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Contact Photos disappeared after update 17.1.1

After the latest IOS update, People calling me have no photo. How do I get them back please? The photo is in the little round circle, but not a full screen when they are calling?


Thank you

Posted on Nov 20, 2023 2:46 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 26, 2023 8:19 AM

Same, most of my contacts had a thoughtfully chosen image and now it’s just a gray ugliness. Apple please change this back.

57 replies

Dec 4, 2023 4:14 PM in response to debrafromhornchurch

I LOATHE this update! Not only did some of my contacts photos disappear, but my existing photos were erased and replaced with different photos I’ve never seen, presumably ones the person has chosen for themselves because some are cartoon-like caricatures. WHAT?! I want MY photos back, for example the first one I ever took of my husband, not the current one; or the happy 8-year-old kid one of my son, not the goth sad dark one he chose. YOU’VE TAKEN MY MEMORIES WITHOUT MY PERMISSION APPLE! And I hate you for it.

Nov 20, 2023 6:32 PM in response to debrafromhornchurch

The update added a "feature" called Posters.


Go into your Contacts list and choose any contact and you will see a new option called Contact Photos and Poster. The contact photo is the same as it always has been (it will be the image you see for texting, etc, that you assigned to that contact). The poster is the image that will appear when that person calls you. This new update added the ability to have a different image display when that person calls you than the one you have set as their contact photo. In a way it's neat, but it's also annoying busywork.

Dec 6, 2023 6:58 AM in response to debrafromhornchurch

Go to contacts > click on a contact you know had a different picture pre-update > there’s a button that says contact photo and poster. You have to click on the very right side of that button on the up down arrows. > click custom photo. > issue should be fixed. Also, it seems that whichever contact you do this to first, will be the only place you can modify all contacts like this. So you gotta remember who you used ..

Dec 10, 2023 9:57 AM in response to ACMELTD

Your condescension is offensive as is your implication. I have had my iPhones on automatic back-up from day one in 2009. One thing is to be an Apple Loyalist, another is to be blind to the possibility that the company may have F’d up - as ALL do at some point, though Apple does have a track record of ******* off device owners with their updates. I shouldn’t have used the word stolen, I should have said LOST. My advice to you is change your response tone or simply **** Off!

Nov 20, 2023 5:31 AM in response to debrafromhornchurch

When it comes to storing contacts on an iPhone or any other smartphone, you'll discover that they are not directly stored on the device itself or the SIM card. Instead, modern smartphones utilize synchronization with various email accounts to manage and store contact information.


It's important to note that while the contacts themselves are primarily stored on the email server, a local copy is typically maintained on your iPhone for offline access. This allows you to view and modify your contacts even when your device is not connected to the internet. However, the master copy of your contacts resides on the email server, ensuring that changes made on any synchronized device are consistently updated across all devices connected to the same account.


When you add and enable the Contacts feature on your iPhone, it provides you with the ability to sync your contacts with a specific email account. This email account can be from various providers such as Google, iCloud, AOL, Exchange, Outlook, Yahoo or any Other email client server that supports contact synchronization.


The process of syncing contacts involves establishing a connection between your iPhone and the email server associated with the chosen account. This allows the contact information to be seamlessly exchanged between your device and the server. Any changes or updates made to your contacts, whether it's adding a new contact, editing an existing one, or deleting a contact, are reflected both on your iPhone and in the corresponding email account.

By utilizing this synchronization method, you can access and manage your contacts from multiple devices or platforms. For example, if you add a contact on your iPhone and sync it with your Google account, you can then view and access that contact from other devices like a computer or tablet by signing into your Google account.


By syncing your contacts with an email account, you can enjoy the convenience of having your contact information readily available across multiple devices and platforms, ensuring seamless access and management of your contacts wherever you go.


Please see the pic below for a better understanding...



If you are unable to find your contacts which were stored in the email client, then try this --> Restore contacts, calendars, bookmarks, and more using ...


Check if the email account has been removed from the iOS mail app.

Add the email account that stores your contacts in the IOS mail app and enable Contacts.



What is your default Contacts account? If none, please add an email account and enable contacts.


See the pic below



Unlike some Android devices, contacts are neither stored locally on an iPhone nor in SIM. They are synced to an email account that you had Google, iCloud, AOL, Exchange, Outlook, Yahoo or any Other



If you have a corporate email account added through a profile on your device, please check with your organization's system administrator.


Contact Photos disappeared after update 17.1.1

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