Personalizing the smartphone interface is not just a way to stand out, but also a convenient feature for quickly identifying the caller. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often face the need to assign a specific image to the subscriber to instantly understand who is bothering without even looking at the name. The standard shell MIUI or the new HyperOS provide flexible tools for this, however, the algorithms of actions can vary depending on the version of the system.
Installing photos to Xiaomi calls makes it more comfortable and visually enjoyable. You can use both standard gallery shots and specially edited images, cropping them into a round or square format. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available ways to secure the avatar for the phone number, including the nuances of working with the phone. SIM-Maps and Google account.
Before you start setting up, make sure that the contact is already stored in your device’s memory. If the number is only recorded in your call history, the system will not be able to link a static image to it for an incoming call. The process takes only a few seconds, but requires careful consideration when choosing the source of the image, especially if you have multiple images. SIM-map.
Image Preparation and Format Requirements
The quality of the image display on the screen during a call depends on the resolution of the original file. Modern displays of Xiaomi smartphones have a high pixel density, so blurry or small pictures will look unaesthetic. It is recommended to use images with a resolution of at least 500×500 pixels for a clear display on the whole screen.
It is important to consider that the display area of the avatar can be round or square depending on the design theme and the version of the shell. The optimal solution is to use square photos with a central location of the object, so that when framing important details are not cut corners. If you plan to install the photo on a group of contacts, make sure that the image is well readable in miniature.
The file format also matters: standard JPG and PNG are supported by all system applications without restrictions. However, if you use transparent formats or animated images, the system can automatically convert them to a static format or add a white background. This can distort the idea, so it is better to prepare a static file in advance.
- 📸 Use high-quality photos with a resolution of 1 MP to avoid pixelation.
- ✂️ Choose images with a contrast center, as edges can be cut off when round framing.
- 💾 Save the photo in format JPG or PNG for maximum compatibility with the Android system.
⚠️ Warning: Avoid using too dark photos as avatars, as on the black background of the lock screen, the caller’s name may become unreadable.
If you store photos on cloud services like Google Photos or Mi Cloud, make sure that the originals are uploaded to your device or available offline. Otherwise, when you try to install a photo, the system may request a connection to the network or not find the file at all. Locally copying the desired images to the Downloads or Images folder will speed up the setup process.
Installation of photos through the standard Contacts app
The most reliable and traditional way to assign an image to a subscriber is through the built-in Contacts app, which ensures that the photo is displayed correctly across all system services, including the phone book and call history, and the algorithm is intuitive and similar to most versions of MIUI.
To start, open the Contacts app on the home screen or in the Tools folder. Find the right subscriber in the list or use the search bar at the top. Once you open the contact card, you'll see a gray initials plug or a standard silhouette, and that's the area you need to edit.
Click on the camera icon or the Change button (often indicated by a pencil), which is usually located in the upper right corner or directly on the avatar. The system will suggest choosing the source of the image: take a picture with the camera, select from the gallery or download from the cloud. Select the Gallery and find the prepared photo.
☑️ Pre-conservation checks
Once you select the image, you'll open a framing interface, so you can move the frame and resize it to center the face or the important object, and you can end the process by pressing the "Done" button or the tick, and then the incoming call from that caller will show the image you've installed.
It is worth noting that if a contact is linked to a Google account, the changes are synchronized with all devices where the user logs in. SIM-The only thing that you can see in your card or in your phone's memory is this particular Xiaomi device, which is a key difference to keep in mind when you change your smartphone.
Set up an avatar through the Gallery app
An alternative and often faster way is to install a photo directly from the Gallery app, which is convenient when you just took a picture or received a picture and want to immediately assign it to a contact without unnecessary clicking on the menu. The Xiaomi shell gallery interface is sharpened for quick work with media files.
Open the image in the gallery. In the bottom menu, find the "More" button (three dots) or swipe up to reveal additional options. In the action list, select "Appoint as an image" or "Install as." The system will offer use cases: wallpaper, lock screen or contact.
Select the contact option. It opens a list of your phone book entries, find the right person and confirm the choice, and then it's followed by a standard cropping window where you can adjust the display area, which is especially useful if you want to quickly update a friend's photo immediately after a photo shoot.
Why can't the photo be used?
It's important to understand that when you install through the gallery, you actually copy the image to the contact profile. The original file in the gallery remains unchanged. If you delete the photo from the gallery later, the contact avatar will not disappear, since it is already stored in the phone book database.
