How to put a photo on the phone Xiaomi: all the ways

You want your Xiaomi phone to display a picture of a subscriber when you call in? Not only is it easy to identify, it also makes the interface more personalized. In Redmi, POCO and other brands, adding photos to contacts depends on the version of the MIUI firmware and the contact management app you use. In this article, we'll look at all the current ways, from standard tools to bypassing system constraints.

It’s important to understand that after upgrading to MIUI 14/15, the Contacts interface has changed, and some features have moved to Google Contacts. If you sync data with a Google account, the algorithm will be different from working with local contacts. We took into account all the nuances and prepared universal instructions that will suit most models, from Redmi Note 12 to flagship Xiaomi 14.

Preparation: what photos are suitable for contacts

Before adding an image, make sure it meets the technical requirements of the MIUI system.This will save you from problems with cropping, blurring or errors when saving.

The best parameters for photo contacts:

• 📏 Permission: minimum 200×200 px, perfect — 512×512 px (square ratio) Smaller photos will automatically stretch, which will degrade the quality.
• 🎨 Format: JPEG, PNG or WEBP. Xiaomi doesn't support it GIF or HEIC contact-avatar.
• 🔍 Content: Face must occupy at least 60% of the frame.The system will automatically crop the image in the center, so avoid photos with small details at the edges.
• 📁 Photos can be selected from the Gallery, downloaded from instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) or take a new picture through the camera.

MIUI 15 adds an AI-powered auto-crypting feature: it will offer the best cropping option if it detects a face in the image, but you can turn it off in the Contacts settings (Section Additional → Photo Editing).

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If you want to use a company logo or abstract image instead of a face photo, choose a picture with clear outlines and minimal small details, which will help avoid blurring when displayed on the lock screen.

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

This is the basic method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12-15 firmware. The instruction is suitable for local contacts (not synchronized with Google).

Step-by-step algorithm:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on the home screen or in the app menu).
2. Find the contact you want in the list or use the search bar at the top.
3. Slip on the contact to open his card.
4. In the upper right corner, click on the pencil icon (Edit).
5. Tap the camera icon (or the person’s silhouette if the photo hasn’t been installed yet) next to the contact name.
6. Select the source: 📷 Take a photo – activates the camera for a new photo. 🖼️ Select from Gallery – Allows you to upload an existing image. 🎨 Drawing – opens the editor to create a sketch (not available on all models).

Ready.

Save the changes by clicking the tick at the top of the screen.

If the photo is not displayed when you call, check the display settings in Phone → Settings → Incoming calls → Show contact photos. On some models (POCO F5, Redmi K60), this option can be disabled by default.

Open the Contacts app.

Select the contact you need from the list

Click on "Edit" (pencil icon)

Touch the camera icon next to the name

Select the source of the photo (gallery/camera)

Cut the image from the pattern

Save the changes.-->

Method 2: Change photos through Google Contacts (for synchronized accounts)

If your contacts are synced to your Google account, you need to edit them through the Google Contacts app, which is due to the integration of MIUI and Google services: changes made to the standard Contacts app may not be saved or duplicated.

Instructions for Google Contacts:

1. Install Google Contacts from Play Market if it is not already installed (on some Xiaomi models it is hidden by default).
2. Open the app and find the right contact through a search or list.
3. Slip on the contact, then click Change (pencil icon in the upper right corner).
4. Tap the camera icon next to the name. If you already have a photo, click on it to replace it.
5. Select the source: 📸 Take a picture – a new picture through the camera. 🖼️ Photo - a selection from the gallery. 🌐 URL-address – uploading a photo by link (for example, from social networks).

Google Contacts

Save.

Once saved, the changes will sync to the cloud and be available on all devices where you use this Google account.Please note: if the contact is duplicated (there are both Google Contacts and local MIUI ledger), the cloud version will take priority.

