How to set a photo on the contact in Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC: 5 proven ways

Why can’t the Poco X3 NFC add a photo to the contact?

You're trying to personalize your phone book on your Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC, but the system stubbornly ignores your attempts to add an avatar? The problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones on MIUI - standard methods sometimes work incorrectly due to the features of firmware or synchronization with accounts. In this article, we will analyze all possible methods, including workarounds for cases where the "Add Photo" button is simply not on the menu.

The Poco X3 NFC (model number M2007J20CG) is based on MIUI 12/13/14 depending on the firmware version, which depends on which options will be available in the Contacts app. For example, in MIUI 12.5 and below, some of the functions are hidden behind additional settings, and in MIUI 14 the interface is simplified, but there are nuances with Google-synchronization, we took all these points into account to make the instruction suitable for any current firmware.

Before you start, check:

• 📱 Version MIUI: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI
• 🔄 Contact Sync: If Google Sync is enabled, some features may be blocked
• 📁 Contact permissions: access to storage and camera must be allowed

Method 1: Through the standard Contacts application (MIUI)

This is the most obvious method, but it doesn't always work. If you have a clean firmware without modifications, follow the steps:

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette on a green background).
2. Find the contact you want in the list and click on it to open the card.
3. In the upper right corner, tap on the "Edit" icon (pencil).
4. Click on the empty avatar field (grey circle with a man) → select “Change photo”.
5. Select the source: 📸 Take a photo – the camera is activated 🖼️ Select from the gallery - the vault opens 🎨 Create an avatar – a drawing tool (not available in all versions)

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

What if there is no "Change Photo" button? This is a typical problem when syncing with Google Contacts. The solution is to turn off sync temporarily (see Method 3).

Check the MIUI version in the settings

Open permissions for the "Contact" application

Make sure your contact is not synced with Google

Make a backup of your contacts (just in case)

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Method 2: Using the Phone application (calls)

If the standard method didn’t work, try adding a photo directly while editing the contact via the Phone app:

1. Open the phone application (green handset).
2. Go to the "Contacts" tab (bottom of the screen).
3. Find the contact you want and hold it with your finger for 1-2 seconds → select “Edit”.
4. Slip on the icon of the avatar (if the field is empty, there will be a gray circle).
5. Select the source of the photo and save the changes.

⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI 13+ This method may not work if the contact is linked to a Google account, in which case the system will redirect you to Google Contacts, where the interface is different (see next section).

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If the photo is not saved, try restarting your phone – sometimes resetting the Contacts app cache helps (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Contacts → Storage → Clear the cache).

Method 3: Through Google Contacts (if sync is enabled)

If your contacts are synced to a Google account, you need to edit them through the web version or the Google Contacts app. This is true for Poco X3 NFC if you use Gmail or other Google services.

Instructions for the web version:

1. Open your browser and go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same account as on your phone.
3. Find the right contact and click on it.
4. Click on the camera icon in the avatar field → upload the photo from your computer.
5. Sync contacts on your phone: Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Synchronization.

For the Google mobile app Contacts:

1. Install the app from the Play Market if you don’t have one.
2. Open contact → press “Change” (pencil).
3. Slip on the avatar → select a photo from the gallery or make a new one.
4. Save the changes and wait for the synchronization (can take up to 5 minutes).

⚠️ Note: If you are editing a contact through Google Contacts and the old version is displayed on your phone, clear the Contacts cache (Settings) → Annexes → Contacts → Warehouse → Clear cache. Also check that your Google account settings have enabled contact sync.

Method 4: Through the "Truecaller" application (alternative)

If the standard methods don't work, you can use a third-party application called Truecaller, which not only identifies numbers, but also allows you to edit contacts, including adding photos.

1. Install Truecaller from Play Market and complete your registration.
2. Open the app and find the right contact in the list.
3. Slip on the contact → click "Edit".
4. Click on the avatar icon → select a photo from the gallery or make a new one.
5. Save the changes. The photo is automatically synchronized with the system contacts.

⚠️ Warning: Truecaller requires access to your phone book and call history.If you're concerned about privacy, you can delete the app after editing contacts or limit permissions in your Android settings.

Method 5: Manually add photos through the file system (for advanced ones)

This is a good method if you're willing to dig through system folders. On Poco X3 NFC, contact photos are stored in /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db, but access to it requires root rights. You can try to do without them through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), but this is risky for beginners.

An alternative safe way to use the Contact Photo Editor app from the Play Market is to:

1. Install the app and give access to contacts.
2. Select a contact from the list.
3. Upload a photo from the gallery or make a new one.
4. Save it – the photo will appear in the system contacts.

If you still want to try ADB, here is the basic command to check your current photo of the contact (USB debugging is required):

adb shell content query --uri content://com.android.contacts/data --where "mimetype_id=7 AND raw_contact_id=(SELECT id FROM raw_contacts WHERE display_name='Name Contact'"

NAME CONTACTACT

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make it easier for you to navigate, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:

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If a contact is synced with Google, you need to edit it through Google Contacts – standard MIUI methods will not work.

Frequent mistakes and how to fix them

Even if you follow the instructions, you may encounter problems, and here are the most common solutions.

• 🚫 Change Photos button is inactive Reason: contact is linked to a Google account or SIM-Solution: Turn off sync with Google (Settings) → Accounts. → Google → Sync contacts or copy the contact to your phone.
• 🔄 Photo added but not displayed Reason: Contacts cache not updated Solution: Clear cache (Settings) → Annexes → Contacts → Warehouse → Clear the cache) or restart the phone.
• 📵 You can not cut the photo Reason: bug in MIUI or conflict with the theme of the design. Solution: change the theme to the standard (Settings) → Screen. → Subject) and try again.
• 🔒 No access to the gallery Reason: no permissions. Solution: check permissions for the Contacts app (Settings) → Annexes → Contacts → Permits) and enable access to the storage.

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

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Contacts.
2. Click "Storage" → "Reset settings".
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

Note: This will not delete contacts, but will reset the application’s individual settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions