Modern Xiaomi smartphones, which run on the shells of MIUI or the new HyperOS, offer ample opportunities for personalization, but standard call settings often limit the user. Many owners face a situation where when calling in they see only a small circle with an image or a standard stub, which deprives the process of communication of individuality. The desire to see a loved one or an important partner on the full screen is quite natural and feasible, but requires a number of specific actions that even experienced users do not know about.
The problem is that Android is optimized by default to save resources and uniformity of the interface, so the full-screen photo function does not activate automatically. You will not only have to prepare the image correctly, but also possibly change the standard Phone application or use special widgets. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods, from simple settings in contacts to advanced solutions through third-party applications and engineering menu codes.
Before you start making changes, it’s worth understanding that visual style can vary depending on the operating system version and device model. The manual will be useful for both the budget models of the Redmi series and the flagships of Xiaomi and POCO. We will consider the nuances of working with Google contacts, local phone book and system restrictions that can prevent the desired result.
Preparing images for maximum quality
The first and most critical step is to properly prepare the original file. Standard system requirements often automatically crop the photo, cropping important details of the face or background, unless certain proportions are observed. For the image to look professional and occupy the entire display area at the time of the call, the source must be vertically orientationd.
The ideal solution would be to use a photo with a resolution equal to or greater than the resolution of your smartphone screen. If you have a 2400×1080 pixel model, the photo should be about the same proportions, but in portrait mode. Horizontal shots will be stretched or trimmed on the sides, which will lead to loss of quality and unnatural appearance.
⚠️ Note: Do not use photos in format HEIC (standard for iPhone), if you port them to Android, as the built-in contact editor may not properly process such a file. JPG or PNG before installation.
Also, it is worth considering that files that are too heavy (more than 5-10 MB) can take longer to load when an incoming call creates a delay in the display of the picture. Optimally compress the photo to reasonable limits, while maintaining the clarity of the contours. You can use the built-in gallery tools for framing in a 9:16 ratio.
Basic installation of photos through standard contacts
The easiest way, which works most of the time on pure Android and some MIUI shells, is to directly edit the subscriber card, which doesn’t require additional software, but has its own scaling limitations.
To start, open the Contacts app or Phone app and go to the subscriber tab, find the person you want and click on their name to open the details, and if you see the Change button or the pencil icon, you can edit.
- 📸 Click on the round avatar or camera in the center to select a photo from the gallery.
- ✂️ Use the built-in framing tool to get the face as close as possible, as the system often makes indentations.
- 💾 Be sure to click Save to make changes apply to the database.
However, even after saving, you may notice that when you call in, the photo still appears as a small circle, which is because the standard Xiaomi call interface often ignores background filling, in which case you need to move to deeper system settings or change the call app.
Use of Google Contacts and Synchronization
Often, the problem is solved by moving to the Google ecosystem, which takes precedence over the phone’s local settings: If your contacts are synced to your Google account, they will be displayed when you call, and setting them up can give you the best result.
Open the Google Contacts app (blue A icon). Choose the contact you want and click on the edit icon. Unlike the standard Xiaomi call, there are more flexible avatar settings. Once you select a photo, the system will suggest selecting a crop area.
Why can’t the photo be updated immediately?
It's important to understand that sync can take time. If you just added a photo, it may appear on other devices or when you call it off immediately. Make sure your Google account settings have contact sync enabled. Sometimes forced sync through your account settings menu helps.
If after all the manipulations with Google contacts, the photo is still small, then the restriction lies in the shell itself. MIUI/HyperOS, And we're going to need a "heavy artillery" in the form of third-party applications to make calls.
Third-party applications for full-screen calls
When regular means to achieve the desired effect fails, specialized applications from the Play Market store come to the rescue. They completely replace the standard interface of the incoming call, allowing you to use any images, videos and even the most popular ones. GIF-full-screen animation.
One of the most popular solutions is Calls - Caller ID & Screen, or the Truecaller analog, which, once installed, asks permission to access contacts, phone and display on top of other applications, in order to intercept an incoming call and show its interface.
- 📥 Download the application for making calls from a reliable source.
- 🔐 Provide all permissions requested, especially “Above other applications».
- 🎨 Upload your photos to the app database or select them from the gallery for each contact.
Using these programs gives you the maximum flexibility: you can adjust the transparency, position of the photo, add effects and even background music, but it is worth remembering that they consume additional battery power and can conflict with the system call, so they need to be properly configured.
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When installing a third-party call, be sure to turn off the power saving for this application in the Xiaomi battery settings, otherwise the system can “kill” the call display process, and you will see a black screen instead of a photo.
Setting up the display in the application Phone Google
Many Xiaomi users are switching to the standard Google Phone app (blue handset) as it is often devoid of the limitations of MIUI Dialer.This app has a built-in feature to make a photo of the contact more visible.
Open Google's Phone app, click three dots in the corner, and select Settings. Find a section that deals with quick answers or call processing. While there may not be an explicit full-screen button, Google's algorithms often scale images better than Xiaomi's shell.
Also, in the theme settings (if supported by your version), you can choose a style where the photo takes up more space, and make sure that the privacy settings do not prohibit the use of photos from social networks if you want to pull up avatars from there.
| Parameter | Standard MIUI call. | Google Phone | Third-party annexes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size of photo | Circle, small size | Medium, adaptive. | Full screen, any size |
| Background image | No. | Limitedly. | Yes, any photo/video |
| Battery consumption | Minimum | Low. | Medium/High |
| Stability | Tall. | Tall. | Depends on the app. |
The choice between these options depends on your priorities: system stability or maximum visualization, and for most users, switching to Google Phone is a middle ground.
Solving cache and display problems
Sometimes all the settings are correct, but the photo still doesn't show up or looks like a black square. This is a classic sign of a crowded or corrupted cache of system applications. In Android, several related services are responsible for displaying contacts and calls.
You need to go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find Contacts, Phone and Contacts Storage in the app list. You need to clear the cache for each.
☑️ Checklist for data cleanup
Be careful: clearing the data (not the cache) can result in the deletion of call history or local contacts if they are not synced to the cloud.So first make sure that your numbers are saved to a Google or Mi Cloud account. After cleaning the cache, the system will take a couple of minutes to re-index.
⚠️ Warning: If your contacts are gone after you cache, don't panic. Go to your Google account settings and turn your contacts back on sync, and they'll recover from the cloud.
Features of work in HyperOS and new versions of MIUI
With the release of HyperOS, Xiaomi has changed the architecture of media content, and in newer versions of the shell, image compression algorithms have become more aggressive to speed up the interface, which means that even the quality photos you install can be compressed by the system.
HyperOS has also changed its permissions mechanism, so that an app can change the image on the lock or call screen, it needs to be given permission to “Constant Location Use” (paradoxically, but this is often required for widgets) or “Access to Media Files,” without which the system can block the display of “heavy” pictures.
In addition, the new versions have a Smart Album feature that can automatically select contact photos from your gallery if you allow it to access AI facial analysis, which can be convenient, but if you want to put a specific photo, it is better to turn off automatic change of avatars in the theme settings.
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In the new versions of MIUI and HyperOS, the key success factor is not only the installation of photos, but also the provision of the Phone application with all possible permissions to work with multimedia and screen.
New smartphone users should also check the theme of the call, and some third-party themes downloaded from Themes store can force you to change the call interface, ignoring your settings. If you encounter a problem, try temporarily switching to a standard Classic or Default theme.