# Avatar shape—theme dependent **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Created:** [May 9, 2025, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172 "2025-05-09T20:36:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Topologist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/topologist/32/3208_2.png) [@Topologist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Topologist)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/1 "2025-05-09T20:36:25Z")
Something just changed in several themes, so that avatars in those themes are cropped to a circle rather than a square. I’m using Straight Dope Light, but I tried some others, and some are cropping to a circle and some to a square. Many people created their avatars to look good inside a square, not a circle. Is there a way to change this back, or get TPTB to do so? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/2 "2025-05-09T20:38:36Z")
You guys had squares? I’m using Vincent and they’ve always been circles. [![](https://i.imgur.com/Nx4vrPD.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/Nx4vrPD.png) ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/3 "2025-05-09T20:40:07Z")
I noticed the same change – and am also using Straight Dope Light. It’s a little distracting! ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/4 "2025-05-09T20:44:11Z")
It is disconcerting. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/5 "2025-05-09T21:36:29Z")
> [@Topologist](#): > > Many people created their avatars to look good inside a square, not a circle. But @OldGuy and @OldOlds now both have avatars with perfect symmetry. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/6 "2025-05-09T21:56:09Z")
Its like looking at your avatar through a ship’s portal. Who likes change? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/7 "2025-05-09T21:57:46Z")
I’ve also always seen circles. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/8 "2025-05-09T22:05:01Z")
I’ve often felt like I’m a square peg trying to fit in a round hole in life, but in this case I use the Straight Dope Dark theme which crops the avatars in a square. And in any case my avatar probably doesn’t look too bad in a circle. Been thinking about making a new avatar though, so this is good intel- I willl design one, if and when I get around to it, that works in a circle config. The OP needs a torus-shaped avatar cropping theme 😆 ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/9 "2025-05-09T22:07:40Z")
Weird, I’ve known the issue for a long time, because when I read on my computer (Dark Theme) it’s always been circles, but when I’m on my Fire Tablet (not signed in, because I don’t really trust the Silk Browser) it’s always been square in the “default” appearance. I guess my brain had that segregated as “just one of those things” and tuned it out. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/10 "2025-05-09T22:11:25Z")
That is weird. You have the dark theme too, and you see circles? I view the SDMB primarily on a desktop PC in Firefox, and iOS Safari (iPad and iPhone) and I’ve only ever seen squares. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/11 "2025-05-09T22:19:00Z")
I have the “Dark” theme, not “Straight Dope Dark”. I find the semi-custom themes historically left me with more formatting issues, which are sometimes fixed and sometimes… less so. I’m also mostly using Chrome (again, on PC) which could always be yet another source of difference. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/12 "2025-05-09T22:35:53Z")
Ah yes, I just switched to ‘Dark’ from ‘Straight Dope Dark’ and am now seeing the circles. Round Dope Dark? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/13 "2025-05-09T22:43:34Z")
Yes, just today or yesterday there was another software update, and the avatars in Straight Dope Light that used to be squares are now circles. WTF is the point of these arbitrary changes? It negatively affects some avatars but not others, but **it doesn’t improve any of them**! So why the change? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/14 "2025-05-09T23:14:22Z")
Count me also unimpressed with this useless tweak. I’m a Straight Dope Light user and on both phone & PC I find the round icons are a reduction in usability. Uggh! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/15 "2025-05-09T23:16:20Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Ah yes, I just switched to ‘Dark’ from ‘Straight Dope Dark’ and am now seeing the circles. > > Round Dope Dark? 🎶 Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel…🎶 ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/16 "2025-05-09T23:33:22Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I’ve also always seen circles. Huh I think I’ve always seen circles; but to be honest I don’t pay that much attention to the shape of avatars. Straight Dope Light. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/17 "2025-05-09T23:34:52Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I’ve also always seen circles. Huh. Same here. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/18 "2025-05-09T23:42:12Z")
I’ve always been a square kinda guy. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/19 "2025-05-09T23:58:32Z")
The circle clipping wrecks mine. The letters L are cut off at upper left and lower right. That looks wrong. They’re not cut off when my icon is left as a square. If I’d known they were going to be clipped down into circles I’ve had left more margin around the edge of the letters. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2025, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172/20 "2025-05-10T00:19:11Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > Who likes change? Not me. I dig the squares, man. 🫰 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-shape-theme-dependent/1018172.md?page=2)