How to put a photo on a phone call Xiaomi: 3 ways for MIUI and HyperOS

You want your Xiaomi phone to display a subscriber photo on your incoming call, not just a standard avatar? This not only makes the interface more convenient, but also helps you quickly identify the caller. Unfortunately, many users find that when you update your firmware or move contacts, photos don't show up on the call screen. In this article, we'll look at all the possible ways to solve the problem, from basic settings to hidden MIUI and HyperOS functions.

It's important to understand that the algorithm for displaying a photo on a call depends on the shell version. For example, MIUI 14 and later (including HyperOS) introduced additional restrictions on image sources, and in older versions (before MIUI 12) could work a workaround through third-party applications, we tested all methods on current models — from Redmi Note 12 to Xiaomi 14 Pro — and identified those that work stably.

Why is Xiaomi not showing a photo on the phone?

Before we move on to settings, let’s look at the reasons why a photo of a contact may not show:

• 📱 Inconsistency of formats: MIUI Supports only.jpg and.png with resolution up to 720×720.webp or high resolution files (e.g, 4000×3000 px) automatically ignored.
• 🔄 If the contact is saved in Google Account, and the photo is uploaded to Mi Account (or vice versa), the system can not “connect” them with each other.
• 🚫 Firmware restrictions: In some regional versions MIUI (For example, for India or China, the photo display function on the call is disabled at the software level.
• 🔧 Cache failures: A damaged cache of the Contacts app or Phone can block image loading.

HyperOS (starting with version 1.0.4.0) adds an avatar “quality” check: if the system finds a photo too dark, blurry, or with low contrast, it will not be shown on the call screen, which is designed to improve the user experience, but often leads to false positives.

Method 1: Adding a photo through standard “Contacts”

The most obvious method is to attach a photo directly to the contact in the Contacts app, which works on all versions of MIUI and HyperOS, but there are nuances:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette).
2. Find the right contact in the list and tap it.
3. In the upper right corner, click on the camera icon (or Edit → Photos).
4. Select the source: 📸 Take a photo - straight from the camera; 🖼️ Gallery - choose from existing; 🌐 Download - download from the Internet (only in HyperOS).

Cut the photo in a circle (if required) and save the changes.

After that, the photo should be displayed when the call is incoming. If this does not happen, check:

Update the Contacts app on Google Play

Reboot your smartphone

Check that the contact is stored in local memory, not just in the local memory. SIM-map

Remove the cache of the "Contacts" application in the settings-->

⚠️ Note: If you are using duality SIM-card, photo may not be displayed for calls to the second SIM. That's a limitation. MIUI — The system only links the avatar to the main contact number.

Method 2: Sync with Mi Account or Google

If you add a photo but it doesn't appear on the call, the problem may be the source of the contact. MIUI and HyperOS prioritize the data as follows:

To change the source of contact:

1. Open the contact in the Contacts app.
2. Tapnite Edit → More (⋮) → Source.
3. Select Mi Account or Google (if the contact is duplicated, the system will offer to merge the records).
4. Add the photo again and save it.

💡

If you use Google Contacts, upload a photo via the web version (contacts.google.com) so it syncs faster with your phone.

Method 3: Using Third-Party Applications

If the standard methods didn’t work, you can use alternative calling apps that not only show photos of contacts, but also offer advanced features (such as sign-up themes or recording conversations).

• 📞 Truecaller – identifies numbers and shows photos from its database (including business contacts).
• 🎨 Contacts+ — allows you to adjust the display style of avatars.
• 🔍 Sync.ME – synchronize photos from social networks (VK, Facebook, Instagram).

To set up the image display via Truecaller:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Register and allow access to contacts.
3. Go to Settings → Display → Show photos of contacts.
4. Choose Always or Only for saved contacts.

⚠️ Attention: Apps like Truecaller collect data about your contacts, and if privacy is more important than convenience, use it with caution or discard it altogether.

Problem Solving: Why didn’t the photo appear?

If none of these methods helped, check the following points:

• 🔍 Access Rights: Make sure that the Contacts app is allowed access to the Warehouse and Camera (Settings) → Annexes → Permits).
• 📵 Energy conservation: B MIUI Contacts can be limited to background activity. Add it to exceptions (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery).
• 🔄 Resetting: In extreme cases, reset the settings of the Phone application (Settings) → Annexes → Phone. → Warehouse → Reset the settings).

MIUI 12 or older

MIUI 13

MIUI 14

HyperOS 1.0

I don't know.-->

If the problem persists, it may be regional firmware, such as in China's MIUI (China ROM), the photo-on-call feature is often disabled, so the solution is to reflash the phone to the Global ROM or use custom software like Xiaomi.eu.

Additional settings: how to make the photo on the call larger?

HyperOS and MIUI 14 have the ability to resize the avatar on the call screen.

1. Go to Settings → Display → Call screen style.
2. Choose a Large Avatar or Standard Avatar.
3. Turn on the option Blurr background so that the photo does not interfere with the view of the response buttons.

💡

HyperOS has avatar animation available when calling – turn it on in Settings → Sounds and vibrations → Call screen effects.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photos on the Xiaomi call