How to add a photo to the contact on Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro: 5 ways with step-by-step screens

Why Xiaomi 8 Pro does not save a photo of the contact and how to fix it

Are you trying to assign a picture to a subscriber in a Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro phone book, but the image doesn't show up in calls or disappears after syncing? The problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones on MIUI - especially if contacts are tied to a Google or Mi Account. In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to add avatars, including bypassing typical firmware bugs.

The standard algorithm through the Contacts app doesn't always work: sometimes the photo "flys" after updating the system or resetting the settings. We tested 5 methods on the Mi 8 Pro with different versions. MIUI (10 to 14) and found out which avatars are stable even after rebooting, and you will learn how to return photos of contacts if they are missing after transferring data or changing the data. SIM-map.

Method 1: Add a photo through the standard “Contacts” app

The most obvious method is to use Xiaomi’s built-in Contacts app, which is suitable for subscribers stored in the phone’s memory or on the phone. SIM-Important: If the contact is synced with Google, the photo may not be saved - more about this below.

Instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette).
2. Find the right contact and tap it.
3. In the upper right corner, click on the pencil icon (Edit).
4. Touch the round camera icon next to the contact name.
5. Select the source: 📷 Take a photo - a photo from the camera of the phone. 🖼️ Gallery – upload an existing image. 🎨 Avatar – create a stylized icon (not available on all versions) MIUI).

Ready.

OK

⚠️ Note: If the photo is not displayed in the contact list or when an incoming call is saved, check the synchronization settings (see Method). 4). On some versions MIUI 12-14 Avatar bug solved by rebooting the phone.

Method 2: Change your avatar through Google Contacts

If your contacts are synced to your Google account, the standard method of the first method may not work, in which case you need to edit the photo through the web version of Google Contacts or the app of the same name.

Step-by-step instructions for the web version:

1. Open your browser and go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same Google account as you do on your phone.
3. Find the right contact and click on it.
4. Click on the camera icon in the mug next to the name.
5. Upload a photo from your computer or take a picture via a webcam (if supported).
6. Save the changes.

For synchronization on Xiaomi 8 Pro:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google.
2. Make sure the contact switch is active.
3. Return to the Contacts app and update the list (pull down).

🔹 Useful advice: If the photo does not appear through 5-10 Try to manually synchronize contacts:

Settings → About Phone → System Update → Triple (⋮) → Update Contacts

Method 3: Using the Truecaller app for avatars

Truecaller not only identifies numbers, but it also allows you to assign photos to contacts — even those that aren't saved in the phone book — a method that is useful if standard methods don't work because of MIUI bugs.

How to add a photo via Truecaller:

1. Install Truecaller from Google Play.
2. Register (a telephone number will be required).
3. Open the app and find the right contact.
4. Slap it on and choose Edit.
5. Click on the camera icon next to the name.
6. Select the source of the photo (gallery or camera) and save it.

⚠️ Note: Truecaller may request access to your contacts and call history. If privacy is more important than convenience, use other methods. Also note that photos added through Truecaller may not appear in the standard Contacts app.

Method 4: Synchronize avatars with Mi Account

If you use your Mi Account to back up, your contacts can be synced through it, a method that is relevant for users who don't link contacts to Google.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Account.
2. Make sure the contact switch is on.
3. Return to the Contacts app and add a photo in the standard way (see Method 1).
4. Wait for synchronization (can take up to 1 hour).

Important: Some versions of MIUI show photos added through Mi Account only in the Contacts app, but not during calls. To fix this, go to Settings → Applications → App Management → Phone and clear the cache.

Method 5: Manually copying photos to the contact folder (for advanced ones)

If none of these methods worked, you can manually add a photo to the contact through the file manager, which requires root rights or ADB, but it gives you 100% results.

Step-by-step:

1. Download a file application with access to system folders (for example, FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db (root rights required).
3. Copy the photo in.jpg format into a folder: /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/files/ and rename it in contact_photo_{ID}.jpg, where {ID} — Unique contact number (you can find out through the ADB).
4. Reboot the phone.

🔹 Alternative without root: Use it ADB-photo-team:

adb shell content insert --uri content://com.android.contacts/raw_contacts --bind name: "Contact name" --bind photo_file: "/sdcard/photo.jpg"

💡

Before using ADB, enable USB debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times on build number), then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers and activate Debugging over USB.

Problem Solving: Photos are not displayed or disappear

If the added photo does not show up in calls or disappears after synchronization, check the following points:

• 🔄 Synchronization: Make sure that the settings → Accounts enabled contact synchronization for the account used (Google or Mi Account).
• 📱 Phone App: Open Settings → Annexes → Application management → Phone. → Memory and clear cache.
• 🔍 Contact conflict: If one number is saved to multiple accounts (e.g. Google and Google) SIM), Photos may not be displayed. Combine duplicates in the Contacts app.
• 🔧 Display settings: In some firmware MIUI You need to manually enable avatar displays: Settings → Display → Additionally. → Showing photos of contacts

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro with MIUI 12.5+ There is a bug that prevents contact photos from showing up in the Quick Actions menu (when swiping on the call screen). To fix this, turn off Smooth transitions in the developer settings (Settings) → Additionally. → For developers → Smooth crossings).

💡

If a contact photo is not displayed only to one subscriber, check if the number is saved in the wrong format (for example, with extra characters or spaces: +7XXX1234567

FAQ: Frequent questions about photos of contacts on Xiaomi 8 Pro