iOS 15 Contacts App Photo and Poster Features

While full-screen Contact Posters were officially introduced in iOS 17, iOS 15 laid the groundwork for personalized contact imagery by significantly expanding contact photo configuration tools. In iOS 15, Apple upgraded the contact card image editor with enhanced Memoji customization, richer monogram options, and improved sharing controls for contact profile pictures.

Contact Posters vs. iOS 15 Contact Photos

The feature known specifically as "Contact Posters"—which displays full-screen, stylized caller ID graphics across phone calls and third-party VoIP apps—did not exist in iOS 15; it debuted with iOS 17. In iOS 15, visual configuration was limited to circular contact photos and avatars.

Contact Image Updates Introduced in iOS 15

Although full posters were not yet available, iOS 15 introduced several key enhancements for configuring contact images:

• Expanded Memoji Customization: Users gained the ability to style contact photos with over 40 new outfit options, multicolored headwear, two different eye colors, and new glasses styles.
• Accessibility Additions for Avatars: iOS 15 introduced accessibility options into the contact photo creator, including cochlear implants, oxygen tubes, and soft helmets for Memoji avatars.
• New Memoji Poses and Stickers: When assigning a Memoji to a contact card, iOS 15 added nine new Memoji sticker poses, including a shaka sign, a hand wave, and a lightbulb moment.
• Custom Monograms and Color Palettes: The contact image editor expanded choices for text-based initials, allowing users to select distinct font styles and an updated palette of background colors.
• Photo Sharing Permissions: iOS 15 refined the "Share Name and Photo" feature within Messages and Contacts, allowing users to automatically update their chosen profile image across their friends' address books or require manual approval before sharing updates.