How to make a full-screen contact photo on Xiaomi: 5 working ways

You want your Xiaomi phone to have a full-screen picture of your phone on your incoming call, not a small icon? It's possible -- despite the MIUI limitations, which only show a thumbnail by default. In this article, we'll look at all the current ways to stretch your contact photo across the entire display, including hidden settings, third-party apps, and bypassing system constraints.

The problem is typical of most Redmi, Poco and Black Shark smartphones: even if you have a high-quality photo to contact, it appears in a small circle or square when you call, and the reasons are rooted in MIUI’s policy that prioritizes displaying call information (name, response/deviation buttons) over visual design, but there are several proven methods to circumvent this limitation, from simple settings to installing alternative calls.

Importantly, not all methods are universal. For example, one method can work on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 15, and another method can work on the Redmi Note 12 with MIUI 14, and we tested the instructions on the current firmware in 2026 and indicate compatibility for each variant.

Why Xiaomi doesn’t show a full-screen contact photo by default?

MIUI was originally optimized for functionality, not for visual display, and these are the key reasons for this behavior:

• 📱 UI Priority: Response/Deflection buttons are brought to the fore so that the user can respond quickly to the call.
• 🔄 Adaptive design: MIUI Automatically adjusts the size of the photo to different screen resolutions (from Redmi) A2 s 720p Xiaomi 14 Ultra with 3200×1440).
• 🛡️ Performance Limitations: Real-time rendering of large photos can create lags on budget models (e.g. Poco) M6 Pro).
• 🔒 Security Policy: Some Versions MIUI Blocks the change of system calls without root rights.

Interestingly, older versions of MIUI (up to 12th) could have a photo of the contact almost on the entire screen, but after the updates, the developers tightened the restrictions.

Method 1: Using a standard MIUI call (partial solution)

If you don't want to install third-party apps, you can try cheating the system through the standard call settings, which works on MIUI 14/15 and allows you to slightly increase the size of the photo, but not to full-screen mode.

Instructions:

1. Open the Contacts app.
2. Select the contact you need and click Edit.
3. Tap the current contact photo and select Change the photo.
4. Upload an image with a resolution of at least 1080×1920 (the bigger the better).
5. Cut the photo so that the face occupies the central part (this is important for further display).
6. Save the changes and check how the photo is displayed when the call is in.

The result is that the photo will get bigger, but it won't take up the entire screen. To maximize the effect, use vertical photos (portrait orientation) with minimal background elements.

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If the contact photo blurs when you call, try turning off the Adaptive Image Quality function in the call settings (Settings → Sounds and vibrations → Call → Additional).

Method 2: Install an alternative call (full screen photo)

The most reliable way to get a full-screen photo of a contact is to use a third-party call. We tested 5 popular apps and selected the best options for Xiaomi.

Recommendation: ExDialer is the best choice for Xiaomi, as it supports full-screen photos without a subscription and has minimal permission requirements.

• 🔧 Go to ExDialer Settings → Incoming calls → Display style.
• 🖼️ Select the option Full Screen Photo (Full Screen Photo).
• 🔄 Set the default call in Android settings (Settings) → Annexes → By default. → Caller).

Download APK from the official website (not from third-party sources)|

Check the permissions of the application (Contacts, Phone, Overlay) |

Backup of standard contacts (export to VCF) |

Disable battery optimization for calling

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Important: On Xiaomi with MIUI 15, some calls (such as Truecaller) may conflict with the com.android.server.telecom system service, which causes a delay in displaying photos. In this case, resetting the phone application settings through Settings → Applications → Application Management → Phone → Storage → Reset will help.

Method 3: Editing system files (for advanced users)

If you're ready to experiment, you can manually change the settings for displaying the call through ADB or system file editor, which requires debugging over USB and only works on an unlocked bootloader.

Instructions for MIUI 14/15:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in your phone settings).
2. Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell settings put global incoming_call_photo_scale 1.0
4. Reset the device.

This command forces system uses the maximum scale for a photo contact, but the effect may vary depending on the model:

• ✅ Xiaomi 12/13/14 Series: Photos taken ~80% screen.
• ⚠️ Redmi Note 11/12: Possible artifacts in the animation of the call.
• ❌ Poco F4/F5: The team is ignored due to customized firmware.

⚠️ Note: Change of system parameters through ADB This can cause phone calls to crash, especially in beta versions. MIUI. Before experimenting, back up through Settings → The phone. → Backup.

Method 4: Creating a custom MIUI theme with full-screen photo

If you use custom themes in MIUI, you can find or create a theme that supports full-screen display of contact photos, which does not require root rights, but is limited to the available themes.

How to find the right topic:

1. Open the Themes app on your Xiaomi.
2. In the search, enter the queries: 🔍 full screen caller 🔍 big contact photo 🔍 maximized caller ID

Look for the ones where the photo occupies the majority of the screen.

Set the theme and check the display when an incoming call is made.

Popular themes with support for full-screen photos:

• 🎨 OS15 Caller (for) MIUI 15)
• 🎨 MaxView Dialer (Redmi Note) 10/11)
• 🎨 PureBlack Call (minimalist design with large photo)

Limitation: Many themes are paid (cost ~100-300 rubles), and free versions may contain ads, and after updating MIUI the theme may reset to standard.

💡

Custom themes are the only way to get a full-screen photo without third-party calls, but they need to be updated regularly, as after MIUI updates they may stop working.

Method 5: Using Live Wallpaper as a background call

A non-standard but working method is to set up live wallpapers to be displayed during a call, which requires an additional app to be installed and does not work on all models.

Instructions:

1. Install the Video Call Screen app from Google Play.
2. Select a 1080p video or gif (can be created from a photo contact via CapCut or InShot).
3. In the application settings, specify: Display type: Full-screen Activation: Incoming call Interface Transparency: 30%
4. Set up live wallpaper as a background for calls.

The result: when you call, the photo/video will be displayed on the entire screen, and on top of it there will be a translucent interface with response buttons. 9A).

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi with Snapdragon processor 4xx (for example, Poco M4 Pro) live wallpaper during the call may cause braking. Check manually before use via Settings → Wallpaper. → Live wallpaper.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make it easier for you to decide, we have compiled all the methods into a comparative table, taking into account complexity, compatibility and result.

Our choice:

• 🥇 For most users: ExDialer (simple, reliable, free).
• 🥈 For fans of customization: custom themes MIUI.
• 🥉 For the advanced: ADB-team (maximum control).

FAQ: Frequent questions about full-screen photos of contacts on Xiaomi