How to set a photo on the contact in the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 9A: all ways + error solving

Personal photos on a phone contact are not just a decoration, but a convenient way to quickly identify the caller. On Xiaomi Redmi 9A, this can be done in several ways, but many users face the nuances: the photo does not appear in messengers, then disappears after synchronization. In this article, we will discuss all the working methods of installing avatars, including hidden MIUI functions, and also solve typical problems.

The Redmi 9A features a simplified MIUI Go firmware that lacks some of the features of Xiaomi's older models, for example, there's no built-in photo editor right in the contact book, but it's easy to get around. We tested the instructions on the current version of MIUI 12.5 (Android 10) - all the steps work steadily.

If you want a photo of a contact to be displayed not only in the standard Phone app, but also in WhatsApp, Telegram or Viber, you will have to repeat the procedure in each messenger separately, more about this in the special section below.

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1. Standard method: through the "Contacts" appendix

The most obvious method is to use the built-in Contacts app (aka "Phonebook"), which is preinstalled on Redmi 9A and not removed. Here's a step-by-step instruction:

Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person's silhouette on a green background) find the contact you want in the list and tap it. If you don't have contact yet, click + Add in the lower right corner.

In the contact card, you'll see an empty field for the photo (a gray circle with a camera) and click on it.

• 📷 Take a photo – the camera is activated for instant snapshot;
• 🖼️ Select from the gallery - access to saved images is opened;
• 🎨 Draw – run the simplest graphics editor (not available on all versions) MIUI).

When you select a photo, you'll see a crop window, and you'll crop the image in a circle (you can zoom in with two fingers) and you'll click Ready, and you'll immediately save the photo in contact and show it when you call in.

Selected image with a resolution of at least 300×300 pixels|

The person's face is in the center of the frame |

Background contrast (not white/black) |

The file's not in format. HEIC (use JPG/PNG)-->

Alternative method: through the "Phone" app

If for some reason the Contacts app doesn’t open or bug, you can set a photo right during a call or through a call log, which works even if the main application is removed (which is unlikely on Redmi 9A, but possible on custom firmware).

Open the Phone app (tube icon). Go to the Contact tab at the bottom of the screen. Find the contact you want and tap it. The next steps are identical to the standard method: click on the gray circle with the camera → select the source → crop the photo.

The advantage of this method is that you can immediately check what the avatar will look like when you call.

1. Return to the recent tab;
2. Find contact with the installed photo;
3. Slip on it - at the top of the screen will appear an enlarged version of the avatar.

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If the photo doesn't show up in the call log after you install it, reboot your phone. Redmi 9A sometimes gets cached with system applications.

3. Install photo via Google Contacts (for synchronization)

If you use a Google account to sync your contacts, you can set your photos through the web version of Google Contacts, which is convenient when you need to download an avatar from your computer or tablet, and the main advantage is that the photos are automatically synced to all the devices where you are logged in to the same account.

Instructions:

1. Open your browser on your phone or PC and go to contacts.google.com;
2. Sign in under your Google account;
3. Find the right contact and click on it;
4. Click on the camera icon in the upper right corner of the card;
5. Upload a photo from the device or take a picture through the webcam;
6. Save the changes.

After 5-10 minutes, the photo will appear on your Redmi 9A. If the sync is not working:

• 🔄 Check if contact sync is enabled in phone settings: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of the account;
• 📶 Make sure your phone is connected to the internet;
• 🔋 Reset the device.

4.Why a photo of a contact is not displayed (and how to fix it)

A common problem on Redmi 9A: Photo saved but not shown when calling or in instant messengers.

Critical feature of Redmi 9A: if the contact is saved SIM-You can't add a photo to a map, and you can't put that contact in your phone's memory or in your Google account, open your contact card. → More. → Exports → Save it to the device.

Call log |

In messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram)|

In the contact list |

I don't use photos on my contacts.-->

5. How to put a photo on the contact in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber)

The system photo of the contact and the avatar in messengers are different things, so for a photo to be displayed on WhatsApp, for example, it must be installed separately:

For WhatsApp:

1. Open a contact chat;
2. Put your name at the top of the screen.
3. Click on the camera icon next to the current photo (or an empty circle).
4. Select the source (gallery or camera) and upload the photo.

For Telegram:

• 📱 Open your contact profile (tap by name in chat);
• 🖼️ Click on the current avatar;
• 📁 Select Change Profile Photo → download the new.

Viber's algorithm is similar, but there's a caveat: if a contact isn't saved in your phone book, you can't set a photo. First, add it to your phone's contacts.

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The photo of the instant messenger contact is stored on the application servers, not in the phone book, so when you reinstall the messenger or change the phone, the avatars can disappear.

6. Optimal photo settings for contacts on Redmi 9A

To make the avatar look clear and not cut crooked, follow the recommendations:

• 📏 Permission: minimum 300×300 pixels, optimally — 500×500;
• 🎨 Format: JPG or PNG (HEIC unsupported);
• 👤 Composition: the face must occupy at least 60% of the frame;
• 🌈 Contrast: Avoid white/black background – it is not easy to see the avatar’s contours.

On Redmi 9A, contact photos are displayed in three places:

1. In the contact list (small icon);
2. In the contact card (enlarged version);
3. When calling (a large round avatar).

If the photo looks blurry when you call, the problem is the low resolution of the source: try uploading an image with a large number of pixels or use special applications to increase resolution (for example, Remini).

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To create the perfect avatar, use the Photo Editor app (available in the Play Market), which allows you to crop the photo in a circle and add a frame so that the face does not “merge” with the background.

7. How to save photos from all contacts (backup)

If you've spent time setting up photos for hundreds of contacts, it's a shame to lose them when you reset your phone. There are two ways to back up avatars on Redmi 9A:

Method 1: Through MIUI Cloud

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Accounts. → Mi Account;
• 🔄 Turn on contact synchronization;
• ☁️ Make sure there is enough space in the cloud (photos of contacts take up little space).

Method 2: Manually through export

1. Open Contacts → More (three points) → Contact Management → Import/Export
2. Select Export to the device;
3. Save the.vcf file to a safe place (e.g. Google Drive).

Important: When exported to a VCF file, contact photos are only saved if they were added via MIUI, not Google Contacts. For security, back up both ways.

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Backup photos of contacts take up more space than normal ones VCF-500 contacts with avatars may require up to 50-100 MB.

8. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When working with photos of contacts on Redmi 9A, users often make typical mistakes:

⚠️ Note: If you have set up a photo through Google Contacts, but in MIUI It doesn't show up, don't rush to reinstall the firmware. First, check if the sync for the Contacts app is disabled in your Google account settings. Path: Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of the account → Contacts.

Another common problem is that there's a photo, but when you call it, you see a standard icon, and it's because of a conflict between the system and the messenger contacts.

1. Remove the contact from the phone book;
2. Save it again, starting with your phone number (not your name).
3. Set the photo through the standard "Contacts" app.

If after all the manipulations the photo did not appear, try resetting the settings of the application "Phone":

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Phone → Storage → Resetting settings

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 9A firmware MIUI Go does not have the "Contacts Combination" function if you have duplicate entries (for example, one of the following: SIM, Another one from Google, the photo may not be displayed correctly.

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FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions