How to change the background when calling on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Xiaomi smartphones have long since ceased to be just a means of communication, becoming a powerful multimedia center. One way to personalize the device is to adjust the appearance of the interface, in particular, the incoming screen. Standard settings of the MIUI system or the new HyperOS offer basic features, but users often want to see a unique image or even a dynamic video at the time of the call. This is not only aesthetic, but also allows you to instantly recognize the caller by the characteristic visual before you look at the name of the contact.

The process of replacing a static image or installing a video call can vary depending on the operating system version and the theme installed. In some cases, standard shell tools may be limited, requiring the use of additional applications or specific settings in the Topics menu. Understanding these nuances will help you avoid typical errors when the picture of the call remains the same after changing the wallpaper on the desktop.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to change the background, from built-in gallery features to the use of specialized video call widgets. You will learn how to activate the video call feature, which automatically loads content for contacts, and how to manually set your video. We will also touch on optimization issues, since the use of heavy graphics can affect the speed of the device at the time of the incoming connection.

Use of the built-in video calling function

Starting with certain versions of the MIUI shell, Xiaomi has introduced a native feature that allows you to set video to an incoming call. This option is often hidden in the depth of settings or activated only when using certain themes. To get started, make sure you have multimedia content enabled in telephony. Open the Phone app, go to the settings and find the section responsible for visual design of calls.

If the feature is active, the system will prompt you to select videos from the gallery or download content from the online library. Too heavy files can cause a delay when the image appears on the screen when the subscriber has already started to hear the beeps.

⚠️ Warning: Activating the video call function may consume additional battery power in standby mode, as the system needs to keep certain processes in memory for instant playback.

Once you select the file, the system will suggest framing the image so that it fits correctly on the screen without black fields. This is a critical step, since the aspect ratio of the video and the smartphone screen may differ. Do not ignore the preview, otherwise the caller's face may be cropped or shifted into a corner.

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Use short videos up to 15 seconds for the call background – this will ensure fast loading and reduce the load on the processor at the time of the call.

Configure through the Gallery app

The easiest and most often forgotten way to set a picture or video to a call is to use the standard Gallery app. The algorithm is as simple as possible for the user and does not require deep immersion in the system menus. Open the desired image or video, click on the "More" button (three dots) and select "Install as" in the drop-down list.

The system will offer several options for using the media file: desktop wallpaper, lock screen or Contact. The last item will trigger the mechanism for linking the file to the phone book. Unlike a global background change, here you can assign a unique image for each individual from your contact list.

• 📸 Open a photo or video in the gallery.
• ⚙️ Click the action menu and select "Install how".
• 👤 Select the option "Contact" or "All incoming".
• ✅ Confirm the action in the phone book menu.

Note that when you select the All Inbox option, the selected background will be displayed for any number that is not in your notebook, or for all calls in general, unless you have customized settings, a convenient way to create a uniform style for unknown numbers, using, for example, your company logo or abstract pattern.

Work with the theme of design in the appendix Topics

Themes store on Xiaomi is a powerful customization tool that is often overlooked when setting up calls. Many users are unaware that the style of the call screen is sewn directly into the theme. If you have installed a third-party theme but the background of the call has remained standard, perhaps the current theme does not support changing this element or takes precedence over system settings.

To change the background through the themes, you need to go to the app, go to the profile and select the "Themes" section. Here you can find thousands of options that indicate the presence of a Video Ringtone or a specific design of the call screen. When you use such a theme, the entire visual style of the call, including the response buttons and an avatar, will change according to the author's concept.

But there's a big drawback to this method: you're dependent on the author's imagination, and if you like the font of one topic and the call screen of another, you can't combine them with standard tools without creating a custom theme, so the gallery method is often a more flexible solution for specific personalization tasks.

Creating an individual background for contacts

Personalizing calls for different people is not only beautiful, it's functional. If you see a bright picture of your boss or a funny video of a friend on the screen, you immediately know who's bothering you without even looking at your name. To implement this functionality, you need to have saved contacts with tied phone numbers in the device's memory or synchronized with your Google or Mi Account account.

The process of customizing the individual background begins with opening the Contacts app. Find the person you want, click on their name to open the card, and select Change. At the bottom of the screen or edit menu, there is often a camera icon or image icon, and by clicking on it, you access the gallery to select a particular media file for that particular subscriber.

It's important to take into account the hierarchy of the display, so if you have a personalized photo for the contact, it will override the background that's set for all the people who are coming in, and if you don't, the system will turn to the general settings or theme, and this allows you to create a flexible system: a common background for everyone and unique alarm clocks for a select few.

Solving problems with background display

Often users are faced with a situation where, it would seem, all settings are correct, but the background does not change or the black screen is displayed. One of the most common reasons is the conflict of versions of the system components. The MIUI shell consists of many modules, and the Phone module may not work correctly with new video formats or screen resolutions after an update.

The system may not support certain codecs (e.g. heavy HEVCs or specific MKV containers) for the call background function, although it plays them in the player, in which case it is recommended to convert the video to a standard MP4 with an H.264 codec that is guaranteed to work at the system level.

⚠️ Warning: If the sound of the call has become quieter or gone completely after installing the video background, check the volume mixer settings - some topics may conflict with audio drivers.

Another scenario is a crowded cache of the Themes or Gallery app, which can prevent the new design settings from being read correctly, and cleaning the cache through the application management menu often solves the problem of a stuck image, returning the ability to change the background.

The impact of video calls on productivity

Using dynamic content on the lock and call screen is a strain on the resources of the smartphone. When the device is in standby mode, it saves energy by turning off unnecessary processes. However, when installing a video phone, the system must keep the video decoder and part of the graphics accelerator ready for instantaneous start-up.

On modern Snapdragon or Dimensity processors, this load is almost invisible. But on low-end models or low-memory (RAM) devices, this can lead to micro-slowdowns when a call arrives, and you may notice that the response slider appears with a fraction of a second delay.

• 🔋 Increased battery consumption in standby mode.
• 📉 Possible interface delays on older models.
• 🌡️ Slightly increases the temperature of the body with frequent calls.
• ⚡ Occupation of RAM with background processes.

If you notice that your smartphone is slower after installing heavy video on your calls, try optimizing content. Use images instead of videos or minimize the duration of the videos. Balance between beauty and functionality is the key to comfortable use of the smartphone.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The optimal format for the call background is vertical video MP4 lengthily 5-10 seconds stored in the internal memory of the device, not on SD-map.