Personalizing your Xiaomi Mi 10 is not just about changing wallpaper, it's about creating a unique visual style of communication. Installing photos on contacts allows you to instantly recognize the caller without even looking at the lock screen or the name of the number. In modern smartphones based on Android and the shell MIUI, this process is as simple as possible, but has its own nuances that are important to consider for proper synchronization.
Xiaomi flagship owners often face a situation where only the initial or standard stub is displayed when calling, this is due to the desynchronization of data between the phone’s local memory and cloud storage. The correct setting of the avatar ensures that your communication will become more personalized and convenient. We will analyze all available methods, from standard tools to working with a Google account.
Before you start, make sure you have a quality image that you want to use. The file format should be system compatible and the resolution high enough to be clearly displayed on your device’s AMOLED display. Next, we’ll look at a step-by-step algorithm to help you avoid typical errors when downloading media files.
Image preparation and source selection
The quality of the final result depends on the original file. The screen Xiaomi Mi 10 has a high density of pixels, so blurred or pixelated pictures will look unaesthetic. It is recommended to use square images or pre-fraud photos so that the face of the interlocutor is in the center of the frame, as the system often trims the edges when forming a round avatar.
The image can be sourced from a phone gallery, cloud storage, or direct camera photography. If you take a photo from the Internet, make sure it is not copyrighted for personal use and has an acceptable weight. Too heavy files can take longer to process when installed.
⚠️ Note: When selecting a photo from social networks (for example, through a screenshot), make sure that the image does not have unnecessary interface elements, watermarks or text that will cover the face.
The most universal and supported are JPG and PNG. If your image is non-standard, the system may offer conversion or simply refuse to display the preview.
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Use images with a resolution of at least 500x500 pickels to make the avatar look clear on the lock screen and in the contact list.
Installation of photos through the standard Contacts app
The fastest way to add an avatar is to use Xiaomi’s built-in Contacts app, which is integrated into the system and doesn’t require any additional software. Open the app, find the right subscriber in the list, or use the search bar at the top of the screen.
Click on the contact name to go to the detailed card. At the top of the screen, where the initials circle or the gray silhouette icon usually appears, you'll see an edit button or a pencil icon. Clicking on the avatar area or the Change button will open the action menu.
- 📸 Click on the camera icon to take a picture of the interlocutor right now.
- 🖼️ Select “Select from Gallery” to upload saved photo.
- ✂️ Use the built-in editor to fram the image under a circle.
Once you select the source, the system will ask you to crop the image, move the frame to center the face, and confirm the action with the Ready button or a tick. Changes are saved automatically. If the contact is linked to the account, the photo can sync to the cloud.
☑️ Pre-conservation checks
Contact synchronization and Google account
The most important aspect is the location of the contact. In Xiaomi Mi 10 contacts can be stored in the memory of the phone, in the Mi Account or in Google. For reliable synchronization and display of photos on other devices (tablets, new phones), it is recommended to store data in the Google account.
If you see a warning when you try to set a photo that the contact is read-only, it means it is copied from the image. SIM-If you have a card or a secure system memory, you need to copy the contact to your Google account first, go to your contacts settings and select Copy or Move».
| Storage area | Synchronization | Editing capability | Photo preservation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIM-map | No. | Limited. | Impossible. |
| Phone memory | No. | Yes. | Yes (locally) |
| Google Account | Automatic. | Yes. | Yeah (with synchronization) |
| MI Account | Through the Mi Cloud | Yes. | Yes (in the Xiaomi ecosystem) |
Once you move a contact to your Google account, the photo installation process is standard, and the advantage of this approach is that if you lose your phone or buy a new one, all avatars will automatically recover after you enter your login and password.
Configure the display at an incoming call
Even if the photo is installed, it may not be displayed full screen when you call, and in the MIUI shell, you have a separate setting for the theme of the call. Go to the Phone app, click three dots in the corner, and select Settings.
In the settings menu, look for "Incoming Calls" or "Call Screen," and you can choose the display style, either standard system or thematic, and some topics may hide a photo of a contact or display it as a small circle. For maximum effect, choose a standard style or themes with support. HD-photo.
Also worth checking is the permissions for the Contacts app. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Contacts → Permissions. Make sure that access to Memory and Contacts is allowed. Without memory readability, the phone won’t be able to download and show the image from the gallery.
⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party “caller” (for example, from Google or Truecaller), the photo display settings are located inside this application itself, not in the Xiaomi system book.
Working with group contacts and duplicates
A common problem is that there are multiple records of one person, and the system can only show a photo for one of them, and when you call it, it can display a blank screen if the recording is active without an avatar, and the solution is to combine the contacts.
Open the Contacts app, find duplicate entries. Click on the menu (three dots) and select Combine Contacts. The system will prompt you to select the main entry to which all numbers and photos will be attached. This eliminates confusion and ensures that the avatar is displayed.
For group contacts (e.g., Family or Work), setting a shared photo works differently. You can add an image for the entire group, but for an individual call, the priority is always given to the subscriber's personal avatar. If there is no personal avatar, the system will show the group photo, if this is supported by the current version of MIUI.
What to do if the photo is not saved?
Addressing common problems
Xiaomi Mi 10 users may experience bugs when a photo “flys” after a reboot or is not visible to the caller. One reason is aggressive energy savings.
Check to see if Do Not Disturb mode or special vision filters are enabled that can invert colors or make the image pale. Also make sure the phone has the latest security update installed, as Xiaomi regularly fixes gallery and contact errors.
- 🔄 Perform manual sync in Google account settings.
- 🗑️ Remove the problem contact and recreate it with Google.
- 📉 Reduce the size of the photo if the file weighs more than 5MB.
If nothing works, try resetting the Contacts app to factory settings, which will return all display settings to the original state, which often resolves software conflicts.
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The main reason for the missing photo is the Google account's desynchronization, so check the sync status first.