diff --git a/Client/src/Components/Avatar/index.jsx b/Client/src/Components/Avatar/index.jsx
index 255fe2de3..5b7734b7b 100644
--- a/Client/src/Components/Avatar/index.jsx
+++ b/Client/src/Components/Avatar/index.jsx
@@ -40,7 +40,15 @@ const Avatar = ({ src, small, sx }) => {
   return (
     <MuiAvatar
       alt={`${user?.firstname} ${user?.lastname}`}
-      src={src ? src : user?.profileImage ? image : ""}
+      src={
+        src === null
+          ? "/static/images/avatar/2.jpg"
+          : src
+          ? src
+          : user?.profileImage
+          ? image
+          : "/static/images/avatar/2.jpg"
+      }
       sx={{
         fontSize: small ? "12px" : "20px",
         display: "inline-flex",
diff --git a/Client/src/Components/TabPanels/Account/ProfilePanel.jsx b/Client/src/Components/TabPanels/Account/ProfilePanel.jsx
index bead4392d..3ba636849 100644
--- a/Client/src/Components/TabPanels/Account/ProfilePanel.jsx
+++ b/Client/src/Components/TabPanels/Account/ProfilePanel.jsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useTheme } from "@emotion/react";
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useRef, useState } from "react";
 import TabPanel from "@mui/lab/TabPanel";
 import { Box, Divider, Modal, Stack, Typography } from "@mui/material";
 import ButtonSpinner from "../../ButtonSpinner";
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ const ProfilePanel = () => {
     validateField({ [name]: value }, editProfileValidation, name);
   };
 
-  //holds file info
-  const [file, setFile] = useState({});
-  const [progress, setProgress] = useState({ value: 0, isLoading: false });
+  const fileRef = useRef();
   const intervalRef = useRef(null);
+  const [src, setSrc] = useState();
+  const [progress, setProgress] = useState({ value: 0, isLoading: false });
   const handlePicture = (event) => {
     const pic = event.target.files[0];
     let error = validateField(
@@ -80,33 +80,20 @@ const ProfilePanel = () => {
     );
     if (error) return;
 
-    if (pic) {
-      setProgress((prev) => ({ ...prev, isLoading: true }));
-      setFile({ pic: pic, name: pic.name, size: formatBytes(pic.size) });
+    setProgress((prev) => ({ ...prev, isLoading: true }));
+    setSrc(URL.createObjectURL(fileRef.current.files[0]));
 
-      //read image
-      const reader = new FileReader();
-      reader.onload = () => {
-        const base64 = reader.result;
-        setFile((prev) => ({
-          ...prev,
-          src: base64,
-        }));
-
-        //TODO - potentitally remove once image compression functions are implemented above
-        intervalRef.current = setInterval(() => {
-          const buffer = 12;
-          setProgress((prev) => {
-            if (prev.value + buffer >= 100) {
-              clearInterval(intervalRef.current);
-              return { value: 100, isLoading: false };
-            }
-            return { ...prev, value: prev.value + buffer };
-          });
-        }, 120);
-      };
-      reader.readAsDataURL(pic);
-    }
+    //TODO - potentitally remove once image compression functions are implemented above
+    intervalRef.current = setInterval(() => {
+      const buffer = 12;
+      setProgress((prev) => {
+        if (prev.value + buffer >= 100) {
+          clearInterval(intervalRef.current);
+          return { value: 100, isLoading: false };
+        }
+        return { ...prev, value: prev.value + buffer };
+      });
+    }, 120);
   };
 
   const validateField = (toValidate, schema, name = "picture") => {
@@ -122,7 +109,11 @@ const ProfilePanel = () => {
 
