How to put a photo in contact with Xiaomi Redmi 9C: all ways + error solving

Xiaomi Redmi 9C is a popular budget smartphone with a shell MIUI, which offers flexible contact settings. Adding photos to subscribers not only personalizes the phone book, but also makes it easier to find the right people during calls. However, many users have questions: where is the photo of the contact stored, why it is not displayed in instant messengers, or how to transfer images when changing phones.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to install photos on contacts in Redmi. 9C (including Redmi models 9C NFC redmi 9A We will pay special attention to the nuances of working with MIUI 12/13/14, synchronization through Google Contacts and common errors that may cause a photo to fail to save or display correctly, if you encounter a problem where a photo of a contact disappears after an update or does not show up in the user's home. WhatsApp/Telegram — Here you will find a solution.

Preparation: what photos are suitable for contacts in Redmi 9C

Before you add a photo, make sure it meets the MIUI technical requirements. Xiaomi shell automatically crops and zooms images, but some formats can cause errors.

Basic rules:

• 📏 Resolution: optimal 512×512 px or higher. Minimum — 96×96 px (at lower resolution, the photo will be blurred).
• 🖼️ Format:.jpg,.png,.webp. Avoid.gif and.bmp – they are not supported.
• 🗜️ File weight: up to 5 MB. If exceeded, the system will compress the image with loss of quality.
• 👤 Content: the photo must clearly be visible face (to recognize the MIUI Avoid group photos and messaging.

If you plan to sync your contacts with Google, please note that the service additionally compresses images to 200 KB. To avoid loss of quality, upload the photos directly to the Redmi 9C phone book, rather than through the web version of Google Contacts.

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Before adding a photo, crop it in the standard Gallery app (Track Tool → 1:1) to avoid automatic framing by the system.

Method 1: Add a photo through the standard “Contacts” app

The easiest method is to use the built-in Contacts app (a person's silhouette icon on a green background), which works on all versions of MIUI for Redmi 9C and does not require an internet connection.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Contacts app (or Phone → Contacts tab).
2. Find the right contact in the list and tap it.
3. In the upper right corner, click on the icon. ✏️ Edit.
4. Slip on the round camera icon (or human silhouette) next to the name.
5. Select the source: 📷 Take a photo – the Redmi camera is activated 9C. 🖼️ Select from the gallery - the Gallery app will open.

Ready.

✔️

Download the image to your phone (if it’s in the cloud)

Cut the photo to square format (1:1)

Check the resolution (at least 96×96 px)

Make sure you see a face in the photo (for correct display in messengers)

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If the photo is not displayed after saving, check:

• 🔄 Update the contact page (pull the list down).
• 📱 Restart the Contacts app.
• 🔧 Make sure that the contact is saved in the local phone book, not on the phone. SIM-map (photo on) SIM unsupported).

Method 2: Install photos via Google Contacts (synchronization)

If you use a Google account to sync your contacts, you can add photos via a web version of the service or a mobile app, which is convenient if you change your phones frequently or want photos to be displayed on all devices (for example, on a tablet or computer).

Option 1: Through the web version of Google Contacts

1. Open your browser on your PC or phone and go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same account that is linked to Redmi 9C.
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.

Option 2: Google Contacts on Redmi 9C

If your smartphone has Google Contacts app installed (an icon with colorful circles):

1. Open the app and find a contact.
2. Slip on the editing icon (✏️).
3. Click on the silhouette of the person → select the source of the photo.
4. Save the changes.

Important: Sync photos through Google can take up to 24 hours. If the image does not appear on Redmi 9C, check the sync settings in Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Sync.

In the standard annex Contacts

Through Google Contacts (web or app)

In messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram)

I don't add photos to my contacts.-->

Method 3: Use the Gallery app to add quickly

MIUI has a hidden feature that allows you to add a photo to a contact directly from the Gallery app, which is convenient if you update images frequently or want to quickly assign a photo to multiple contacts.

Instructions:

1. Open the Gallery app and find the photo you need.
2. Slip the image to open it in full screen mode.
3. Press three points (⋮) lower-right → Choose Set How to Install.
4. In the list of options, tap contact photos.
5. Choose a contact from the list or create a new one.
6. Cut the photo (if necessary) and save it.

This method only works for photos stored in Redmi 9C internal memory. Images from MicroSD or cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) can not be added in this way.

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When you add a photo through the Gallery, the system automatically creates a copy of the image in the Pictures/Contacts folder. Deleting the original photo will not affect its display in the contact.

Why a photo of a contact is not saved or disappears

Redmi 9C users often find that the added contact photo disappears after a reboot, does not appear in messengers or is reset when updating MIUI. Let’s consider the typical reasons and ways to eliminate them.

If none of the solutions worked, try resetting the Contacts app settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Contacts.
2. Slip the vault. → Clear the data.
3. ⚠️ Warning: this will delete all unsynchronized contacts. Pre-export them to.vcf.

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If the contact photo is not displayed in outgoing calls, check the display settings: Settings → Display → Lock screen style → Show contact photo when calling.

How to transfer photos of contacts when changing the phone

When you switch to a new smartphone (e.g., from Redmi 9C to Redmi Note 12), contact photos may not automatically transfer, because MIUI stores images separately from the main contact information.

Method 1: Export via MIUI

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
2. Select Export to the file and specify a save path (e.g., MicroSD).
3. The.vcf file will also contain photos of contacts (if they were added through a standard application).
4. Transfer the file to a new phone and import it.

Method 2: Synchronize with Google

If your contacts are synced to Google, the photos will automatically be transferred to the new device when you add the same account.

• 🔄 Synchronization can take several hours.
• 🖼️ The quality of the photo will be reduced (up to 200 KB).
• 📱 On the new phone, turn on sync: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of contacts.

Method 3: Manual transfer through the Contacts folder

Photos of MIUI contacts are stored in a hidden folder:

/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.android.providers.contacts/files/Pictures/

Copy this folder to a new phone (in the same way) using a file manager (such as Mi File Manager) or via a computer.

Additional settings: how to change the display of photos in MIUI

MIUI has hidden settings that allow you to configure the display of contact photos in the interface, for example, you can increase the size of avatars in the contact list or turn them off on the lock screen.

Setting up the display in the contact list:

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Settings.
2. Select Display Style.
3. Activate the option to show photos of contacts.
4. Adjust the size of the avatars with a slider Size of the photo.

Configure the display when calling:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Lock screen.
2. Select the Lock screen style.
3. Turn on the option to show a photo of the contact when you call.

If you want to turn off photo contacts (for example, to save battery power), do the following:

• In Contact: ⋮ → Settings → Display style → Hide the photo.
• On the phone: ⋮ → Settings → Display contact photos → Off..

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MIUI 14 has a feature called Dynamic Avatars, which is animated contact photos. To turn it on, go to Settings → Display → System Animation → Dynamic Avatars.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photos of contacts in Redmi 9C