Personalizing a mobile device is not just a matter of aesthetics, it’s also an important element of usability. When you pick up your Xiaomi Mi 10, the screen should instantly tell you who is trying to reach you. Set up a unique image for each subscriber allows you to instantly identify the caller, even if you’re in a noisy place or just can’t look at the name on the screen. Owners of smartphones based on the MIUI shell often encounter the nuances of synchronization and selection of the image source that distinguish this from the standard Android.
In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to upload photos to the phone book, work with both local gallery and cloud services, which is especially important for users who value data synchronization between devices. Understanding these processes will help avoid the typical errors when the image is displayed on only one device or disappears completely after a reboot.
Starting with basic methods that don't require an Internet connection, and gradually moving on to more complex customization scenarios, a properly configured phone book is the foundation of a comfortable conversation. Whether you use the standard Contacts app or prefer third-party solutions from Google, the principles of working with media content remain similar, but have their own hidden settings. Let's take them apart in order to make your smartphone work like a clock.
Image preparation and technical requirements
Before you start installing it directly, you need to make sure that the image you choose meets the system’s technical requirements. Although modern smartphones like the Xiaomi Mi 10 have powerful processors and are able to process graphics on the fly, using optimized files ensures fast loading and correct display. The system can automatically crop the picture, but the original quality plays a role in scaling.
The optimal format for avatars is JPEG or PNG. These formats support millions of colors and provide a good balance between quality and file size. If you try to install an image in RAW or TIFF, the system may request a conversion or simply refuse to display a preview. Also worth paying attention to the file size: too “heavy” photos may not load properly in the call list.
An important aspect is image orientation. Because the phone book interface is usually square or round, it's best to choose a photo where the face or main object is in the center. The side elements can be cropped by MIUI algorithms. If you take a photo from social networks, make sure it's saved in full resolution, not as a thumbnail.
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Use images with a resolution of at least 500x500 pixels for clear display on the lock screen and during conversation.
- 📸 Choose formats JPEG or PNG for maximum compatibility with the system.
- ✂️ Center the object in the photo, as the edges can be cut when creating a round avatar.
- 💾 Avoid files larger than 5MB to keep your phone book running slowly.
Instructions: Install photo through the standard application Contacts
The most direct and reliable way to install an avatar is to use the built-in Contacts app. This is Xiaomi's native tool that has deep shell integration. Open the app and find the number you want on the list. If there are many contacts, use the search bar at the top, entering a name or part of the phone number.
Once you have opened your subscriber card, look at the top of the screen. Where the first letter of the name or the gray silhouette usually appears, there should be an edit button. Click on the pencil icon or Edit button. In the edit menu that opens, you will see a field to upload the image, often marked with the camera or gallery icon.
☑️ Pre-installing check
When you click on the camera icon, the system will tell you to choose the source: take a new picture or choose from the gallery. If you choose a gallery, the crop interface will open. Here you can move the frame by selecting the desired area of the face. Once confirmed (OK or tick), the photo will be saved. Note that changes may not take effect instantly in all parts of the system, sometimes it takes several seconds.
⚠️ Note: If you don't see the edit button or it's inactive, check if the contact is read-only. SIM-In this case, the system will prompt you to copy the contact to the memory of your phone or Google account for editing.
Working with Google Contacts and Synchronizing
Xiaomi Mi 10 owners who work in the Android ecosystem often use Google accounts to store numbers, a smart approach to keep data safe when changing devices, but setting a photo on those contacts has its own peculiarities, and an image uploaded to Google Contacts should sync with Google servers before appearing on all devices.
To install a photo through this service, the best way to use the Google Contacts app (a blue G icon) can be pre-installed or downloaded from the Play Market. Unlike the standard MIUI app, the interface is designed for cloud sync. When you add a photo here, you guarantee that the avatar will appear on both the tablet and the other smartphone where you are logged in.
The process is similar to the standard one: you pick a contact, click Add a photo, select a file and save it. The key difference is that when you save it, you can see a sync indicator. If the Internet connection is unstable, the photo may not appear for a long time at the caller or on your other devices. Make sure that the account settings are enabled synchronization of contacts.
What to do if the photo is not synchronized?
- ☁️ Photos saved in Google Contacts are available on any Android device.
- 🔄 To update the avatar on all gadgets requires an active Internet connection.
- 🆔 Use the Google Contacts app to manage your cloud profiles.
Set up the display of the photo when incoming call
Even if the photo is installed, it may not show up during the incoming call in full screen mode, this is due to the theme settings and the call design in MIUI. In some versions of the firmware, the default is a simplified call interface that shows only the name and number. To fix this, you need to go to the settings of the Phone application.
Open the Phone app (green handset), click three dots in the corner or the settings button. Find the Incoming Calls or Calling Desk section. Here you can choose the display style. Make sure you choose the option that supports the display of photos. It's also worth checking if Do Not Disturb mode or special themes that force the interface of the call are enabled.
Another important thing is allowing apps to access, and if you use a third-party call or messenger (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber), they need to have separate permissions to access contacts and photos, without which they will only show standard avatars from their internal databases, or nothing at all.
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To display the photo in the full screen, make sure that the theme settings do not select a minimalist call style that hides media content.
Sometimes the problem is in the cache of the system. If you change the photo and the call leaves an old or empty space, try rebooting the smartphone, which will force the system to read the database of contacts and update the preview in the call interface.
Comparison of methods of storage of contacts
The choice of a contact’s storage location directly affects how a photo behaves. The table below compares the main storage options available on the Xiaomi Mi 10. Understanding these differences will help you choose the best phone book management strategy.
| Parameter | Phone memory | Google account | SIM-map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo storage | Supported | Supported | Not supported |
| Synchronization | Only through Mi Cloud | Automatic. | Absent. |
| Risk of loss | High (on discharge) | Low. | Medium (physical wear and tear) |
| Limit field | No restrictions. | No restrictions. | Name and number only |
As you can see from the table, the storage SIM-The map is a thing of the past, if you care about modern features like photos and extra fields (email, address), the system will suggest moving contacts when you first set up, and that's the right solution. Local storage is convenient for temporary records, but Google’s cloud gives you the most flexibility.
If you’re a big user of Xiaomi, Mi Cloud is also a good way to sync contacts with photos, but you need to be logged in to Mi Account, a good alternative for those who are deeply integrated into the Chinese manufacturer’s ecosystem.
Removal: Photos not placed or disappear
Users sometimes experience a situation where, after installing a photo, it either doesn't save or disappears after a while, most often due to an overflowing app cache or a conflict between two contact sources (local and Google), if you have the same number recorded twice in different places, the system can "mut over" which avatar to show.
To solve this problem, try combining duplicates. Contacts has a duplicate search function, and it's also worth checking the permissions of the Gallery or Files app to access memory, and if the system doesn't have permission to read media files, it won't be able to download the image for contact.
⚠️ Note: If you use third-party themes (Themes), they may intercept the call interface. MIUI, To see if the problem with the image display will go away, some custom themes just don't have the code to display the contact pictures.
In rare cases, the problem may be a corrupted image file, or try to convert the photo to a different format, or just take a screenshot of the desired image and put the screenshot in contact, which often helps to bypass hidden file encoding errors.