How to put a photo on the contact in Xiaomi Mi 9: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi Mi 9 is still a popular smartphone thanks to its powerful hardware and up-to-date MIUI firmware. But even experienced users sometimes have difficulty adding photos to a contact. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways, from standard to workaround solutions for cases when the avatar “does not want” to be displayed.

You will learn how to install a photo through the built-in phone book, synchronized Google or Mi Account accounts, and why sometimes the image is not saved after a reboot. MIUI 12/13/14 — They are very different from the older versions.

Preparation: which photos are suitable for contact

Before you start installing an avatar, make sure your image meets the specifications of the Xiaomi Mi 9. Otherwise, the system can automatically crop or compress the photo beyond recognition.

The optimal parameters for photo contact:

• 📏 Permission: from 300×300 before 1000×1000 Larger images will be reduced by the system, which can degrade the quality of the images.
• 🎨 Format: JPEG, PNG or WEBP. MIUI supportive GIF or HEIC (iPhone format.
• 🔄 The aspect ratio is 1:1 (square) and if you upload a rectangular photo, the system will suggest cropping it.
• 📁 File weight: up to 5MB. Files larger than 10MB may not be downloaded.

If your photo doesn’t match these parameters, use any graphics editor (like Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile) to trim and optimize your image, and you can also use online services like iLoveIMG.

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Before downloading the avatar, check if the camera settings are enabled with the Watermark mode (Camera Settings → Additional → Watermark). If yes, turn it off, otherwise the date or logo of Xiaomi may appear on the contact photo.

Method 1: Using the standard MIUI phone book

The most obvious and quickest method is to install photos directly in the Contacts app, which works on all versions of MIUI, including the latest 2026 updates.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Contacts app** (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen or in the app menu).
2. Find the right contact in the list and tap it.
3. In the upper right corner, click on the Edit icon** (pencil).
4. Slip on the round contact icon (the default is the first letter of the name on a colored background).
5. Choose one of the options: 📷 Take a photo - straight from the camera. 🖼️ Select from the gallery - upload an existing image. 🎨 Generate an avatar – create a stylized image based on the name (available in the following pages): MIUI 14).

"Ready."

Save the changes by clicking the tick in the upper right corner.

If the photo is not displayed after saving, check if contact optimization is enabled in the Mi Account settings. Go to Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Contact synchronization and make sure that the option is active.

Contact synchronization enabled|Photos meet requirements (size, format)|Contact is not duplicated in the phone book|Contacts app updated to the latest version-->

Method 2: Google Contacts (for synchronized accounts)

If your contacts are synced with your Google Account, you can set your photos via the web version of Google Contacts, which is convenient because the avatar will automatically update on all devices where sync is enabled.

How to do this:

1. Select the source of the photo: 🖼️ Download - from a computer. 📁 Google Photos – if the image is already uploaded to the cloud. 📷 Take a photo – if you use the mobile version of the site.

Cut the photo in a circle (if necessary) and save the changes.

After that, wait for the synchronization (usually takes 1-2 minutes) and check the display of the avatar on the Xiaomi Mi 9.

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Accounts. → Google → Sync contacts and click on “Sync Now».
• 📱 Reboot your smartphone.
• 🔧 Update the Contacts app on Google Play.

Method 3: via messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)

If you have a contact on your WhatsApp, Telegram or other messenger, you can pull the avatar into your phone book, which doesn't always work, but it's worth trying if other methods haven't worked.

Instructions for WhatsApp:

1. Open a chat with the right contact on WhatsApp.
2. Slip the name of the interlocutor at the top of the screen.
3. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select “View contact»**.
4. In the contact card that opens, click "Edit"** (pencil).
5. Slip the contact icon and select “Install from WhatsApp” (if the option is available).

For Telegram:

• Open your contact profile on Telegram.
• Press three points (⋮) → «Share» → «Keep in touch»**.
• Open the standard Contacts app and check if the photo has been updated.

⚠️ Note: Not all messengers allow you to export avatars to a phone book. For example, Viber and Facebook Messenger do not have this feature. Also note that photos from messengers can be low resolution (for example, photos from messengers can be used in the phone book, 200×200 pixels on WhatsApp).

Method 4: through a file manager (for power users)

This method is suitable if you want to manually replace a photo of a contact through system files. It requires root rights or ADB, so it is recommended only for advanced users.

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect Xiaomi Mi 9 to your computer and enable debugging via USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap on version, then go back to Settings → Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).
2. Download and install ADB Tools.
3. Open the command line (cmd) and execute the command to copy the photo to the system folder: adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db Note: this path may vary depending on the version of MIUI.
4. Edit the database contacts2.db using SQLite Browser (find the table) raw_contacts photofield).
5. Upload a new photo in BLOB format and save the changes.
6. Return the file back to your phone: adb push contacts2.db /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/
7. Reset the device.

It's a risky way to do this, because if you make a mistake, you can damage your contact base, and if you're not sure what you're doing, use the standard methods of the first three.

Solving the problem: why the photo is not displayed or disappears

Sometimes users find that the contact avatar disappears after the reboot or does not appear in some applications (for example, in calls).

If none of these methods helped, try resetting the Contacts app settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Contacts → Storage.
2. Click Reset** (all contact data will remain, only display settings will be reset).
3. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using MIUI 14 and encountered a bug where contact photos are only displayed in the Contacts app, but not in calls, update the firmware to the latest version. V14.0.5.0 This problem has been corrected.

Bonus: How to make a contact avatar animated

Standard facilities MIUI supportive GIF-Avatars, but there's a workaround through third-party apps, like Zedge or Avatar Maker, you can create an animated circle that will show up as a static image in your contacts, but when you open your profile, it will come to life».

Instructions:

1. Install the Zedge app from Google Play.
2. In the section "Avatars"** find your favorite animated template.
3. Download it and save it to the gallery.
4. Open the standard Contacts, select the desired profile and set the downloaded image as an avatar.

Unfortunately, animations will only be visible in some apps (like Truecaller or WhatsApp). MIUI first-frame GIF-file.

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For stable avatars always use synchronization with Google Account – this ensures the safety of the photo even after resetting the phone or updating the firmware.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions