Personalizing the smartphone interface is not just a fashion nod, it’s a way to make the device truly your own. Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco phone owners often want to replace the standard gray silhouette image that is displayed during an incoming call with a personal photo or a bright picture, which allows you to instantly recognize the caller without even reading the name, which is especially convenient when the phone is on the table with a screen up.
The process of replacing an image can seem confusing due to the differences in the versions of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS. The system offers several levels of customization, from setting a general picture for all contacts to individual photos for each person in the phone book. Understanding these nuances will help to avoid confusion and quickly achieve the desired result.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available call visualization methods, how to upload photos from the gallery, how to set up video calls, and what to do if standard features are not working correctly, and we will also touch on the features of working with contacts synchronized through a Google account or Mi Cloud.
Global background setting for all contacts
The easiest way to change the visual design of calls is to set a single background that will be displayed to all subscribers who do not have an individually specified image, which replaces the standard system plug with the photo or abstraction you choose.
To start, you need to open the standard Phone app, which usually has a green or blue phone icon, and in the upper right corner of the screen is a three-dot icon or a gear icon that represents the settings menu, and that's where the basic personalization options for calls are hidden.
In the menu that opens, you'll find a item that can be called Caller ID and spam settings or simply Call Settings. Inside this section, there's often a callback or call wallpaper option, and by clicking on it, the system will suggest you select an image from the gallery or use embedded themes.
- 📸 Choosing high-quality high-resolution photos for full-screen clarity.
- 🎨 Using dark tones to save battery power AMOLED-screen.
- 🔄 Regular background change to update the interface.
Note that some firmware versions may have this feature built into the Themes app, and if you don't have the right option in your phone's settings, try running the Themes app, going to the user profile, and finding the call section, an alternative path that users often ignore.
Individual installation of a photo for a specific contact
The most useful feature is to set a unique image for each person in your phone book, which allows you to immediately see who is calling you by a photo, not just by name, and the setup process is slightly different depending on where the contact is stored.
Open the Contacts app or go to the Contacts section inside the Phone app. Find the right subscriber in the list and click on their name to open the card. There should be an edit button or pencil icon at the top of the screen, where the initial or standard avatar is usually displayed.
Once you're in edit mode, click on the circular area with the current image. The system will tell you to choose the source: take a picture with the camera, select from the gallery or delete the current photo. By selecting a file from the gallery, you can crop the image, leaving only the face or an important part of the picture in the circle.
⚠️ Warning: If the photo is not displayed when you call it after you install it, check the phone app's access rights to the device's memory. Without permission to read the files, the system will not be able to download the image.
It's important to remember the differences in synchronization, if the contact is stored in memory. SIM-It is often impossible to add a photo to it technically due to the limitations of the format of data storage on the chip, in which case the system will prompt you to copy the contact to the memory of your phone or Google account, which should be done for full personalization.
☑️ Checking contact settings
Using video instead of static images
Modern versions of the MIUI and HyperOS shell allow you to set videos as a call background, which creates a spectacular visual series: when someone calls you, the selected video is played to the full screen, the feature looks impressive, but has its own technical features.
The most common way to set up a video background is to use the Themes app. Go to the theme store, go to the Video Wallpaper or Video Ringtone section, and here's a catalog of short clips that you can download and use, some of which are free, others require payment or subscription.
If you want to use your own video, the process can be more complicated, often requiring you to convert a video file to a special format or use third-party converter apps available on Google Play. Once the file is ready, it can be applied through theme settings or specialized widgets.
| Parameter | Static photo | Video background |
|---|---|---|
| Battery consumption | Minimum | Elevated |
| Processor booting | Low. | Medium/High |
| Occupied seat | A few kb. | 5 to 50MB |
| Support for SIM | Complete. | Depends on the operator. |
Video calls can have a significant impact on the autonomy of the device, and if you notice that the phone is discharged faster after installing live wallpaper on the calls, it makes sense to go back to static images, especially for models with less than the largest battery.
Why can't the video work?
Setup through the Google Contacts app
Many Xiaomi users prefer to use the Google ecosystem instead of standard MIUI applications. Google Contacts and Google Phone have their own interface and logic, which can differ from the system one.
To change a photo in the Google app, open Google Contacts. Find the right person and click Change. At the top, you'll have a round icon of the camera or current photo. By clicking on it, you can upload a new image. You'll be synced instantly through your Google account.
However, even if you change your contact photo, the call interface itself (screen background) can be adjusted separately. In Google Phone, click three dots in the corner, select Settings → Calls (or Appearances), and you can select a theme that can override your contacts' customizations.
- ✅ Automatic synchronization of photos between devices.
- ✅ High quality of image display.
- ✅ Adding multiple emails and numbers to a single photo.
If you use Google apps, make sure they have all the permissions you need. Sometimes Android limits the background activity of apps to save resources, which may cause updated photos to not load on time when an incoming call is made.
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Tip: If the contact photo is displayed in low quality, try to reduce the file size to 1-2 MB before downloading, but keep the high resolution (for example, 1080x1080 pixels).
Display problems and their solution
Even with the right setup, users may find themselves in a situation where the image doesn't change or doesn't show correctly. Often the problem lies in the cache of the Phone or Contacts app. The accumulated temporary files may contain old versions of the images that the system continues to use.
To solve the problem, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find Contacts and Phone in the list. Go to each of them and select Clear Cache. Don't confuse it with Clear Data, as this can delete your call history, although contacts are usually saved in the cloud.
Another common reason is duplicate contacts. A person can have two records: one in the memory of a phone with a photo, the other on the phone with a photo. SIM-When you call, the system can choose to record a photo. SIM-Ignoring the one with the image, you need to combine these contacts.
⚠️ Note: When combining contacts, carefully check the data so as not to lose important numbers or email addresses associated with one of the records.
It is also worth checking the image format. the system may not accept some file formats (e.g., the file formats, HEIC with iPhone or WebP, unless they are converted in a standard way. JPG or PNG.
Features of work in HyperOS mode
With the release of the HyperOS shell, Xiaomi redesigned many system components, including the phone book and the call screen, the design became more minimalistic, and animations became more smooth, and the location of some personalization settings changed.
HyperOS has focused on integrating with the ecosystem. A contact photo installed on the phone now syncs with tablets and even the brand’s smartwatches faster and more stable. However, the path to setting the background has become a little deeper on the menu.
Now, to change the global background, you often need to go through the Themes app → Profile → Theme setting → Call screen. A direct link from the phone’s settings can lead to a general personalization page where you need to select a specific interface element.
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In HyperOS, the visual style of calls is closely related to the theme you choose, and changing the theme can automatically replace the manually installed wallpaper.
Users of the new models should pay attention to the Smart Call Screen feature, which can dynamically change the background depending on the time of day or the location of the caller, if this option is supported by the region and the firmware version.