Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a situation where only a small round contact icon or a standard stub is displayed on the display when an incoming call is displayed, which is not always convenient in poor visibility or when calling from important people. The standard MIUI interface and the new HyperOS shell are optimized by default for minimalism, hiding colorful images behind small avatars. However, the Android operating system on which these devices operate allows you to expand the functionality of the call, turning each incoming call into a personalized event.
To implement Full Screen Caller ID, you don’t need to install third-party apps from Google Play, which are often overloaded with ads and consume excess battery power. Built-in tools allow you to assign high-quality images to specific numbers or set a single beautiful picture for all incoming calls, this is especially true for users who often pick up their phone without looking at the screen and want to instantly understand who is bothering.
In this article, we will discuss all the available configuration methods in detail, from the basic functions of the Gallery to the hidden settings of the system application Phone. We will also touch on compatibility issues with different versions of firmware, as the algorithms for working with contacts in Xiaomi change periodically, you will learn how to properly prepare the image so that it does not crop, and what to do if the standard method suddenly stops working after another update.
Preparing the image for the perfect display
Before you start setting up contacts, it is critical to properly prepare the original file.The screens of modern Xiaomi smartphones have elongated proportions, often 19.5:9 or 20:9, while most photos are taken in 4:3 or 16:9. If you upload a regular photo, the system will automatically trim its edges, which can lead to the fact that the person’s face will be outside the visible area or will be flattened.
It is recommended to use high-resolution images, at least 1080×2400 pixels, to make the display with a high density of pixels, the picture looks clear and not “soapy”. The best fit portraits, where the subject is located in the center of the frame. Horizontal landscapes or group photos when stretched to the full screen will look unnatural and can make it difficult to identify the caller.
You can use the built-in editor in the Gallery app to edit. Open the photo, click "Change" and select the "Card" tool. Set the 9:16 aspect ratio or simply manually adjust the frame so that the face or important object is in the center, leaving some free space on top and bottom, which compensates for the possible interface biases during the call.
- 📸 Use portrait orientation to better fill the screen space.
- 🎨 Edit brightness and contrast, as on a locked screen, colors may appear dimmer.
- 💾 Keep a copy of the original to return to the original version if necessary.
- 👤 Make sure the face in the photo is well lit and not covered by foreign objects.
⚠️ Warning: Avoid using images with small details or text at the edges of the frame. When an incoming call is over the photo, "Accept", "Discard" and contact name will be superimposed, which can make the text unreadable.
💡
Use the Portrait mode on the camera to create a blurred background – this will visually highlight the caller and make the call interface more professional.
Set up a photo for a specific contact through the Gallery
The most common and reliable way to set a full screen photo for a particular person is to use the Gallery system application, which works on most current versions of MIUI and allows you to link the image directly to the record in the phone book, synced with your Google or Mi Cloud account.
To start, open the Gallery app and find the image you've prepared before. Click on it to open it to the full screen, then select the "More" button (usually three dots in the bottom corner or a menu item). In the action list that opens, you need to find the "Appoint Contact" option. If there is no such item in the main menu, it can be hidden in the "Actions with Photo" sub-menuum.
Once you select this feature, the system will suggest a contact list, find the right person in the list or use a name search. It is important that the contact is stored in the phone's memory or synchronized accue, not just in the call history. After choosing a contact, the system may suggest that you crop the image again - make sure that an important part of the photo is not cropped, and click "Ready" or "Save".
☑️ Checking the contact settings
Now, when you call in from that caller, you'll see the image installed, but you should consider that on some versions of the shell, the call interface can still display a photo in a round frame, unless a special mode is activated, in which case you should check the theme settings or use an alternative method through the Contacts app.
Use of the Application Contacts for Mass Purpose
If you need to assign photos to several people at once, or you prefer to work directly with the database of numbers, the most convenient way to use the Contacts app (or Phone in the Contacts tab), this method allows you to see previews of avatars right in the list and quickly change them without going to the gallery.
Open the Contacts app and find the entry you want in the list. Click on the subscriber's name to open the card with the details. At the top of the screen, where the gray plug with the first letter of the name usually sits, there should be an edit button or a pencil icon.
