How to set a photo to contact Xiaomi Redmi 9C: 3 working methods + problem solving

Xiaomi Redmi 9C is one of the most popular budget smartphones with a MIUI shell, but even experienced users sometimes have questions about basic features. One of them is adding photos to contacts. It would seem that could be easier? But depending on the firmware version, the source of synchronization of contacts and even image resolution, the process may be different.

In this article, we’ll explore all the ways you can connect a photo in Redmi 9C, from the standard method through a phone book to bypassing MIUI restrictions through a Google Account, and you’ll also learn why sometimes photos don’t show up in calls, how to fix avatar blur, and what to do if the system doesn’t allow you to replace the picture at all.

Whether you want to put a friend’s selfie, a company logo, or a cat meme, you’ll have no questions after reading this guide, even if you’ve never set up contacts on Android before!

1. Standard method: through the "Contacts" application

The most obvious method is to use Xiaomi’s built-in Contacts (or Phone) app, which works on all versions of MIUI, but there are nuances with synchronization.

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 or use the search at the top of the screen.

3.Slip on the contact to open his card.

4.In the upper right corner, click on the pencil icon (edit) or the avatar itself, if it already exists.

5.Click on the camera icon (or the plus in the circle if there is no avatar).

6. Select the source:

• 📷 Take a photo – take a picture right through the camera
• 🖼️ Gallery – Select an existing image
• 🎨 Avatars. MIUI — Standard icons from Xiaomi (if available)

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

And then the avatar should show up in your calls, your messages, your contact list, but there's a pitfall here: if you sync your contact with your Google Account, the changes may not be saved, and that's what you'll find in the next section.

💡

If the system asks to confirm access to storage when cropping a photo, go to Settings → Applications → Permissions Management → Storage and enable access to the Contacts app.

2. Why is the photo not saved? Google Contacts issues

Many Redmi 9C users are faced with a situation where the installed avatar disappears after synchronization or does not save at all, 90% of the time the conflict between local and Google contacts is to blame.

The fact is that MIUI can default to either a phone memory or a Google Account, and if the contact is linked to Google, you can:

• 🔄 Changes in MIUI-Contacts are not synchronized with Google
• 📱 Photo installed through MIUI, It may disappear after updating contacts.
• 🖼️ Google Contacts Take Priority and Overwrite Local Data

How do you fix that?

1. Open Contacts. → Settings (⚙️) → Contact management.
2. Check which account is selected as the main one for saving.
3. If you want to save your photo forever, turn off sync with Google for that contact or move it to local storage.

Importantly, if you use multiple Google accounts on your phone, MIUI can confuse your contacts, in which case the only reliable way is to edit the contact directly through the web version of Google Contacts.

3. Alternative method: via Google Contacts

If the standard method doesn’t work, try setting up a photo through Google Contacts, which is guaranteed to save the avatar and sync it across all devices where you use one account.

Instructions:

1. Open your browser on your phone or computer and go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same account as Redmi 9C.
3. Find the right contact and click on it.
4. Click on the camera icon in the upper left corner (near the name).
5. Upload a photo from the device or take a picture through the webcam.
6. Cut the image and save the changes.

After that:

• 🔄 Wait for synchronization (can take up to 5 minutes).
• 📱 On the phone, open Settings. → Accounts. → Google and enable contact sync if it is disabled.
• 🔍 Check that the Contacts app settings have selected the display of Google contacts (not just local ones).

The advantage of this method is:

• ✅ Photos are saved forever and not reset when changing the phone.
• ✅ It is synchronized with all devices on Android/iOS.
• ✅ You can upload high resolution images (unlike the ones you can download). MIUI, squirt).

4.Requirements for photos: size, format, restrictions

MIUI and Google Contacts have their own requirements for avatars. If the photo is not installed or is displayed blurry, check:

Tips for optimizing photos:

• 📏 Use square images (1:1) – so less cropped.
• 🎨 For better quality in MIUI Choose a photo with at least a resolution 500×500 pixel.
• 🖼️ Avoid transparent PNG — MIUI It can display them with artifacts.
• 🔍 Cut the photo manually before uploading (for example, in the Gallery). → Edit).

Why is the photo blurry? MIUI automatically compresses the avatars to ~100 KB, so details are lost. To avoid this, upload initially compressed images (for example, through services like TinyJPG).

Cut to square (1:1) | Compress to 200-300 KB| Remove unnecessary details at the edges | Check contrast (so that the face is visible in miniature)

-->

5 Problems and Errors: What to do if the photo is not installed?

Even after all the manipulations, the photo may not show up. Let's look at the typical errors and their solutions:

⚠️ Warning: If the photo is not shown in calls after you have set the contact, check the settings of the Phone application. MIUI disables the display of avatars to save battery.

Another common problem is duplicate contacts, if you have two contacts that are the same (e.g. one on Google, one on Google, one on Google). SIM-map), MIUI It can only show an avatar for one of them:

1. Open Contacts → Settings → Contact Management → Connect Contacts.
2. Find the takes and combine them.
3. Reset the photo.

If nothing helps: try clearing the Contacts app cache (Settings → Apps → Contacts → Storage → Clear cache).This often solves display issues.

6. Additional chips: animated avatars and MIUI-then

Redmi 9C owners on MIUI 12+ can use a few hidden features to customize their contacts:

• 🎭 Animated Avatars: In some versions MIUI install GIF-Images are like a contact photo. GIF (Up to 3MB in size, to the gallery. When you select a photo in contact, find it through the Gallery. → Albums. → GIF. Cut (animation will only be kept for the central part).

⚠️ Note: The animation does not work in all versions MIUI It can slow down when you're in calls. GIF (up to 1 MB).

Dark avatars for AMOLED:

Redmi 9C NFC

Automatic photo update:

autoupdate

Update photo

MIUI also has a Super Avatar feature (not available on all devices), which allows you to create stylized icons based on photos, to check if you have one.

1. Open contact.
2. Click on the photo → Create a super avatar.
3. Choose a style (cartoon, watercolor, etc.).

💡

Animated avatars and super-avatars only work in MIUI 12.5+. On older versions, these features may not be available.

7.How to transfer photos of contacts to a new phone?

If you change the Redmi 9C to another smartphone (like the Redmi Note 12 or even an iPhone), you can transfer contacts along with the photo.

Method 1: Through Google Account (recommended)

• 🔄 Make sure your old phone has Google Contact Sync enabled.
• 📱 Add the same Google account on your new phone and enable sync.
• 🖼️ All contact photos are automatically uploaded (may take up to 10 minutes).

Method 2: Through export/import of VCF

1. On your old phone, open Contacts → Settings → Export / Import → Export to a file.
2. Select all contacts and save the.vcf file (e.g., on Google Drive).
3. On a new phone, import this file through Contacts → Import.

⚠️ Note: When exporting to VCF Contact photos are not always saved – depending on the version MIUI. Before changing your phone, check that the.vcf file has lines with PHOTO (You can open the file through a notebook).

Method 3: Through SIM-Card (not recommended)

SIM-The only way to support these cards is text contacts without photos, and this is only good if you want the numbers, not the avatars.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photos in contacts Xiaomi 9C