How to put a photo on the phone Xiaomi: 5 ways + problem solving

You want to personalize your contacts in your Xiaomi smartphone, but you don't know how to quickly put a photo on a subscriber? In the shell of MIUI, this process takes literally 10 seconds, but has several nuances depending on the phone model and the firmware version. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from the standard method through the Contacts app to hidden functions for mass-purpose avatars.

Xiaomi’s feature is that it regularly updates the MIUI interface, so the location of the buttons may differ on the Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5. We have taken into account all current firmware versions (including HyperOS) and collected universal instructions.

1. Standard method: through the "Contacts" appendix

This is the easiest method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones – from the budget Redmi A2 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person's silhouette on the home screen) and find the contact you want in the list and click on it. In the subscriber card that opens, tap the camera icon (or blank mug with initials) at the top of the screen and the system will prompt you to select the source of the image:

• 📷 Take a photo – immediately take a new image through the camera phone
• 🖼️ Gallery – select an existing photo from the device’s memory
• 🎨 Avatars – use standard icons from Xiaomi (not available on all models)

Once you select an image, you can crop it (the system will automatically suggest the optimal frame for the round icon). Click Ready or Save - the photo will immediately appear in the contact card and will be visible in the call log.

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If you often call this subscriber, add it to the "Favorites" - so the avatar will appear on the home screen in the contact widget.

2. Quick appointment through call log

Not everyone knows that you can put a contact photo directly from your call history, which saves time if you need to quickly identify frequent callers. Open the Phone app and go to the Log tab.

Find the number you want in the list and click on it. In the window that opens with the details of the call, you will see the Add photo button (or the camera icon next to the contact name), and then you will follow the standard way: select the source of the image, crop it and save it.

⚠️ Note: If the contact is not saved in the phone book, the system will first suggest creating a new record.

This method is especially convenient for business users who want to quickly assign avatars to colleagues or partners. For example, on the Xiaomi 13T Pro with HyperOS, this process takes only 3 touches of the screen.

3. Mass appointment of photos through Google Contacts

If you have to put avatars for dozens of contacts, manual editing each one will take too long, in which case synchronization with Google Contacts will help, the service allows you to assign images en masse through the web interface.

First, make sure your contacts are synced with your Google account:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google
2. Turn on the contact switch.
3. Wait until the synchronization is complete (may take up to 5 minutes)

Now go to contacts.google.com and log in with the same account. Tick your contacts, click the camera icon at the top, and upload the images. In 1-2 minutes, they will appear on your Xiaomi.

4. Hidden MIUI function: Mass editing

MIUI (and the new HyperOS) firmware has a hidden tool for batch editing contacts that allows you to assign avatars to multiple subscribers at once, a feature not available on all models, but works on most devices from 2022-2026.

Activate it like this:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the line MIUI version (you will be a developer)
3. Return to the basic settings and open Additional → Special features → MIUI Laboratory
4. Turn on the switch Mass editing contacts

Now, a new button with a wrench icon will appear in the Contacts app. Click on it, select the contacts you want, and select the Assign Photo option. The system will prompt you to select the folder in the gallery where the images will be taken from (photos should be called the same as the contacts' names, for example: "Ivan Petrov.jpg").

5. Problem Solving: Why not put a photo in contact

Sometimes users find that the image is not saved or displayed in the call log, and here are the most common reasons and ways to fix them:

• 🔄 Sync Disabled: Check if Contact Sync is enabled in Settings → Accounts. → Google/Mi Account. Without this change, you may not be saved.
• 📱 Cache of the application: Clear the cache of the "Contacts" application in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Contacts → Clear the cache.
• 🖼️ Inappropriate format: Xiaomi supports only JPG, PNG and WEBP. Restore the image in one of these formats.
• 🔒 Limitations MIUI: In some models (for example, POCO X5 Pro) no avatars for contacts saved on SIM-Put them in the phone memory.

Critical error: If a photo is sent to you and disappears when you reboot your phone, it's a sign of a damaged contact database. Solution: export contacts to the VCF file via Settings → System → Backup, then delete all contacts and import them back.

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi) K70) Avatars may reset after the update. To avoid this, make a backup of contacts via Mi Cloud before updating.

6. Alternative methods: third-party applications

If the standard methods don’t work for you, you can use third-party apps from Google Play, which offer additional features, such as:

• 🎨 Truecaller automatically uploads photos from social networks for unknown numbers
• 🔍 Sync.ME – finds avatars by numbers from open sources
• 📁 Contacts+ — Allows you to assign different photos for work/home

Check reviews before installing – some applications may request redundant permissions (e.g. SMS access) and the most secure option is Simple Contacts from Simple Mobile Tools, a developer that does not require registration or collect data.

To assign a photo through a third-party application:

1. Install and open the selected application
2. Provide access to contacts
3. Find the right contact and click "Edit"
4. Select the option to add a photo (usually indicated by the camera icon)
5. Upload the image and save the changes

Check the rating and reviews on Google Play

Review the Privacy Policy

Create a backup copy of contacts

Disable autosynchronization with unknown services

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7. Optimization of avatars: sizes and formats

To ensure that your contact photos are clearly displayed on all screens (including Always-on Display on Xiaomi 13 Ultra), follow these guidelines:

• 📏 Size: Optimal resolution — 512×512 pixel. MIUI It automatically cuts the images into a round shape, so the central part is important.
• 🎨 Background: For better visibility, use contrasting colors. Dark photos are poorly visible in the dark theme of the design.
• 🔍 Details: Avoid small details – on small icons in the call log they will be indistinct.
• 📁 Format: Preferred format — PNG Transparent (if you need to remove the background).

For massive resizing, use applications like Photo & Picture Resizer or resizeimage.net. Upload the original images, select a size of 512×512, and save the processed files to a separate folder.

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Use square images with an aspect ratio of 1:1 – so they will not be cropped when displayed in a round contact frame.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photos on Xiaomi contacts