2 Easy Ways to Assign a Photo to a Contact on Android

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Easily add pictures to contacts on any Android

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: August 11, 2025 Fact Checked

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Using Google Contacts

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Using Samsung Galaxy

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FAQ

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Video

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Q&A

On Android, it can be hard to figure out how to assign a photo to a contact. However, you can easily do so using the Contacts app. This wikiHow article teaches you how to assign a photo to your contacts on an Android and a Samsung Galaxy.

Assign a Photo to a Contact on Android

Open the Contacts app.
Select the contact you want to assign a photo to.
Tap Edit and tap the contact’s profile picture.
Select Camera or Gallery.
Select a picture or use the camera to take a picture.
Adjust the position of the photo and tap Save.

Section 1 of 3:

Using Google Contacts

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It has a white icon with a blue image that resembles a person. The Google Contacts app comes pre-installed on most standard Android phones, such as a Google Pixel.^{[1]
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Tap the contact you want to assign a picture to. This displays their contact information page.
- You can also enter the name of a contact in the search bar at the top of the page to search for a contact.
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It’s the icon that resembles a pencil. It’s at the top of the page.
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Tap Add picture or Change. It will be below their current profile picture.
- If they do not have a profile picture assigned, their profile picture will be a colored initial that says Add picture below it.
- If they already have a profile picture, it will say Change below their current profile picture.
If the photo is stored on your phone, you can tap Gallery to select a photo from your phone.. Alternatively, you can tap Camera to take a picture with your camera. If the photo is on Google Photos, tap the Google Photos tab at the top of the page.
If you are selecting a photo, tap the photo you want to use in your Gallery or Google Photos. If you are using the camera to take a picture, tap the round white circular icon to take a picture.
If you need to, you can adjust the photo position by tapping and dragging it so that it is framed within the circle. Tap Choose when you are done.
It’s at the top of the page. This saves the photo as the contact photo for that person.

Section 2 of 3:

Using Samsung Galaxy

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It has an icon that resembles a person.
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Tap the contact you want to assign a photo to. This displays the contact’s information page.
- Contacts are organized alphabetically. If you can’t find the contact you want to assign, tap the magnifying glass icon and use the search bar to search for their name.
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Tap Edit
. It’s the second tab at the bottom of the screen. It has an icon that resembles a person. This allows you to edit the contact information page.
- Alternatively, you can tap the contact’s profile image and then tap the pencil icon at the bottom of the page.
It’s at the top of the page. It has an icon that resembles a pencil in the lower-right corner. If the contact has not been assigned a photo, it will be a colored image with an icon that resembles a person.
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Tap Camera or Gallery. If you select Camera, you can use the camera app to take a picture. If you tap Gallery, you can select an image from your phone.
- Alternatively, you can tap Galaxy Avatar to create an image using the Galaxy Avatar. You can also tap one of the cartoon images at the bottom of the screen. Tap the icon with the plus (+) icon for more images.
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Select a picture. If you are using the camera, tap the circular icon to take a picture. If you are selecting a photo from your Gallery, tap the album the photo is in and then tap the picture you want to use.
- If you are using Galaxy Avatar, you can select to create an avatar by taking a picture with the camera or selecting an image from your phone. The app will try to make an avatar based on the image you selected.
  - Tap Looks at the bottom of the screen to adjust the hair and facial features of the avatar.
  - Tap Style to change the avatar’s clothes.
  - Tap Save at the top of the page when you are done editing the avatar.
Tap and drag the center of the photo to adjust which part of the photo is highlighted inside the circle. You can also adjust the size of the highlighted area by tapping and dragging the corners around the circle. Once you have framed the part of the image you want to use, tap Done at the bottom of the screen.
This saves the contact information with the new photo.

Section 3 of 3:

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can you assign a photo from the Gallery? Yes, you can do so using the Share option. Open a photo you want to assign, tap the Share icon, then select the Contacts app. Use the Contacts app to assign the photo to a contact.
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Can you assign a photo from within Google Photos? Yes. To do so, tap the photo you want to assign, then tap Use as below the photo. Select the Contacts app and assign the photo to a contact.
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Why do some contacts already have a profile picture? Some of your contacts may have set their own profile picture on their Google or Samsung Galaxy account.
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Why are my contacts’ pictures changing? If a contact changes their profile picture on their Google account or Samsung Galaxy account, the change will be reflected in all Google products or Samsung Galaxy products.
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Why do my contacts have a different profile picture when they text me? When a person changes their profile picture on their Google account, it shows up across all Google services, including Google Contacts and the Messages app. This will override any picture you set for your contacts.
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Do my contacts know if I changed their picture? No, your contacts will not be notified if you change their profile picture or their name. All your contact information is stored locally on your phone. However, they may change their own profile picture on the Google or Samsung Galaxy account.

Community Q&A

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Question

I've done all the steps, but my photos disappear after about an hour. What do I do?

Community Answer

Click on "Add contact" or "Edit contact." Click on the circle with the "+" and it should say "Choose photo" or "Take photo." Either of these options will take you back to the contact in editing mode. Click "Save" (top right corner). It should stay!

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Question

How to add a DP to my number?

Suheb Multani

Community Answer

To add a display picture (DP) to your phone number (typically in a messaging app or contact list), you can follow these general steps. The exact process might vary slightly depending on the app or service you're using: Contact list: Open the Contacts app on your phone. Find and select your own contact. Tap on the "Edit" or pencil icon. Add Photo: Tap on the camera icon or "Add photo." Choose to take a new photo or select one from your gallery. Once you've selected the picture, adjust it as needed and save it.

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Question

I don't get the "choose from the gallery" option on my Samsung phone. How do I use a photo from my gallery?

Kat Ramsey

Community Answer

Start by going into your phone setting and select Security and Privacy. Scroll down to Permissions or Permissions Manager, then select Contacts. This will open a list of apps that have permission to view or make changes to contacts. Find Gallery and make sure the radio button for "allow" is selected. You should now be able to use gallery photos within your contacts.

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