In edit mode, find the field to add a photo (often signed "Add a photo" or depicted as a camera). The system will prompt you to choose the source: take a picture or select from the gallery. Choose the second option and specify the desired image. After saving the changes, the photo will be updated throughout the system, including the lock screen and the call screen.
| Parameter | Through the Gallery | Through Contacts | Through the Theme Settings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed of adjustment | Tall. | Medium | Low. |
| Quality of processing | Automatic. | Handheld. | Depends on the topic. |
| Synchronization | Google/Mi Account | Google/Mi Account | Only locally. |
| Flexibility | Tall. | Medium | Low. |
Why can't the photo be displayed?
Global Wallpaper for All Incoming Challenges
In some cases, the user does not need an individual photo for each room, but simply replace the boring black background with a beautiful picture or abstraction for all incoming ones. In MIUI and HyperOS, the Wallpaper for Calls function is responsible for this, which can be built into the theme or customized separately.
Go to the Themes app, which is system on Xiaomi smartphones. At the bottom of the screen, find the Profile tab or click on the user icon. From the profile menu, select Settings, and then find the Wallpaper or Wallpaper for Calls section. Here you can choose a static image from the gallery or dynamic wallpaper from the Xiaomi directory.
An alternative way is through the standard System Settings. Go to Wallpaper and Personalization (or just Wallpaper). Select the Inbound Call category. The system will offer several preset options or the ability to upload your photo. The image you select will be displayed each time someone calls you, unless you have a personalized photo for a particular contact.
- 🌌 Dynamic wallpaper can consume more battery power than static images.
- 🔒 On the lock screen, the image can darken to save energy. OLED-screen.
- 🎨 Themes from the Mi Themes store often already contain customized call screens with animations.
- 📱 On different models (Redmi, POCO, Xiaomi’s path to settings may be slightly different.
Display problems and ways to solve them
Despite the system's cleverness, users sometimes encounter bugs when a photo is not displayed, stretched disproportionately or replaced with a standard icon. One common reason is aggressive memory optimization. The system can "unload" heavy images of contacts to free up RAM, especially on devices with low RAM capacity.
Another common problem is file formats: If you use HEIC (standard for iPhone) or modern WebP formats, the older version of MIUI may not handle them properly, in which case it is recommended to convert the photo to a universal JPG format before installing.
It’s also worth checking whether Do Not Disturb or Sleep mode is enabled, which can simplify the call interface by removing unnecessary graphics. In addition, some third-party themes completely replace the call screen, ignoring the system settings of the photos. If you have established a custom theme, try going back to the standard theme “Classic” or “No Limits” to see if it’s the case.
⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party caller (e.g. from Google Phone or Truecaller), the settings of the Xiaomi system gallery may not apply.
To solve software failures, try clearing the Phone and Contacts app cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Phone, select Clear, and then Clear Cache. Contact data will not be affected, but temporary files causing display errors will be deleted.
💡
Resetting the cache of the Phone and Contacts applications solves 90% of problems with incorrect display of avatars and call background.
Specifics of work in HyperOS and new versions of MIUI
With the release of the HyperOS shell, Xiaomi has redesigned many visual elements, including the call screen, with new versions focusing on large fonts and minimalism, which means that the caller’s photo can take up only part of the screen, integrating into the overall widget composition, a design solution that cannot be completely turned off without obtaining root rights.
However, HyperOS has improved the way it handles live photos, so if you assign Live Photo as a contact, it can be played as a short video when you call (on supported devices), and to activate this feature, you need the original photo to be taken in Live mode and saved in a format supported by the system.
Users of the newer versions should also pay attention to the Contacts widget on the desktop, which, if configured correctly, can duplicate the full-screen photo function, showing large avatars of favorite numbers directly on the home screen, which is even more convenient than a standard call.
It is important to understand that the functionality may vary depending on the firmware region (Global, China, EEA). Chinese versions often have features that are cut out of global builds, and vice versa. If some method doesn't work, check for system updates or look for specifics of your version. MIUI/HyperOS.