How to Set a Photo for a Call to Xiaomi: 5 Ways to Make All Models

When a photo of a caller is lit up on your Xiaomi screen, it’s not only convenient, it adds personalization. However, not all users know how to properly configure the image display when an incoming call is made — especially if the contact is saved without an image or the picture is not displayed on the full screen. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to install photos for contacts on Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones running MIUI 12/13/14 and the new HyperOS.

The problem often lies in the settings of the Contacts app or system display options. For example, on some Xiaomi models, a photo of a contact may not show due to the limitations of the Phone app or conflict with the theme of the design, we will look at both standard methods through Google Contacts and hidden MIUI settings that allow you to pin an image even for numbers not saved in the phone book.

It's important to remember that the algorithm changed with the release of HyperOS, Xiaomi's new shell that replaced MIUI in 2026, and if your smartphone has already updated, some menu items may be different, but don't worry, we'll give you up-to-date screenshots and alternative paths for both systems.

1. Standard method: through the "Contacts" application

The most obvious method is to add or change a photo directly to the contact card, which works on all versions of MIUI and HyperOS, but there are nuances with synchronization between accounts.

Open the Contacts app. Find the contact you want in the list and tap it. At the top of the screen, you'll see a circular icon with the first letter of the name -- that's where the photo is. Click on it, then select Change the photo or Add the photo (depending on your current status).

• 📸 Take a picture – immediately opens the camera for a new photo;
• 🖼️ Select from the gallery - you can download any image from the phone's memory;
• 🎨 Create an avatar – generation of a stylized image based on the name (not available on all models).

After you select a photo, remember to click Save in the top right corner. The image automatically syncs with Google Contacts if you have the appropriate setting enabled. SIM-The card, the photo may not appear when you call.

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To ensure that the contact photo is displayed on the full screen when you call, in the settings of the Phone application, enable the option Full-screen incoming call (Settings → Incoming calls → Incoming call style).

2. How to put a photo on a call through Google Contacts

If you use Google Contacts as your primary phone book, the algorithm is a little different, and it works even after you reset your phone to factory settings, because the data is stored in the cloud.

Open the Google Contacts app (if not, download from Play Market). Find the contact you want and click on the pencil icon (Edit) in the top right corner. Tap the circular icon with the letter to the left of the name, and the photo selection menu will open.

• 📁 Download an image from Google Photos or Gallery;
• 🖌️ Cut and edit the photo before saving;
• 🔄 Delete the current image (if any).

After saving the changes sync with Google servers for a few seconds. To ensure that the photo is displayed when you call, make sure that the phone app settings select the contact display from Google, not from the Device or from the device. SIM-map.

3.Why is the photo of the contact not displayed when the call is made?

A common problem with Xiaomi users is that the photo is in contact, but when you call in, it shows only the name and number, and there are several reasons, and most of them are solved in the settings.

The first thing you need to check is the contact source in the Phone app. Go to Settings. → Contacts → Display contacts from and make sure that the correct account (e.g. Google or Mi Account) is selected. SIM-map, the photo will not be displayed.

The second possible reason is the design theme limitations, and some custom MIUI/HyperOS themes block the images from being displayed on the call screen to check this out:

1. Go to the settings → registration;
2. Select a standard theme (Default or MIUI)
3. Check if the photo appears on the test call.

Also pay attention to the permissions of the Phone app. Go to Settings → Apps → Application Management → Phone → Permissions and make sure that the rights to access Contacts, Warehouse and Camera are included.

4 How to put a photo on a call for an unsaved number

Sometimes you have to assign a photo to a number that is not saved in the phone book, for example, for frequent callers or delivery services, and in MIUI and HyperOS, this can be done through a blacklist or third-party applications.

Method 1: Call settings:

1. Open the phone application;
2. Go to the Call log and find the desired number;
3. Tap the room. → Add in contact;
4. Make a new contact with your photo (even if you don’t want to keep it forever).

Method 2: Use Truecaller, which automatically pulls up photos for business numbers and allows you to manually add images for any contacts, even unsaved ones.

• 🔍 Find a number in the call log;
• 🖼️ Click on the pencil icon for editing;
• 📎 Attach a photo from the gallery or make a new one.

5. Set up the display of the photo on the call screen

Even if the photo is attached to the contact, the way it is displayed when the call is in depends on the system settings, and in MIUI 14 and HyperOS, these parameters are hidden deeper than in the older versions.

To adjust the incoming call style:

1. Open the Settings;
2. Go to the Applications → Phone → Incoming calls;
3. Select the incoming call style;
4. Activate Full Screen Mode and Show a photo of the contact.

In some firmware (for example, on POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12), these settings may be called differently:

On smartphones with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra or POCO X6 Pro photo on the incoming call can be displayed with black fields on the sides. This is not a bug, but a feature of energy saving - the system darkens unused pixels. To remove the stripes, turn on the option Full-screen display in the screen settings (Settings) → Display. → Additionally).

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If after all the settings, the photo still does not show, try to clear the cache of the Phone application (Settings → Applications → Phone → Storage → Clear the cache).

6. Alternative methods: third-party applications

If the standard methods don’t work or you need more features (like animated photos per call), you can use third-party apps. We tested several solutions that are compatible with Xiaomi:

• 📞 Contacts+ — install GIF-Images and customize the style of the call screen;
• 🎨 Sync.ME – automatically pulls up photos from social networks (VK, Facebook, Instagram);
• 🔄 Truecaller – in addition to the photo, shows the name of the caller even for unsaved numbers.

When using third-party applications, consider:

⚠️ Note: Apps like Truecaller or Sync.ME require access to your phone book, call log, and the Internet. Check permissions and reviews in the Play Market before installing them to avoid data leakage. On Xiaomi with HyperOS, these apps can conflict with the system “Phone” – in this case, assign a third-party application by default in the settings.

To make a third-party app the main one for calls:

1. Open Settings → Applications → By default;
2. Select the phone;
3. Please specify the application you need (for example, Contacts+).

7. Solving problems with photo synchronization

If you changed the contact photo, but the call screen still shows the old picture (or none at all), the problem is synchronization.

For Google Contacts:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Google;
2. Make sure that the synchronization of Contacts is enabled;
3. Press Sync now.

For Mi Account:

1. Go to Settings. → Mi Account;
2. Select Data Synchronization;
3. Activate the switch next to Contacts.

If synchronization doesn’t help, try forced cache resetting:

⚠️ Warning: Clearing the Contacts app data will remove any unsynchronized changes. VCF: Open your contacts. → Settings → Imports/Exports → Exports to the vault.

After export:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Contacts;
2. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data;
3. Restart your phone and wait for the sync to re-run.

Frequently asked questions