How to put your photo on the contact in the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 9: 5 working ways

Xiaomi Redmi 9 smartphones remain popular due to the balance of price and functionality, but many users face difficulties with basic configuration - for example, when to put a photo on contact. It would seem simple operation, but in the shell of MIUI it has its nuances: different versions of firmware, synchronization with Google Account, image size restrictions and even bugs in the standard application "Contacts".

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can add photos to your Redmi 9 contacts, from the standard method through the phone book to workarounds for cases where the system refuses to save a picture. We’ll focus on common mistakes: why the photo doesn’t show up in calls, how to fix blurring, and what to do if the MIUI update stops working, and how to en masse assign photos for multiple contacts at the same time and where these images are stored in the phone’s memory.

If you tried to add a photo through a standard app, but it didn’t work or disappeared after a reboot, don’t rush to blame the smartphone. 80% of the time, the problem is in sync settings or conflict between local and cloud contacts, and we’ll show you how to check and fix it in 2 minutes.

For convenience, the instructions are divided by ways: from the simplest to the more complex. Start with the first section — if it does not help, move on to the next. At the end of the article, you will find an FAQ with answers to frequent questions, including solving problems with displaying photos in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) and incoming calls.

1. Standard method: through the "Contacts" appendix

This is the most obvious and quickest method, and it works 90 percent of the time, but even here, there are pitfalls — for example, if the contact is saved not in the phone book, but in a Google Account, the algorithm of actions will change a little bit.

Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person's silhouette on a green background) and find the contact you want in the list and tap it. At the top of the screen, you'll see a circle with the first letter of the name -- this is a blank for the photo.

Find a contact on the list|Stick around a letter mug.|Select "Change photo"|Indicate source (gallery/camera)|Cut and preserve-->

The system will select the source of the image:

• 📷 Take a photo – the camera immediately opens to take a picture of the person.
• 🖼️ Select from the gallery - you can download any image from the phone's memory.
• 👤 Delete the photo if you want to remove the current picture.

Once you select a photo, the system will suggest cropping it squared, which is a must, because MIUI requires a 1:1 aspect ratio. If the image is not square, select the most important part (like the face) and click Ready. The photo will automatically be saved and displayed when incoming calls.

⚠️ Warning: If the photo is not displayed in the calls after saving, check if the contacts sync is disabled. → Accounts. → Google → Synchronize contacts and turn it on.

2.Through Contact Editing: An Alternative Pathway

Sometimes the standard method doesn't work because of bugs in MIUI. In this case, try editing the contact manually. Open the Contacts app, find the contact you want, and click on the three dots in the top right corner (menu). Select Edit.

In the window that opens, tap the camera icon next to the name field, and the next step is the same as the first one: source selection, pruning, and saving, which often helps if the standard click on a letter mug doesn't work.

If you are editing a contact saved in your Google Account, you may need to force the photo to be synced after you change it.

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Google.
2. Put it on your account.
3. Turn on the contact sync slider (if it is turned off).
4. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Sync Now.

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If the contact photo is not updated in messengers (WhatsApp, Viber), close the application through the recent task menu and open again. Messengers cache avatars, and sometimes you need to restart.

3. Add a photo via Google Contacts (web version)

If you use Google Contacts for sync, you can assign a photo via a browser on your computer or directly on your phone, which is useful if the standard Xiaomi app is buggy.

Open your browser on your phone and go to contacts.google.com. Sign in with the same account that is linked to Redmi 9. Find the right contact and click on the camera icon in the upper right corner of his card. Download a photo from the device or make a new one through the camera.

After download, wait for synchronization (usually takes 1-2 minutes) to speed up the process:

• 🔄 Update the Google Contacts page in the browser.
• 📱 On your phone, open Settings. → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of contacts → Synchronize now.
• 🔍 Check if the photo is displayed in the standard Contacts app.

This method is guaranteed to work even if MIUI has problems saving images, but keep in mind that the photo will be linked to a Google Account, not a local phone book.

4. Use of third-party contact applications

If built-in methods don’t work, you can use alternative contact management apps, such as Truecaller or Contacts+, which allow you to assign photos even to contacts who “don’t want” to save pictures in a standard application.

Let’s look at the example of Truecaller:

1. Install the app from Google Play and allow access to contacts.
2. Find the contact you need in the list and open your card.
3. Slip the camera icon next to the name.
4. Select a source (gallery or camera) and crop the photo.
5. Save the changes – the photo will be applied to all calls, even if it is not displayed in the standard app.

The advantage of this method is that Truecaller intercepts incoming calls and shows its version of the contact card, ignoring MIUI bugs.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party apps, photos of contacts may not appear in other messengers (for example, in Telegram), because they take data from the standard phone book.

5. Manual copying of photos to the folder of contacts (for advanced)

This is a method that's good for anyone who's willing to dig into a smartphone's file system, because MIUI stores photos of contacts in a hidden folder, and sometimes you can add them manually if the standard methods don't work.

You will need a file manager with access to root folders (such as Mi File Explorer or Solid Explorer).

1. Open the file manager and enable the display of hidden folders in the settings.
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.providers.contacts/files/
3. Copy the photo to this folder, and the file name must match the contact ID (you can find it through applications like Contact Editor).
4. Reboot the phone.

This is a risky and cautious method, because a mistake in the file name or format will result in the photo not showing up, and we recommend using it only if all other methods have failed.

6. Problem Solving: Why is the photo not displayed?

Even after you successfully add a photo, it may not show up in incoming calls or messengers, and let's look at the typical causes and ways to fix them.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the Contacts app settings.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the contact and tap it.
3. Select Warehouse. → Data resetting.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

⚠️ Note: Resetting the Contacts app will delete all local contacts (not synced to Google) before exporting them to a file. VCF via app menu.

7.Optimum settings for contact photos

To ensure that the photo is clearly displayed and without artifacts, follow these recommendations:

• 📏 Permission: not less 512×512 px (optimum — 1024×1024 px).
• 🎨 Format: JPG or PNG (transparently).
• 👤 Content: The face must occupy at least 60% of the frame, otherwise it will be too small when trimmed.
• 🔄 Sync: Enable autosynchronization with Google Contacts so that the photo is saved when you change your phone.

If you often add photos to your contacts, create a separate folder in the gallery (for example, Contact Avatars) and pre-square the images using applications like Photo Editor or PicsArt.

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Use square photos with a resolution of 1024×1024 px – this ensures a clear display on the lock screen and in the contact list.

FAQ: Frequent questions about contact photos on Redmi 9