How to put an avatar on a phone number on Xiaomi: a complete guide

Personalizing a smartphone is not just a matter of aesthetics, it’s also an important element of usability. When a loved one or important business partner calls, it’s much more enjoyable and informative to see their face on the full screen, rather than just a dry set of numbers or a name on the list. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often encounter the nuances of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, where the installation process of images has its own characteristics that differ from pure Android.

In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can set your photos to your contacts, how to make the image appear on incoming calls, in messages and in the system phone directory, and how to sync with your Google account, as this is a key point for saving data when you change devices.

We will pay special attention to the technical requirements for images and typical errors that may not save the photo or display incorrectly. Understanding the principles of the system gallery and the Contacts application will allow you to avoid data loss and configure your phone as efficiently as possible.

Image Preparation and Format Requirements

Before you start the direct installation, you need to make sure that the source file meets the technical requirements of the system. JPG or PNG, Because they provide the best ratio of quality to file size, the system may not properly process files in the format. HEIC (standard for iPhone or heavy RAW-files, so it is better to convert them in advance.

Photo resolution is also important. Although modern smartphone displays have high pixel density, it makes no sense to upload an image in 4K or 8K for an avatar — it just takes up extra space in the system cache. Sufficient resolution is a 500x500 square or 1000x1000 pickel, which ensures clarity even when zooming to the full screen during a call.

It is important to consider the composition of the frame. Since the display area of the avatar is often round or rounded, the central part of the face should be clearly visible. If you take a photo from a group shot, be sure to use the built-in editor for framing, leaving only the right person in the center.

• 📸 Use photos with good lighting so that the face is clearly distinguishable even on a darkened lock screen.
• ✂️ Avoid complex backgrounds; portrait photos with blurred background (boke) look the most professional.
• 💾 Save the original photos in the cloud or on your computer, as when compressed by the system, the quality can deteriorate slightly.

⚠️ Note: Do not use animated images (GIF) Xiaomi can ignore the animation and capture only the first frame, or not display the picture at all when calling.

Installation of photos through the standard Contacts app

The most direct and reliable way to add an image is to use the built-in Contacts app, which is part of the MIUI ecosystem. This method ensures that the photo is attached to the entry in the phone book, rather than just hanging in the gallery. Open the Contacts app on your desktop or in the Tools folder.

Find the right person on the list and click on their name to go to the card. If the contact already exists, but without a photo, you will see a gray plug with the first letter of the name. Click on the "Change" button (usually a pencil icon) or directly on the avatar area if the system allows editing.

In the edit menu that opens, find the Photo or the camera icon at the top of the screen. The system will suggest you choose the source: take a picture right now or choose from the gallery. After selecting the image, you will be asked to fraternize it by moving the highlight frame.

Once the selection is confirmed, the system cache will update and the new image will appear in the call list. If you have Google Contacts installed, the changes can sync with the Google cloud, which will allow you to see this photo when you call from other devices that have logged in to the same acca.

Adding an avatar through the Gallery

An alternative and often more convenient way is to install a photo directly from the Gallery app, which is especially true if you've just taken a picture or downloaded an image from the Internet and don't want to search for a person on your contact list.

Click on the "More" button (three dots) or swipe up to open the action menu. In the list of options, select "Install as" or "Appoint contact." The system automatically recognizes the faces in the photo (if the feature is enabled) or prompts you to choose the contact manually.

This method is good because it allows you to immediately edit the image with built-in MIUI filters, cropping the excess or improving the colors before installing. However, make sure that you assign the photo to the contact, rather than installing it as desktop wallpaper, since menu items can be located close.

• 🖼️ This method allows you to quickly assign a photo, even if the contact is hidden or is in a complex folder structure.
• 🎨 You can use the built-in editor to add stickers or text before installing the avatar.
• 🔄 When changing the photo in the gallery, the contact avatar will not be updated automatically, you need to repeat the appointment procedure.

⚠️ Note: When installing photos through the Gallery on some versions MIUI, If the quality is critical, use the method through the Contacts app».

Sync with Google and Xiaomi account

One of the most important aspects of contact management is knowing where the record is stored. Xiaomi smartphones can default to saving the data. SIM-card or in the memory of the phone, but for full operation of avatars it is recommended to use a Google account or Xiaomi Cloud.

If contact is maintained SIM-It is technically impossible to add a photo to the card, since the SIM memory is limited to text data (name and number). You will need to move the contact. Go to the contact settings, select Import / Export and move the data from the SIM Google account.

After transfer, make sure sync is enabled. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google and make sure the slider opposite Contact is active.This ensures that the avatar you have installed does not disappear when you reset or buy a new phone.

Set up the display of photo when calling

There are times when a photo is in contact, but during an incoming call it is not displayed, showing only an abstract silhouette. This is often associated with the settings of the theme or the Phone application. In the MIUI shell, both the standard dialer and the Google Phone application can be responsible for calls.

Check the theme settings. Some third-party themes downloaded from the Themes store may overlap the standard call screen with their design, which does not support the output of contact photos. Return the standard theme in the lock screen and desktop settings to check if the problem has gone away.

It’s also worth checking the permissions for the Contacts app. It should have access to storage and phone. Go to Settings → Apps → Contacts → Permissions and convince!

• 📞 Make sure that the “Phone” application includes the “Show photos of contacts” function in the settings of the application itself.
• 🎨 Resetting a theme to a standard ("Classic" or "Unnamed") often solves the problem of missing avatars.
• 🔍 Check if the contact is hidden in the display settings (filter "Contacts with numbers only»).

If you use third-party phone apps (Truecaller, GetContact), they can replace the system interface, in which case you need to install photos inside these applications, and synchronization with the system phone book may not be possible.

Table of comparison of installation methods

For ease of choice of how to install the avatar, consider a comparative table of the main methods. Each of them has its advantages depending on your current task and the condition of the smartphone.

Solving problems and mistakes

Xiaomi users may encounter specific shell bugs, such as resetting all avatars after a firmware update, a known problem of migrating data between Android or MIUI versions, which can be done by re-syncing or manually rummaging important contacts.

Another common problem is duplicate contacts, where you can have one entry in your phone's memory and another in Google with different names, and you can only display a photo from one of the records and call the other, and use the Connect Contacts feature in your contact app to link all the data about one person into a single card.

If the photo floats or stretches when you ring, then the proportions of the original image are very different from the proportions of the screen or the avatar area. When installing, always take time to the framing step, choosing a square area with the face in the center.

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Expert advice: For business contacts, use official photos in business style. For loved ones, emotional photos. This helps you instantly tune in to the right way of communication before you even answer the call.

⚠️ Warning: Avoid setting too heavy photos (more than 5MB) on contacts, which can slow down the call list and increase response times when dialing.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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Main conclusion: For stable display of avatars on Xiaomi, always save contacts in your Google account, use the JPG format and check if the current theme does not block the call screen.