How to change a contact photo for Xiaomi: all ways 2026

Why Xiaomi can’t change the contact avatar?

You're trying to update a subscriber's photo in a Xiaomi phone book, but the system stubbornly ignores the changes or returns the old picture? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones - the reason for this is the peculiarities of synchronizing contacts with a Google account, caching data or limiting specific versions of MIUI. In 80% of cases, the solution lies on the surface: just clear the cache of the Contacts app or temporarily disable synchronization.

Another common reason is the conflict between local and cloud contacts, such as if you're editing a photo in Google Contacts and your phone displays a version of MIUI Contacts (or vice versa), and what makes it more complicated is that Xiaomi defaults to duplicate records in multiple storages, and it's not always clear which one is the priority, and then we'll go over all the working ways to change the avatar from basic to advanced, including bypassing the limitations of MIUI.

Before you start, check:

• 📱 Version MIUI: Xiaomi with older firmware MIUI 12 may not have some options (e.g. editing through Google Contacts directly).
• 🔄 Sync: If a contact is linked to Google, changes to the local ledger may be reset.
• 📸 Photo format: MIUI Does not support avatars in.webp or.heic – use.jpg or.png.

Method 1: Change photos through standard MIUI Contacts

The most obvious method is editing through the built-in Contacts app. It works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Mi 11, but may vary depending on the version of MIUI.

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, press three dots (⋮) → select Edit.
4. Slip on the current avatar (or an empty mug if the photo is missing).
5. Select the source: 📷 Take a photo – activate the camera. 🖼️ Gallery – allows you to select an existing image. 🎨 Emoji – installs a smiley face instead of a photo (not available on all versions) MIUI).

Ready.

Save.

If the photo is not displayed or reset to the old one after saving, perform forced synchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Google Accounts → Synchronization.
2. Turn off and switch on the Contact switch again.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware POCO The option to edit the avatar can be hidden. To return it, update the Contacts app via Google Play or reset the app's settings in Settings. → Annexes → Contacts → Warehouse → Drop it.

Method 2: Editing through Google Contacts (for synchronized posts)

If the contact is linked to your Google account, changes through standard MIUI Contacts may not be saved, in which case edit the avatar directly in Google Contacts:

1. Open your browser and go to contacts.google.com (sign up with the same account as your phone).
2. Find the contact you need in the list and click on it.
3. Click on the camera icon (📷) top-left corner of the avatar.
4. Select the source of the photo: 🖥️ Download - from a computer. 📱 Take a photo – if you use the mobile version of the site.

Cut the image and save the changes.

Then force the contacts on the phone to sync:

1. Open Settings → Google Accounts.
2. Slip on your account → Synchronize your account.
3. Activate Contact Slider (if it is off) or click More → Sync Now.

Critical detail: if a contact is duplicated (you can find it in Google and in the local MIUI ledger), the system can display an avatar from local storage.

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Settings → Connecting contacts.
2. Select duplicate records and confirm the merger.

💡

If the photo doesn’t update after syncing, try removing the contact from Google Contacts and then restoring it from the cart (it stores deleted records for 30 days).

Method 3: Using WhatsApp or Telegram to change an avatar

Messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram store their own copies of contact avatars, which may differ from those in the phone book. If you need to quickly update a photo for a particular chat, do it directly in the messenger:

On WhatsApp:

1. Open the contact chat.
2. Slip your name at the top of the screen.
3. Click on the current avatar → select Change.
4. Upload a new photo from the gallery or take a picture.

On Telegram:

1. Open the contact profile (tap by name in the chat).
2. Click on the avatar → select Change profile photo.
3. Upload the image and cut it.

Note that these changes are not synchronized with the phone book, so the avatar will only be updated in the messenger, and in standard MIUI Contacts, it will remain the same, and to unify the photo, you will have to edit it through one of the previous ways.

Method 4: Advanced Methods (for Power Users)

If the standard methods didn't work, try one of these methods, which require additional action, but often solve the problem with stubborn avatars.

1. Clearing the cache and data of the “Contacts” application

The cachet data can block the photo from being updated, so that it can be reset:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find your contacts (or contacts) and tap on it.
3. Select Warehouse → Clear cache and Clear data.
4. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Clearing the data will reset all local settings of the Contacts app, including sorting and favorites. Cloud contacts (Google, Mi Account) will not be affected.

2. Change via ADB (for tech-savvy)

If MIUI blocks system-level editing of avatars (relevant to some POCO firmware), you can use ADB. This method requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB Tools on your PC.
2. Activate Developer Mode on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (shap 7 times).
3. Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
4. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell content insert --uri content://com.android.contacts/raw_contacts --bind name:"Test" --bind account_name:"your@gmail.com" --bind account_type:"com.google (replace yours)@gmail.com on your account).
5. Update the photo through standard contact.

3. Use of third-party applications

Apps like Truecaller or Sync.ME allow you to edit contact avatars without the limitations of MIUI, but they require access to your phone book, which may not be secure.

1. Install Sync.ME from Google Play.
2. Register and provide access to contacts.
3. Find the contact in the app and click Edit → Change Photo.
4. Choose a new photo and save it.

If the problem persists, try exporting contacts to a.vcf file, deleting them all, and then importing them back.This will reset all avatars, but often resolves system conflicts:

1. Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Contact management → Imports/Exports.
2. Export contacts to a file on your phone or SD-map.
3. Remove all contacts (via Contact Management → Delete everything).
4. Import the file back.

💡

Before mass deleting contacts, make sure you have a backup! the exported.vcf file can be sent to email or the cloud.

How to change the contact photo on Xiaomi with root rights

If your Xiaomi phone has root access, you can manually edit your contact database, a risky method that can lose all contacts if you do the wrong thing, but gives you complete control over the avatars.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
2. Go to /data/data/com.android.providers.contacts/databases/contacts2.db
3. Copy the contacts2.db file to your computer and open it via SQLite Browser.
4. Find the table. raw_contacts and a record with the right contact.
5. In the data table, find the line with mimetype = 'vnd.android.cursor.item/photo' and update the data15 field (there is a binary photo code stored).
6. Save the changes and return the file back to your phone by replacing the original.
7. Reset the device.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of the database can result in the loss of all contacts. contacts2.db.

An alternative way for root users to use the Contact Editor app from Google Play, which allows you to edit any contact fields, including avatars, without manually tampering with the database.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing photos of contacts on Xiaomi