"><\/span>Why were Twitter avatars green in 2009?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>To show support for Iranian protesters after the June 2009 presidential election. Green was the colour of the opposition campaign.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_helpiranelectioncom_still_work\"><\/span>Does helpiranelection.com still work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. The site and its automatic Twitter overlay are long gone.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_make_a_green_Twitter_avatar_on_my_phone\"><\/span>Can I make a green Twitter avatar on my phone?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes. Canva has free iPhone and Android apps; add a green shape over your photo, lower its transparency, save it and upload it from the X app under Edit profile.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_change_my_profile_picture_on_X\"><\/span>How do I change my profile picture on X?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Go to your profile, click Edit profile, click the camera icon on your current photo, upload a new image and click Save.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In June 2009, thousands of Twitter profiles suddenly turned green. The green Twitter avatar was a show of support for&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":65546,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,111],"tags":[49],"class_list":["post-8458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging","category-social-media","tag-tutorials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8458"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65549,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8458\/revisions\/65549"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}