How to put an avatar in contacts on the Xiaomi phone: all ways

Why you need avatars in contacts and how they work on Xiaomi

Avatars in the phone book are not just decoration, but a convenient tool for quickly identifying subscribers. On Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi lines), photos of contacts are displayed not only in the call list, but also in messengers if they are synchronized with the system. For example, when you call in, you immediately see the face of the interlocutor, not the faceless number.

The MIUI branded shell offers several ways to add avatars: through the standard Contacts app, through Google Contacts, or even through social networks (if the contact is linked to an account). However, many users face problems - photos are not saved, not synchronized or displayed incorrectly. In this article, we will analyze all working methods and typical errors.

It’s important to understand that avatars are stored in two places: locally (only on your phone) and in the cloud (if synced with Google or Mi Account is enabled).This affects where and how a photo is seen. For example, if you add an avatar through Google Contacts, it will automatically appear on all devices where you are logged in under the same account.

Method 1: Adding an avatar through the standard Contacts app

The easiest and most versatile method is to use Xiaomi's built-in Contacts app, which is pre-installed on all MIUI smartphones and works even without an internet connection. Here's how to do this:

1. Open the Contacts app (a icon with a person’s silhouette on a green background).
2. Find the right contact in the list and tap it.
3. At the top of the screen, click on the camera icon (or the standard silhouette if the photo isn’t already).
4. Select the source: 📷 Take a photo - a photo from the camera of the phone. 🖼️ Select from the gallery - any image from the device. 🎨 Drawing – create an avatar with the built-in editor (not available on all versions) MIUI).

Cut the photo in a circle (if necessary) and save the changes.

After that, the avatar will appear next to the contact name in the phone book, call log and some messengers (for example, in a standard Message). However, there is a caveat: if the contact is synchronized with Google, the local photo may not appear in other services (for example, in Gmail or Hangouts).

The contact is stored in the phone book (not only in the phone book). SIM-map)

Photo has a resolution of at least 300×300 pixels

Google sync is disabled (if local storage is required)

Contacts app updated to the latest version-->

Method 2: Install an avatar through Google Contacts

If you use a Google account to sync your contacts, it’s best to add avatars through Google Contacts, which ensures that photos are available on all your devices (including tablets and computers).

1. Open your browser and go to contacts.google.com (or use the Google Contacts app on your phone).
2. Sign up under your Google account.
3. Find the right contact and click on it.
4. Click on the camera icon in the top left corner (near the name).
5. Download a photo from your computer or select from Google Photos.
6. Cut the image and save the changes.

How to Change or Remove Contact Avatar

If you want to update your photo or remove it altogether, do the following:

For modification:

1. Open the contact in the Contacts app.
2. Slip on the current avatar.
3. Select a new source (camera, gallery) or click Delete photo.

For removal:

• 🖼️ In the Appendix Contacts: Open Contact → tap-toe → Delete.
• 🌐 In Google Contacts: Log in to the site → Choose a contact → click on the photo → Delete.

⚠️ Note: If you delete the avatar through Google Contacts, it will disappear from all synced devices. Local Deletion (via Google Contacts) MIUI) It only affects your phone.

💡

To avoid confusion, use one source of avatars: either Google Contacts only, or local storage only in MIUI. Mixing methods leads to display conflicts.

Additional features: animated avatars and stickers

On Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, you can use animated avatars instead of a static photo, you can set a short video (up to 3 seconds) or Live Photo (if your phone supports this format).

1. Open the contact in the Contacts app.
2. Slip the camera icon and select Video (if the option is available).
3. Record a new video or select an existing one from the gallery (.mp4 or.mov format).
4. Cut the roller to 3 seconds and save.

In some versions of MIUI, you can also assign a sticker pack (such as a meme or emoji) to a contact that will be displayed when an incoming call is made.

• 🤖 Open contact. → Edit → Stickers.
• 🎨 Choose your favorite package from the offered or download your own.

These features don’t work on all models, such as animated avatars supported on the Xiaomi 11/12/13 series, Redmi Note 10 Pro and later. On budget devices (such as Redmi 9A), only static images are available.

FAQ: Frequent questions about avatars in Xiaomi contacts