How to set a photo to contact Xiaomi 10: 3 working methods + problem solving

Getting a photo on a contact on Xiaomi 10 smartphones (including the Redmi K30 Pro, Mi 10 Lite and others based on MIUI) seems like a simple task — until you encounter shell bugs or account sync. Unlike iPhone or “pure” Android, there are nuances here, from image size restrictions to conflicts between local contacts and Google Account.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to add photos to a contact on Xiaomi 10 (including MIUI 12-14 firmware), explain why photos sometimes “fly” after an update, and show you how to get around typical errors. If you tried to download an avatar through the standard Contacts app, but nothing worked, here’s a solution.

Special attention will be paid to the hidden MIUI function, which allows you to assign unique photos for calls via WhatsApp and Telegram separately from system contacts, this works even if the main photo in the phone book is not available.

1. Method 1: Through the standard MIUI Contacts app

The most obvious method is to edit the contact directly in the Contacts app (an icon with a human silhouette on the home screen), but there are pitfalls: if the contact is synced with a Google Account, the changes may not persist or “fly” after the reboot.

Step-by-step:

• 📱 Open the Contacts app and find the contact you need in the list.
• ✏️ Slip on it, then press the Edit button (pencil in the upper right corner).
• 🖼️ Click on the camera icon next to the name and the photo source selection menu will open.
• 📸 Select Gallery, Camera or Download (for images from the cloud).
• ✂️ Cut the photo in a circle (MIUI will automatically offer zoom).
• 💾 Save the changes with the button Ready.

⚠️ Warning: If the photo doesn't show up in calls after saving, check your sync settings. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Sync and turn it off for 10 seconds, then turn it back on. This will reset the cache and apply the changes.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Does not work for contacts imported from the SIM- card (you must first save to the phone book).
• 🔄 A photo may “fly” after the MIUI update if the contact is linked to multiple accounts (e.g., Google + Mi Account).
• 📏 The maximum size of the downloaded image is 5 MB (if you exceed MIUI, the photo will be compressed with loss of quality).

Check out the MIUI version (Settings → About the phone)

Disable VPN (can block sync)

Make sure that the contact is not duplicated in different accounts.

Backup your contacts (Settings → System → Backup)

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2. Method 2: Through Google Contacts (for synchronized accounts)

If your contacts are synced with your Google Account, editing them is easier through the web version of Google Contacts, a method that ensures that the photo is saved even after a phone reset or flashing.

Instructions:

1. Open your browser on your PC or phone and go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same account as Xiaomi 10.
3. Find the contact you need in the list and click on it.
4. Click on the camera icon in the upper right corner (near the name).
5. Upload a photo from the device or take a picture through the webcam.
6. Save the changes – sync with the phone will take up to 5 minutes.

Advantages of the method:

• ☁️ Photos are stored in the cloud and are independent of the phone's firmware.
• 🔄 Automatically updates on all devices with this Google Account.
• 📏 Images up to 20MB are supported (as opposed to 5MB in MIUI).

⚠️ Warning: If it didn’t appear on Xiaomi 10 after uploading a photo to Google Contacts, check: Is Contact Sync enabled in Settings → Accounts → Google. Does the optimizer MIUI block background activity of the Contacts app (check in Settings → Apps → Application Management → Contacts → Battery).

Through the standard MIUI application

On Google Contacts on PC

Right on the bell.

I don’t edit, I use default avatars.

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3. Method 3: Through messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)

Few people know, but in Xiaomi 10 you can assign individual photos for contacts in messengers, even if the phone book does not have an avatar. This works thanks to the integration of MIUI with popular applications.

How to do this:

• 💬 Open the contact chat in WhatsApp/Telegram.
• 🖼️ Tap the name of the interlocutor at the top of the screen → select View Contact.
• ✏️ Click Edit (on WhatsApp) or the pencil icon (on Telegram).
• 📸 Add a photo through a gallery or camera.
• 💾 Save the changes.