The standard “Contacts” from Xiaomi

Google Contacts

Truecaller or other identifier

I don't edit contacts.-->

Method 3: Using Truecaller to add photos

Truecaller not only detects unfamiliar numbers, but also allows you to edit contacts, including adding photos, a method that is convenient if you often receive calls from subscribers who are not in your phone book, but their data is in the Truecaller database.

How to add a photo via Truecaller:

1. Install Truecaller from Play Market and complete the registration (access to contacts and SMS is required).
2. Open the app and find the contact you need through search or in the Last.
3. Slip on the contact, then click Edit (pencil icon).
4. Touch the camera icon next to the name.
5. Select the source of the photo: 📷 Take a picture - a new picture. 🖼️ Gallery – a choice of existing photos. 🔍 Search in Truecaller - automatic search for subscriber photos in the application database (does not work for all numbers).

Cut the photo to the template and save the changes.

⚠️ Note: Photos added through Truecaller may not appear in the standard Contacts app from Xiaomi.To make them appear everywhere, export the contact from Truecaller to the phone book: open the contact card → More. → Export to contacts.

Truecaller’s advantage is that it automatically detects photos for business numbers (banks, delivery services, government services), but keep in mind that the app collects data about your contacts, which can be critical for privacy.

Solving the problem: why a photo of the contact is not displayed

Sometimes, after you add a photo, it doesn't appear on an incoming call or in your contact list, so let's look at the typical causes and ways to fix them.

If the problem persists, try clearing the Contacts app cache:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the contacts in the list and tap on it.
3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Reboot the phone.

Additional features: animated photos and themes

The latest versions of MIUI 14/15 have added support for contact animated photos (GIF or Live Photo format), but this feature does not work on all models and requires additional adjustments.

How to add an animated photo:

1. Prepare. GIF-picture-length 3 seconds and resolution up to 512×512 px.
2. Open the contact editing in the standard Contacts app.
3. Select Select from Gallery and find the prepared GIF.
4. If the system suggests cropping the photo, select the area with the main movement.
5. Save the changes. When you call in, the animation will play in the loop.

Some devices (Xiaomi 13T, Redmi Note 12 Pro+) also have a contact themes feature that allows you to assign a unique color accent to each subscriber, which will be displayed in the call and message interface, to activate it:

1. Open the contact card.
2. Tapnite Edit → Additionally. → Color of the subject.
3. Select a color from the palette or allow the system to select it automatically based on the photo contact.

⚠️ Attention: Animated photos and contact themes can increase battery consumption, as they require additional resources to display. If you notice an accelerated discharge, turn off these functions in the settings: Settings → Battery → Optimization → Interface animation.

Synchronization of photo contacts between devices

If you use multiple Xiaomi devices (such as a smartphone and tablet) or want to transfer contacts from a photo to a new phone, it is important to set up sync correctly.

Synchronization methods:

• 🔄 Through Xiaomi account: Go to Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Mi Account. Enable sync for Contacts. On the second device, log in to the same Xiaomi account and wait until sync is complete. Limitation: Contact photos are not always synced correctly, especially if they were added through Google Contacts.
• ☁️ Through Google Account: Open Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google. Make sure that your Contact Sync is enabled. Add the same Google account on the second device and wait for the data update.

Advantage:

Through export/import VCF-file:

1. In the Contacts app, select More → Contact Management → Export.
2. Save the.vcf file to your device or the cloud.
3. On the second device, import the file via Import in the same section.

Important:

Export photos

Additionally.

If after synchronization photos are displayed incorrectly (for example, instead of photos – icons by default), try:

1. Disable and enable synchronization again in the account settings.
2. Clear the Contacts app data (in Settings → Apps → Contacts → Storage → Clear the Data).
3. Update the Contacts and Google Contacts app to the latest version.

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To sync photos of contacts between devices correctly, use Google Account. Sync through Mi Account can result in loss of images or cropping.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photos of contacts in Xiaomi