Your contact photo is one of the most personal ways to represent yourself across Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and Mac ecosystems. Whenever you call someone, FaceTime them, or send a message, your contact photo appears alongside your name to give them a bit more of your personality. With iOS 17 and newer versions of iPadOS and macOS, Apple has made it easier than ever to not only change your contact photo, but also create a rich “Contact Poster” to further customize how you appear to others.
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Access the Contacts App’s “My Card”
The first step to changing your contact photo on iPhone is simple – open the Contacts app. This is the app with the colorful icons that you normally use to save and organize your friends’ contact information.
Once Contacts is open, tap on the “My Card” banner right at the top of the main screen. Tapping this will open a dedicated screen just for managing your own contact card that gets shared with others.
Below the “My Card” header, you’ll see fields for your name, phone numbers, email addresses, and more that comprise your contact card. And of course, there is also a large circular icon showing your current contact photo.
Tap “Contact Photo & Poster”
Just under your name in your My Card, there is a link labeled “Contact Photo & Poster.” Tap this option to open a customization window specifically designed for picking the perfect contact photo and other personal details.
You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see a screen with large “Change Photo” and “Create New Poster” buttons.
Customize Name Pronunciation (Optional)
Before diving straight into changing your photo, take a moment to consider customizing how your first and last name appears to others. Directy under the main photo, you’ll see fields titled “First” and “Last” along with a little “speaker” icon.
Tap either of these speaker icons to record a spoken audio clip of how you pronounce your first or last name. Other Apple users who have this contact sharing option enabled in iOS 17+ will then hear your recording instead of relying on the often inaccurate text-to-speech pronunciation.
Once name entry is out of the way, move on to the fun part – finally picking a great new photo!
Tap “Change Photo”
The most straightforward way to change your contact photo is to tap the large “Change Photo” button below your current picture.
This will open up your iPhone’s photo library and allow you to select any image you want. Make sure you pick a good selfie, fun candid shot, or portrait that represents you well!
Consider an Image With Your Face
For best results, choose an image that prominently features your face. Contact photos with faces are much more personal and allow your friends to instantly recognize you.
Pick an Image With Good Lighting
Additionally, you’ll want to select a photo that is well-lit and easy to see. Dark, blurry photos won’t translate well to the small contact photo circle. Pick something bright and vibrant.
Crop As Needed To Fit The Circle
Don’t worry if your chosen photo’s aspect ratio doesn’t match a perfect circle. Once selected, you can drag the edges to crop and zoom until the important parts fit into the contact photo template.
Get your pic adjusted perfectly before hitting “Choose” to set this photo as your new shared icon.
Customize Your New “Contact Poster”
In addition to just a regular photo, iOS 17 allows you to create a full poster/collage background for your contact. Jump into this by tapping the “Create New Poster” button instead.
You can customize the poster with:
- Multiple photos
- Fun emoji
- Colorful backgrounds
- Handwritten notes
- Animated stickers
and much more to showcase your personality. Feel free to spend time perfecting this poster until it feels uniquely you. The great thing is that your poster and contact photo automatically sync across all Apple devices using your Apple ID once created.
Turn On Contact Sharing
As one final step before closing the Contacts app, you need to verify a toggle is turned on to actually share your new photo and poster with friends.
Scroll toward the bottom of the My Card screen and look for a switch labeled “Name & Photo Sharing.” Turn this ON to permit sharing. If left off, your photo and poster will only be visible on your own devices.
That covers the basics of updating your contact photo! Now when you call or message friends from your iPhone, your latest picture and poster will help them see your smiling face. Enjoy standing out from the crowd with these personalized iOS 17 contact options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some questions about managing your contact picture and other details in iOS 17? Check the FAQ responses below.
Does Updating My Contact Photo Also Change My iCloud Profile Picture?
Nope! Your contact photo and account profile image are handled separately in iOS. Keep this in mind when selecting photos.
How Do I Remove the Custom Contact Poster?
Simply tap the “Create New Poster” button again but instead select the blank white poster option to remove any colorful backgrounds.
What If I Want Separate Photos On iPhone vs. iPad?
Unfortunately your contact details sync automatically across devices via iCloud. You cannot assign different photos on iPhone compared to iPad.
Will My Recording Play When Receiving Calls Too?
Yes! The name pronunciation recordings will be used both for incoming/outgoing calls and also in apps like Messages when selecting your contact.
So be sure your quick name intro sounds good! You can always re-record it by tapping the speaker icon again.
And there you have it – everything you need to know about changing and customizing your contact photo with iOS 17 posters to really stand out!