How to change a photo of a contact with Xiaomi: all ways in 5 minutes

Changing the contact photo on Xiaomi smartphones is a simple procedure that takes no more than 5 minutes, but many users face nuances. MIUI, Phone model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T) Source of Contact Synchronization (Google, SIM-Map, local storage) the algorithm of actions may differ. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from standard editing through the Contacts app to circumventing restrictions. MIUI Synchronize with your Google account.

We will pay special attention to the typical problems: why the contact photo is reset after the update MIUI, How to return an avatar after resetting, and why some contacts do not allow you to change the image (for example, saved on the site). SIM-You will also learn how to assign unique photos for double-digits. SIM-Why it’s better to use third-party apps like Truecaller or Sync.ME.

1. Standard method: change the photo through the application "Contacts"

The most obvious method is editing through the built-in Contacts app (or Phone in global firmware), which works on all Xiaomi devices running MIUI 12-14, including the Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models. Importantly, if the contact is synchronized with your Google account, the changes will apply to all devices where sync is enabled.

Instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen or in the app menu).
2. Find the contact you want in the list or use the search bar at the top.
3. Tap the contact to open his card.
4. Click on the camera icon (or current contact photo) at the top of the screen.
5. Select the source of the image: 📷 Take a photo – activates the camera for a new shoot. 🖼️ Gallery – allows you to select an existing photo from your phone’s memory. 🎨 Avatar – offers standard icons MIUI (if available).

Ready.

Save.

⚠️ Note: If the photo editing button is inactive (grey), then the contact is saved to the photo. SIM-Transfer it to your phone memory or Google account as described in Section 4.

Contact not saved on SIM-map|Google sync is enabled (if necessary)|Photos have permission at least 300×300 pixel|There is enough free memory on the phone.-->

2. Change photos via Google Contacts (for synchronized accounts)

If your contacts are synced to your Google account (which is recommended for backup), you can change the photo not only on your phone, but also through the web version of Google Contacts. This is convenient if you need to massively edit avatars or work from a computer.

Step-by-step:

1. Open your browser on your phone or computer and go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same Google account used on Xiaomi.
3. Find the contact you need in the list and click on it.
4. Click on the camera icon in the upper right corner of the contact card.
5. Select the source: 🖼️ Upload photos to add images from the device. 📁 Select from albums – if the photo is already uploaded to Google Photos. 🗑️ Delete – to remove the current photo.

Xiaomi

The advantage of this method is that the changes will apply to all devices that sync with Google (including tablets, other smartphones or even iPhones), but there is a nuance: if Xiaomi has disabled contact sync, the photos will not be updated.

Settings → Accounts and sync → Google → Enable “Contacts”

On the smartphone | Through Google Contacts |In apps like Truecaller |Never edit-->

3.Why is the photo of the contact not changed or reset?

Xiaomi users often experience a designated contact photo disappearing after a reboot, MIUI update, or reset.

A critical feature of MIUI is that if the contact is duplicated (e.g., there is both a phone and Google memory), the system can only show a photo from one source.

1. Open the contact in the Contacts app.
2. Click Edit → More (⋮) → Connecting contacts.
3. Select duplicates and confirm the combination.

4 How to transfer contact with SIM-phone-card?

Contacts saved on SIM-The card does not support the photos - this is a limitation of the standard SIM. To assign an avatar, first transfer the contact to your device memory or Google account.

Instructions for MIUI 14:

1. Open Contacts. → Settings (⚙) → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
2. Select Import with SIM-map.
3. Mark the contacts you need and click Import.
4. Specify the target: 📱 Phone Memory – If You Don’t Use Google. 🌐 Google Account – for synchronization between devices.

After importing, edit the contact and assign a photo (see Section 1).

⚠️ Note: When importing with SIM-Additional fields (e.g., second name or notes) may be lost before transferring your contacts via Settings. → System and device → Backup.

💡

If you have a two-sim Xiaomi (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro)+), You can assign different photos to contact each SIM-To do this, create a duplicate contact and enter the phone number in the "Phone" field. SIM (for example, “Mobile 2").

5. Alternative methods: third-party applications

If standard methods don't work (for example, because of bugs in MIUI), you can use third-party apps, and they're also useful for mass editing photos or adding animated avatars.

Top.-3 apps:

• 📞 Truecaller automatically uploads photos from social networks and allows you to edit them. SMS.
• 🔄 Sync.ME syncs photos with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, suitable for business contacts.
• 🖼️ Contact Photo Editor – a specialized avatar editor with trimming and filter functions.

How to change the photo with Truecaller:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Register and provide access to contacts.
3. Open the contact you need in Truecaller.
4. Click on the camera icon next to the name.
5. Select the source of the photo (gallery, camera or search on the Internet).
6. Save the changes – the photos will be updated in the standard Contacts app.

Warning: Some apps (like Truecaller) upload contacts to their servers. If privacy is critical, use offline editors like Contact Photo Editor.

6. Features for different Xiaomi models

The process of changing the photo contact may vary slightly depending on the model and version of MIUI. Below are the key differences for popular devices:

For devices with MIUI for Russia (for example, Redmi 10C or POCO M5), there may be no option to combine duplicate contacts.

1. Export contacts to the VCF file via Settings → Contact Management → Export.
2. Import them back by choosing to combine with existing ones.

💡

On Xiaomi with pure Android (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Pro for the global market) the process of changing photos is identical to standard Android – use the Google Contacts app instead of the Google Contacts app. MIUI-version.

7.How to make a backup copy of contacts with a photo?

Before mass editing, it is recommended to back up contacts to avoid data loss. MIUI has two ways:

Method 1: Through the MIUI settings

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select Contacts and start the process.
3. The backup file will be saved to MIUI/backup/AllBackup (can be copied to PC).

Method 2: Export to a VCF file

1. Open Contacts. → Settings (⚙) → Contact management → Exports.
2. Select a storage location (internal memory or storage). SD-map).
3. The contacts.vcf file will contain all contacts including photos.

⚠️ Note: Backup copies through MIUI They don't always save the photos in their original quality. For reliability, export the contacts to the original image. VCF and separately copy the folder with the photo from /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.providers.contacts/files/ (You need root rights or a file manager with access to system folders).

FAQ: Frequent questions