When the name of the caller is lit up on your Xiaomi screen and a photo is next to it, it not only makes the interface more personalized, but also helps you navigate faster whether to respond. However, not all users know that setting up the display of a photo on an incoming call in MIUI has its own nuances - especially if the contact is synchronized with multiple accounts or the photo is not displayed despite all efforts.
In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to set a photo on a call for Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi on MIUI 12-15 firmware, including solutions for cases when the image is not automatically applied, you will learn how to add a photo through standard settings, third-party applications, and what to do if after updating the system contacts lost their avatars.
Why is Xiaomi not showing a photo when calling?
Before we get to settings, it's important to understand why a photo of a contact might not show up during an incoming call.
- 📱 No associated image – contact saved without photo or deleted.
- ☁️ Sync conflict – the photo is tied to a Google account, but the phone is synced to Mi Account (or vice versa).
- 🔄 Cache of the "Contact" application - after updating MIUI miniatures are sometimes dropped.
- 📵 Restrictions of the application "Phone" - in the settings disabled display photo on calls.
- 🛠️ Firmware error - in some versions MIUI (For example, 14.0.3) was a bug with avatars.
If you have previously tried to install a photo but it doesn’t show up, first check if your case is one of the listed items. For example, if the contact is synced with Google Contacts but priority sync with Mi Cloud is enabled in the phone’s settings, the system may ignore the photo from the Google account.
Method 1: Add a photo through the standard "Contact" application
The most obvious and universal method is to attach a photo directly to the contact card, which works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models regardless of the MIUI version.
- Open the Contacts app (an icon with a human silhouette).
- Find the right contact in the list and tap it.
- At the top of the screen, click on the camera icon (or plus if the photo is missing).
- Choose one of the options: 📸 Take a photo – directly from the camera phone. 🖼️ Select from the gallery - upload an existing image. 🎨 Create an avatar – draw an emoji or sticker (available in the MIUI 14+).
Cut the photo in a circle (if necessary) and save the changes.
After that, the photo should be displayed when the call arrives. If that doesn't happen, move on to the next method.
Selected image with a resolution of at least 300×300 pixels|
Contact is not duplicated in the phone book |
Photo saved in JPEG or PNG| format
In the settings of the phone included display of avatars on calls-->
Method 2: Sync photos through Google Contacts
If you use Google Contacts to store numbers, photos may not show up on Xiaomi due to a sync conflict.
- Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
- Select Google and make sure that your Contact Sync is enabled.
- Open the web version of Google Contacts on your computer or phone.
- Find the right contact, click on the camera icon and upload the photo.
- Return to your phone and manually update your contacts: open the Contacts app" → ⋮ (menu) → Update.
What if Google photos are not synced?
Method 3: Using the Phone app to configure the display
Sometimes the problem is not the lack of photos, but the settings of the Phone app itself. In some versions of MIUI, the display of avatars on calls is disabled by default.
To enable this function:
- Open the phone application (green handset).
- Tap on three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Settings.
- Go to Contact Display (or Inbound Calls, depending on the MIUI version).
- Activate the option to show contact photos (or similar).
- If necessary, also enable Full-screen mode for a larger display of the photo.
In MIUI 14.0.5 and later, the path to settings has changed: now the option is hidden in Phone Settings → Apps → Phone → Permissions → Additional settings.
| MIUI version | The Way to Setting Up Photo Display | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12–13 | Phone. → ⋮ → Settings → Contact display | The option may be called "Showing Avatars." |
| MIUI 14 | Settings → Applications → Phone → Permissions | You need to enable permission to "Show over other windows" |
| MIUI 15 (Beta) | Settings → Screen → Incoming calls | You can also set up an animation photo |
Method 4: Install photo through third-party applications
If standard methods don't work, you can use third-party contact management apps.
- 📇 Truecaller automatically uploads photos from the database (but requires registration).
- 🔍 Sync.ME – synchronize photos from social networks (VK, Facebook, Instagram).
- 📞 Drupe – allows you to customize the display of contacts, including avatars.
Example of settings through Truecaller:
- Install an app from the Play Market.
- Register and allow access to contacts.
- Open the contact card in Truecaller and click Edit → Add a photo.
- Select the image and save the changes.
- Make Truecaller the default call app (Settings → Apps → Default).
⚠️ Note: When using third-party apps, contact photos can only be displayed in the interface of this app, not in a standard Phone. For photos to be displayed everywhere, go back to methods 1-3.
Method 5: Manually editing contact via Mi Account
If you use Mi Account to sync, photos can be stored in the Xiaomi cloud to update them:
- Go to i.mi.com and log in.
- Open the Contacts section.
- Find the right contact and click on the camera icon next to the name.
- Upload a new photo (maximum size – 5 MB).
- On your phone, update contacts: Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Sync.
This method is especially useful if you’ve been changing your phone and want to transfer all your contacts photos from your old Xiaomi device.
💡
If your photo in Mi Cloud is not updated, try temporarily disabling sync with Google Contacts – sometimes the systems conflict with each other.
Problem Solving: Photos are not displayed despite all efforts
If you have tried all the ways, but the photo does not appear when you call, check the following points:
| Problem. | Decision |
|---|---|
| Photos are available but not shown on the call | Clear the cache of the Phone and Contacts apps (Settings → Applications → Memory → Clear the cache) |
| Contact duplicated | Combine duplicates: Open the contact → ⋮ → Unite |
| Low resolution photo | Use an image that is at least 500×500 pixels in size |
| Mistake after MIUI update | Reset the settings of the Contacts app (Settings → Applications → Contacts → Reset) |
If the problem persists, it may be related to a specific firmware version, such as MIUI 14.0.2–14.0.4, where a bug prevented avatars from appearing on calls from VoLTE-enabled carriers, in which case only updating the system to the latest version would help.
⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO X3 Pro) the image on the calls is disabled at the firmware level. To enable it, you need root access or customization. ROM.
💡
If the photo is not displayed only for some contacts, check if they are saved to the SIM-map - in this case, avatars are not supported.