Features:

• 🔄 The photo in the messenger does not sync with the phone book - this is a separate setting.
• 📱 In MIUI 13+, avatars from messengers are displayed in the call log, even if there is no photo in the contact.
• 🚫 If the contact is removed from the phone book, the photo in the messenger will be saved, but will no longer appear in system applications.

4.Why is the photo of the contact not saved or disappearing?

The problem of “flying” photos of contacts is one of the most common in Xiaomi 10, due to the peculiarities of MIUI with multiple accounts (Google, Mi Account, SIM) and aggressive background optimization.

Main causes and solutions:

If none of the solutions worked, try resetting the Contacts app cache:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Contacts and select Warehouse.
3. Click Clear Cache (not data!).
4. Reboot the phone.

💡

To avoid sync problems, create a local contact (without linking to your account) and assign a photo to it, and to do this, select the option “Save to your phone” instead of “Save to Google” when editing.

5. Optimal photo settings for contacts in Xiaomi 10

MIUI imposes strict restrictions on uploadable images for contacts, and if you ignore these rules, the photos will either not survive or be distorted.

Recommended parameters:

• 📏 Resolution: from 300×300 to 2000×2000 pixels.
• 🗜 File size: up to 5MB (for MIUI), up to 20MB (for Google Contacts).
• 🎨 Format: JPEG, PNG or WEBP (GIF not supported).
• 🔄 Proportions: Square aspect ratio (1:1). MIUI will automatically crop the rectangular photos in a circle.

How to prepare a photo:

1. Use apps like Photo & Picture Resizer (available in the Play Market) for cropping.
2. If the photo is too large, compress it through TinyJPG.
3. For better quality, choose a contrasting color background (MIUI cuts the photo in a circle, and light details can “dissolve” on a white background).

Example of correct and incorrect photos:

💡

For maximum compatibility, use a photo in JPEG format with a resolution of 500×500 pixels and weighing up to 2 MB. This ensures correct display in MIUI and Google Contacts.

6. Additional MIUI chips for working with contacts

Xiaomi 10 has hidden features that few people know about, which will help not only assign photos, but also customize the display of contacts.

Secret possibilities:

• 🎨 Color tags: In MIUI you can assign a color label to the contact (e.g. red for important calls). To do this, open contact → Edit → Color tag.
• 🔔 Unique tunes: Assign a customized ringtone to contact in Edit → Call melody.
• 👥 Grouping: Create contact groups (e.g., Family, Work) and assign them a shared photo. This works through Contacts → Groups.
• 🔍 Photo search: In MIUI 14+, you can search for contacts by image (if photo is attached). Simply tap on the magnifying glass icon and select Photo Search.

How to turn on the display of photos in the call log:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
3. Select Contact Display.
4. Activate the option to show photos.

If you use a second SIM- card, you can assign different photos for one contact on each SIM.

1. Open the contact and click Edit.
2. Select the number you want to change your photo for (if there are several).
3. Click on the camera icon next to the number (not next to the name!).

Colored tags

Individual melodies

Contact grouping

Search for photos

None of the above.-->

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even experienced Xiaomi users experience contact bugs, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to prevent them:

Error 1: “I couldn’t save a photo” when editing the contact.

• Reason: Not enough space in the phone’s memory or access rights conflict.
• Solution: Clear the cache of the Contacts app and check the free space in Settings → Storage.

Error 2: Photo is displayed in contact, but not shown when an incoming call is made.

• Reason: In the phone settings, the display of photos in the call log is disabled.
• Solution: Enable the option in Phone → Settings → Display contacts → Show photos.

Error 3: After the MIUI update, all contact photos disappeared.

• Reason: Resetting the settings of the Contacts app or version conflict.
• Solution: Restore contacts from backup (Settings → System → Backup) or sync with Google Account.

Error 4: You can’t upload a photo to contact WhatsApp.

• Reason: Contact is saved only in the messenger, not in the phone book.
• Solution: Export your WhatsApp contact to your phone book (Chat → Name → Export).

⚠️ Warning: If you use dual applications (cloning messengers via Settings → Apps → Dual apps), the contacts photos in the cloned versions WhatsApp/Telegram are not synced to the main profile.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions