New on Facebook

New on Facebook: Looping video profiles, temporary pictures, larger images

Coming soon to Facebook: Big changes to profiles

Some of the new features are:

• Instead of a static photograph now users can upload a short, looping video clip that plays when people visit their profile on Facebook.

• Users will also be able to temporarily change their profile picture while on vacation or for a major event and have it change back at a specified time.

• Facebook is giving users new controls over what people can see when visiting their profile.

"We're making it easier for you to see what others can view by introducing a new customizable space at the top of your profile. You can curate this space— and convey what you want people to know about you— by changing the visibility of the fields that show up here," Facebook said. "You can also fill out the new, one-line 'Bio' field: select certain public About fields like work and education details to appear there; and even visually highlight what’s important to you by choosing up to five Featured Photos to be showcased at the top of your profile. While this space is visible to anyone who visits your profile, you have full control of what information appears here."

The giant social network is rolling out the features to a small number of users on iOS in California and the United Kingdom before introducing the changes more broadly. The reason Facebook is focusing on profiles: It says people visit them four billion times a day.

Among other changes: Facebook is also making profile pictures and videos bigger and more prominent.

"We believe these improvements to profile will give people more ways to connect and share with each other, and express themselves in meaningful ways," the company said.