Are you tired of the small photos of contacts that are barely visible on the lock screen during an incoming call? Want a subscriber photo to occupy the entire display, like on Xiaomi banners? This feature does exist, but by default it is hidden or works incorrectly on many MIUI firmware. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to activate full-screen display of photos when you call, from standard settings to hidden developer settings.
The problem is MIUI's policy: the manufacturer is trying to save battery power and system resources, so it uses a simplified call interface by default. However, on Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5 models, the full-screen photo function is technically supported - it just needs to be set up correctly. We tested all methods on current versions of MIUI 14.0.5 and MIUI 15 Beta to provide working solutions.
Why is the photo of the contact not displayed on the full screen?
Before we get to the settings, it's important to understand the cause of the problem, and 80 percent of the time, it's not the technical limitations that are to blame, but the wrong parameters of the system:
- 🔹 No photo in contact – if the subscriber is not saved with the photo in the phone book, the system will substitute a standard icon.
- 🔹 Optimization MIUI — Firmware automatically reduces the size of previews to save resources.
- 🔹 Lock screen settings – in some design themes, full screen mode is disabled by default.
- 🔹 Productivity Limits – on Budget Models (Redmi) 10A, POCO M5) The function can be programmed to block.
Another nuance: on smartphones with AMOLED-The full-screen photo may not be displayed due to the Always-On Display feature, which conflicts with the call interface, in which case you will have to choose between constant screen illumination and large photos of contacts.
Method 1: Configure using standard MIUI parameters
Let's start with the simplest method that works on most devices without the need to tamper with system files.
- Open the Contacts app (an icon with a human silhouette).
- Find the right contact and click on it.
- Slip on the camera icon in the upper right corner (or select Edit → Change the photo).
- Upload a photo with a resolution of at least 720×720 pixels (optimally 1080×1080).
- Return to phone settings: Settings → Lock screen → Lock screen style.
- Select the option "Photo" or "Castomization" (depending on the version of MIUI).
After this, the photo of the contact should be displayed larger, but not always on the whole screen. If the result does not suit you, move to the next method.
Add a photo to the contact with a resolution of ≥720p|
Cut the photo down the center (face should occupy 60-70% of the frame)|
Check that the contact is saved in the phone book, not in the phone book. SIM-map|
Turn off the dark theme (sometimes it knocks the preview scale off)-->
Method 2: Using themes with Fullscreen Caller ID support
The official MIUI theme store contains several designs that force the photo of the contact to the full screen.
- 🎨 Fullscreen Caller – Theme specially designed to maximize photo display.
- 🎨 iOS Style Caller – imitates the iPhone call interface with large photos.
- 🎨 Material You Caller – an adaptive theme that adjusts to wallpaper and increases previews.
To establish a theme:
- Open My Topics → My Profile → My Topics
- In the search bar, type the theme name (for example, Fullscreen Caller).
- Download it and use it. Reboot the phone.
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If the photo is still small after installing the theme, try changing the standard Phone app to an alternative one (like Google Phone), which in some cases solves the problem.
Note that after the MIUI update, the themes may be reset. To avoid this, save the design you like in My Themes → Save.
Method 3: Activate through developer settings (for advanced)
If standard methods don't work, you can try to turn on full-screen mode through hidden system settings, which requires caution, as improper actions can lead to failures.
Instructions:
- Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version and tap it 7 times.
- Return to the main settings menu and open Additional → for developers.
- Find the parameter. force_fullscreen_caller_id (If it is not, skip this step).
- If you have a setting, turn it on and restart the phone.
On newer versions of MIUI 14/15, this option is often missing, so you can try an alternative method using ADB:
adb shell settings put global force_fullscreen_caller_id 1To do this, you will need a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and USB debugging enabled on the phone.
What if all contacts are lost after the change?
Method 4: Third-Party Apps for Full-screen Calls
If none of the above methods worked, there is an option to install alternative calling apps.
| Annex | Features | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Truecaller | Full-screen photos, spam definition, interface customization | Requires access to contacts, advertising in the free version |
| Google Phone | Clean interface, support for dark theme, large photos | Not all Xiaomi models work correctly. |
| Drupe | Full customization of the call screen, widgets | A complex interface for beginners |
To install a third-party call app:
- Download the selected application from Google Play.
- Go to Settings → Applications → By default → Phone.
- Select the installed application as standard.
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The application side may conflict with MIUI system services. If after installation there are problems with mobile communication, return the standard application "Phone".
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When setting up full-screen photos, users often face typical problems when calling, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:
- ❌ Photo cuts crooked → Use square images (1:1) and crop them by hand in the gallery.
- ❌ After updating MIUI settings dropped → Before updating, save the topic in My themes. → Save.
- ❌ There is a photo on the lock screen, but when calling, there is no photo. → Check the settings in the Lock screen → Notifications → Notification style.
- ❌ Photo is displayed blurry → Upload the image with a resolution of at least 1080×1080 and disable compression in the gallery settings.
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If you are using a double SIM-check that the photo is tied to the correct number in the contact. MIUI Substitute a photo from another profile.
Another common mistake is ignoring screen resolution: on devices with FHD+ resolution (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro), the photo must be at least 1080×2400 pixels, otherwise the system automatically scales it, which leads to a loss of quality.
Alternative solutions for older Xiaomi models
If you have a Xiaomi smartphone from 2018-2020 (e.g. Redmi Note 8, Mi 9), standard methods may not work due to the limitations of the old hardware.
- 🔧 Firmware rollback – some users note that MIUI 12 full-screen photos are more stable.
- 🔧 Use custom firmware – for example, Pixel Experience or LineageOS (requires unlocking the bootloader).
- 🔧 Manual editing of system files - through Root-rights you can change the parameters in the /system/media/theme/default, But it's risky.
On models with a Snapdragon 4xx series processor (Redmi 9A, POCO M3), full-screen mode can run unstable due to the limitations of the Adreno 306/308 graphics accelerator, in which case the only reliable solution is the use of third-party applications like Truecaller.