Purpose The purpose of this study is to analize a psychological and behavioral mechanism for using profile picture management in digital service such as social network service. Profile picture management falls under metadata management and is performed only by those who want it. This means that it, is one of the typical makeup-type digital shadow works (DSWs) which have not been studied yet. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts ground theory method(GTM) as research methodology. GTM, which is one of qualitative methodologies, is for developing theories while most survey based methodologies, which are well adopted in much research for information systems, are for validation of theories. By interviewing ten users, the data are collected and analyzed by open coding, axis coding with paradigm model, and selective coding. Findings In result, 39 codes are found and classified into 29 sub classes and 15 classes. These 15 classes are organized by paradigm model which derives core code of profile picture management as ‘voluntary management tasks to experience small pleasures with intermittent attention’. Finally, based on the paradigm model and the core code, the story line, which can explain profile picture management, is suggested.