   const removePicture = () => {
     clearError("picture");
-    setFile({});
+    if (fileRef.current && fileRef.current.files[0]) {
+      fileRef.current.value = "";
+      URL.revokeObjectURL(fileRef.current?.files[0]);
+      setSrc();
+    }
     //interrupt interval if image upload is canceled prior to completing the process
     clearInterval(intervalRef.current);
     setProgress({ value: 0, isLoading: false });
@@ -131,21 +122,23 @@ const ProfilePanel = () => {
     removePicture();
     setIsOpen("");
   };
+
   const handleUpdatePicture = () => {
     setProgress({ value: 0, isLoading: false });
     setLocalData((prev) => ({
       ...prev,
-      profileImage: file.pic,
+      profileImage: fileRef.current?.files[0],
     }));
-    setFile({});
     setIsOpen("");
   };
   const handleDeletePicture = () => {
     setLocalData((prev) => ({
       ...prev,
-      profileImage: "",
+      profileImage: null,
     }));
+    setSrc(null);
   };
+
   //TODO - implement delete account function
   const handleDeleteAccount = () => {};
   const handleSaveProfile = (event) => {
@@ -247,12 +240,7 @@ const ProfilePanel = () => {
             </Typography>
           </Stack>
           <Stack className="row-stack" direction="row" alignItems="center">
-            <Avatar
-              src={file?.src ? file.src : ""}
-              sx={{
-                mr: "8px",
-              }}
-            />
+            <Avatar src={src} sx={{ mr: "8px" }} />
             <Button
               level="tertiary"
               label="Delete"
@@ -388,15 +376,16 @@ const ProfilePanel = () => {
           </Typography>
           <ImageField
             id="update-profile-picture"
-            picture={file?.src ? file?.src : ""}
+            src={src}
             loading={progress.isLoading && progress.value !== 100}
             onChange={handlePicture}
+            ref={fileRef}
           />
           {progress.isLoading || progress.value !== 0 || errors["picture"] ? (
             <ProgressUpload
               icon={<ImageIcon />}
-              label={file.name}
-              size={file.size}
+              label={fileRef.current?.files[0]?.name}
+              size={formatBytes(fileRef.current?.files[0]?.size)}
               progress={progress.value}
               onClick={removePicture}
               error={errors["picture"]}
diff --git a/Client/src/Components/TextFields/Image/index.jsx b/Client/src/Components/TextFields/Image/index.jsx
index c973883dc..8c65d450c 100644
--- a/Client/src/Components/TextFields/Image/index.jsx
+++ b/Client/src/Components/TextFields/Image/index.jsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useState } from "react";
+import React, { useState, forwardRef } from "react";
 import PropTypes from "prop-types";
 import { Box, IconButton, Stack, TextField, Typography } from "@mui/material";
 import { useTheme } from "@emotion/react";
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@ import { checkImage } from "../../../Utils/fileUtils";
 /**
  * @param {Object} props - The component props.
  * @param {string} props.id - The unique identifier for the input field.
- * @param {string} props.picture - The URL of the image to display.
+ * @param {string} props.src - The URL of the image to display.
  * @param {function} props.onChange - The function to handle file input change.
  * @returns {JSX.Element} The rendered component.
  */
 
-const ImageField = ({ id, picture, loading, onChange }) => {
+const ImageField = forwardRef(({ id, src, loading, onChange }, ref) => {
   const theme = useTheme();
 
   const [isDragging, setIsDragging] = useState(false);
@@ -26,81 +26,87 @@ const ImageField = ({ id, picture, loading, onChange }) => {
   };
 