Working with Google Contacts and Synchronizing
Xiaomi smartphone owners often use Google’s ecosystem to store numbers, which ensures data is saved when a device is lost or replaced. Setting a photo on a Google contact has its own peculiarities, as the changes apply to all devices associated with this account, including tablets and other Android phones.
To change a photo for a Google contact, the best way to use the web interface contacts.google.com from your computer or your phone browser. Find a subscriber, click on their avatar and select "Change Photos." Upload the image, and in a few minutes it will update to your Xiaomi if you have the Internet.
If you prefer a mobile app, open Contacts, click on the filter menu (usually at the top left) and select a Google account. Make sure sync is enabled in the system settings along the Settings path → Accounts and Sync → Google. Without active sync, new photos may not be uploaded.
| Type of storage | Photo availability | Synchronization | Size limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone memory | Only on this device. | Absent. | Depends on the file system. |
| Google account | All devices. | Automatic. | Up to 2MB (usually) |
| SIM-map | Only on this device. | Hand-held | Very low (often no photo) |
| Mi Account | Xiaomi devices | Through the Mi Cloud | Depends on the cloud. |
When working with Google contacts, be careful with duplicates. The system can combine records from different sources, and sometimes a photo can be “flyed” or taken from the wrong source.
Features of installation of photo on SIM-card
Despite the development of cloud technologies, many users still keep contacts on the Internet. SIM-This creates certain limitations, as the SIM memory is extremely small and often does not support high-quality photo storage or is not intended for this in modern implementations.
When you try to add a photo to your contact SIM-If you use a Xiaomi menu, the system can give you an error or suggest you copy the contact to your phone's memory. SIM-Maps are outdated for multimedia tasks. It is recommended to transfer such contacts to the device memory or Google account.
If it's critical to leave a contact on a SIM, try the next workaround: copy the contact to your phone's memory, assign it a photo, and then try to copy it back to SIM. However, 90% of the time the image will be deleted when you reverse copy. The only working option is to use third-party applications to manage SIM, but their effectiveness on Android 10+ is questionable.
⚠️ Note: Do not try to force the photo to be recorded SIM-card via an engineering menu or third-party software – this can damage the SIM card phone book and lose numbers.
The best solution for users who change phones frequently is to regularly export contacts to a.vcf file along with photos. This file can be stored in the cloud and imported to a new device, saving all visual settings. vCard format supports image embedding, unlike older storage formats.
Setup of displaying photo in call mode
Once the photo is installed, it is important to make sure that it is correctly displayed during the incoming call. In the MIUI and HyperOS shells, the phone system application and the chosen theme of the call are responsible for the appearance of the call screen. Sometimes the themes can hide the avatars or change their size.
If the photo is cropped incorrectly or misplaced, check the theme settings. Go to the Themes app, select the current profile and try changing it to the standard one ("Classic" or "Unnamed") to check if the topic is the issue. Third-party themes often have their own templates for the call screen.
Also, check the permissions of the Contacts app. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Contacts → Permissions. Make sure the app has access to memory and phone. Without those permissions, the system won't be able to load and display the image at the time of the call.
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If the photo does not appear on the full screen, and only a small circle is visible, check the settings of the theme design - some of them forcibly limit the size of the avatar.
In some cases, cleaning the cache of the Phone application helps. Accumulated temporary files can cause graphics display errors. Clean through the application management menu without fear of data loss - call history and contacts will not be affected, only temporary interface files will be reset.
Solution: Photos are not installed or disappear
Users may experience a situation where after all the manipulations, the photo is not saved or disappears after a reboot, most often due to a crowded smartphone memory or a synchronization conflict between the local copy and the cloud, the system may try to replace your local photo with an empty value from the cloud.
Check if the backlink limit for the Contacts app is worth it. If sync is prohibited in the background, the changes may not apply correctly. Also make sure the device has the latest system update installed, as older versions of MIUI have encountered image encoding bugs.
If the problem persists, try to delete the contact and recreate it by adding a photo immediately. Sometimes the contact database may contain indexing errors. Before that, make sure to back up so you don't lose important numbers. In complex cases, resetting the system's application settings helps.
Why does the photo on the contact look blurry?
Can I put a video instead of a photo on the phone?
How to remove photos from contact?
Do other people see the photo I took?
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To ensure that photos are displayed on all devices, save contacts in your Google account, not in your phone’s memory or on your phone. SIM-map.