   return (
-    <>
-      {!checkImage(picture) || loading ? (
-        <>
-          <Box
-            className="image-field-wrapper"
-            mt="20px"
+    <Box>
+      <Box
+        className="image-field-wrapper"
+        mt="20px"
+        sx={{
+          display: !checkImage(src) || loading ? "block" : "none",
+          position: "relative",
+          height: "fit-content",
+          border: "dashed",
+          borderRadius: `${theme.shape.borderRadius}px`,
+          borderColor: isDragging
+            ? theme.palette.primary.main
+            : theme.palette.otherColors.graishWhite,
+          borderWidth: "2px",
+          transition: "0.2s",
+          "&:hover": {
+            borderColor: theme.palette.primary.main,
+            backgroundColor: "hsl(215, 87%, 51%, 0.05)",
+          },
+        }}
+        onDragEnter={handleDragEnter}
+        onDragLeave={handleDragLeave}
+        onDrop={handleDragLeave}
+      >
+        <TextField
+          id={id}
+          type="file"
+          onChange={onChange}
+          inputRef={ref}
+          sx={{
+            width: "100%",
+            "& .MuiInputBase-input[type='file']": {
+              opacity: 0,
+              cursor: "pointer",
+              maxWidth: "500px",
+              minHeight: "175px",
+            },
+            "& fieldset": {
+              padding: 0,
+              border: "none",
+            },
+          }}
+        />
+        <Stack
+          className="custom-file-text"
+          alignItems="center"
+          gap="4px"
+          sx={{
+            position: "absolute",
+            top: "50%",
+            left: "50%",
+            transform: "translate(-50%, -50%)",
+            zIndex: "-1",
+            width: "100%",
+          }}
+        >
+          <IconButton
             sx={{
-              position: "relative",
-              height: "fit-content",
-              border: "dashed",
+              pointerEvents: "none",
               borderRadius: `${theme.shape.borderRadius}px`,
-              borderColor: isDragging
-                ? theme.palette.primary.main
-                : theme.palette.otherColors.graishWhite,
-              borderWidth: "2px",
-              transition: "0.2s",
-              "&:hover": {
-                borderColor: theme.palette.primary.main,
-                backgroundColor: "hsl(215, 87%, 51%, 0.05)",
-              },
+              border: `solid ${theme.shape.borderThick}px ${theme.palette.otherColors.graishWhite}`,
+              boxShadow: theme.shape.boxShadow,
             }}
-            onDragEnter={handleDragEnter}
-            onDragLeave={handleDragLeave}
-            onDrop={handleDragLeave}
           >
-            <TextField
-              id={id}
-              type="file"
-              onChange={onChange}
-              sx={{
-                width: "100%",
-                "& .MuiInputBase-input[type='file']": {
-                  opacity: 0,
-                  cursor: "pointer",
-                  maxWidth: "500px",
-                  minHeight: "175px",
-                },
-                "& fieldset": {
-                  padding: 0,
-                  border: "none",
-                },
-              }}
-            />
-            <Stack
-              className="custom-file-text"
-              alignItems="center"
-              gap="4px"
-              sx={{
-                position: "absolute",
-                top: "50%",
-                left: "50%",
-                transform: "translate(-50%, -50%)",
-                zIndex: "-1",
-                width: "100%",
-              }}
-            >
-              <IconButton
-                sx={{
-                  pointerEvents: "none",
-                  borderRadius: `${theme.shape.borderRadius}px`,
-                  border: `solid ${theme.shape.borderThick}px ${theme.palette.otherColors.graishWhite}`,
-                  boxShadow: theme.shape.boxShadow,
-                }}
-              >
-                <CloudUploadIcon />
-              </IconButton>
-              <Typography component="h2">
-                <span>Click to upload</span> or drag and drop
-              </Typography>
-              <Typography component="p">(maximum size: 3MB)</Typography>
-            </Stack>
-          </Box>
-          <Typography component="p">Supported formats: JPG, PNG</Typography>
-        </>
-      ) : (
+            <CloudUploadIcon />
+          </IconButton>
+          <Typography component="h2">
+            <span>Click to upload</span> or drag and drop
+          </Typography>
+          <Typography component="p">(maximum size: 3MB)</Typography>
+        </Stack>
+      </Box>
+      <Typography
+        component="p"
+        sx={{
+          display: !checkImage(src) || loading ? "block" : "none",
+        }}
+      >
+        Supported formats: JPG, PNG
+      </Typography>
+      {checkImage(src) && !loading ? (
         <Stack direction="row" justifyContent="center">
           <Box
             sx={{
@@ -108,19 +114,21 @@ const ImageField = ({ id, picture, loading, onChange }) => {
               height: "250px",
               borderRadius: "50%",
               overflow: "hidden",
-              backgroundImage: `url(${picture})`,
+              backgroundImage: `url(${src})`,
               backgroundSize: "cover",
             }}
           ></Box>
         </Stack>
+      ) : (
+        ""
       )}
-    </>
+    </Box>
   );
-};
+});
 
 ImageField.propTypes = {
   id: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
-  picture: PropTypes.string,
+  src: PropTypes.string,
   onChange: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
 };