Modern smartphones Redmi Note and Xiaomi offer users a lot of opportunities for personalization of the interface, turning a standard call into a convenient communication tool. One of the most sought-after but often hidden features is to set a high-quality full-screen image when an incoming call.The standard Android gallery often crops the shot or leaves black fields, which looks unaesthetic on today's modern day AMOLED-high-resolution screens.
With MIUI and its new version of HyperOS, the avatar configuration process has its own nuances that are not always obvious the first time. Users often find that after choosing a photo from a gallery, the system suggests cutting it to a square, ignoring the elongated screen format. To avoid loss of quality and achieve the “full screen” effect, you need to use specific techniques for working with system applications or third-party utilities.
In this detailed guide, we’ll take a look at all the available ways to install a full-screen photo, from standard shell tools to advanced methods through Google contacts. You’ll learn how to crop images correctly, use hidden Theme features, and eliminate common display errors. A deep understanding of these processes will allow you to make the call process more personalized and visually enjoyable.
Image Preparation and Format Requirements
Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with displays with an aspect ratio of 20:9 or 19.5:9, while most photos are taken in 4:3 or 16:9 format. If you just upload a regular photo, the system will automatically trim the edges, often cutting off important parts of the face or background.
The best solution is to pre-fraud the image in any photo editor to a vertical format as close as possible to the resolution of your screen. It is recommended to use high-resolution shots, at least 1080 pixels on the short side, to avoid "pixelation" during stretching. The quality of the source directly affects how the picture will look during the incoming call.
⚠️ Note: Do not use images with watermarks or text at the edges, as when zooming to the full screen they can be cropped or blocked by the interface elements of the caller.
You can use a built-in gallery editor or third-party apps like Snapseed or Lightroom to edit, and the key is to keep the final file in high-quality JPEG or PNG format. Some users mistakenly believe that the more megapixels the better, but the pixel density and the right aspect ratio are more important for the smartphone screen than the giant weight of the file.
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Use portrait shots taken on the main camera, as they have less noise cancellation in good lighting, which will give a clearer picture on the screen.
Standard method of installation through the Contacts application
The easiest and fastest way to install an avatar is to use the built-in Contacts app, which is the default default in the MIUI shell. This method does not require additional software installation and works consistently on all models, including Redmi Note 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and newer versions.
To start, open the Contacts app and find the number you want in the list or search. Click on the subscriber name to open the contact card. At the top of the screen, you'll see a circular icon or a camera/plus button that's responsible for adding the image. After clicking, the system will suggest you choose the source: take a photo or choose from the gallery.
☑️ Algorithm of action
In the photo selection phase, the system will offer a framing tool, and here's the big secret: the standard cropping window often limits the selection area. You need to zoom in as close as possible with your fingers to fill the entire area, even if it seems too large. Once confirmed, the system will save the image, but the result may be different from what you would expect because of the compression algorithms.
If the standard editor fails to produce the desired result and leaves black bars, try the following trick: Before uploading to contacts, open the photo in the gallery, click "Change" and select the framing format "Original" or "Free", stretching the frame outside the visible area, if the editor allows, this will create a buffer zone, which the system then trims in the desired way.
Use synchronization with Google Contacts
An alternative and often more reliable way is to manage avatars through the Google ecosystem, a technique that is especially useful if you change your smartphones frequently or want your photos to display correctly when you make calls through Google Phone (Dialer), which often replaces the standard Xiaomi call in global firmware versions.
The process starts with opening the Contacts app (from Google, with a color icon) or going to contacts.google.com from a computer. Find the contact you want, click Change and select the photo option, and the advantage of this method is that Google servers are better at zooming images for different types of screens.
- 📸 Open the Google Contacts app on your smartphone.
- ✏️ Select a contact and press the edit button.
- 🖼️ Upload the prepared vertical photo.
- 💾 Save the changes and wait for the synchronization.
It is important to note that after changing a photo through Google, it may take time to sync data on your device. Make sure that your account settings enable contact sync. Sometimes you need to manually run the update by going to Settings → Accounts → Google → Sync and switch the contact slider.
Advanced customization through the Themes app
The MIUI shell is famous for its flexibility in visual design, and the Themes app is a powerful tool that is often underestimated, and it can not only change icons, but also influence the style of the lock screen and, importantly for our task, the design of calls.
Some themes are specifically designed to support full-screen avatars, and when you install a theme, the system interface of the call is modified to allow contact photos to take up 100% of the screen area without cropping at the edges, and you can find them in the official store by searching for "Full screen caller ID" or "Big photo contacts".
⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party themes from unofficial sources, be careful – they may contain ads or unstable code that affects the operation of the system.
Once the theme is installed, it can automatically apply its display settings. If it doesn't, go to Settings → Wallpaper & Personalization → Theme and make sure that that the theme is activated. In some cases, there are additional settings inside the theme itself ("Customize") where you can turn on the "Photo on incoming" option.
Using themes is a great way to change not only avatars, but also fonts, sounds and animations to create a single style, but if you want to only have a full-screen photo, this method may seem redundant, as it requires changing the entire visual style of the interface.
Third-party applications for Caller ID
If Xiaomi and Google’s built-in tools don’t work, specialized apps from the Play Market come to the rescue, and programs like Truecaller, Hiya, or the “Full Screen Caller ID” completely replace the standard incoming call screen, providing advanced customization options.
Such applications allow you to assign different backgrounds to different contact groups, add video backgrounds or even animated ones. GIF-Once you install the app, you'll need to give it permission to access your phone, your contacts, and, critically, the right to "display over other windows." Without that permission, the app won't be able to intercept the incoming call.
In the settings of these applications, there is often an "Appearance" or "Design" section, where you can choose the mode of displaying photos: "Fit to screen" or "Fill screen"; choose the second option for maximum effect; you can also adjust the transparency of the interface there, so that the photo looks even more spectacular.
Why can third-party applications drain the battery?
The downside of using third-party solutions is the possible delay in the appearance of the call screen (share of a second) and the presence of advertising in the free versions. In addition, on new versions of Android with enhanced privacy protection, such applications can work unstable if you do not configure exceptions in battery optimization.
Solving problems with display and quality
Even if all instructions are followed, users may encounter problems: the photo does not change, shows in low resolution, or only part of the image is visible. Often the reason lies in the cache of the Contacts or Phone application. Accumulated temporary files can conflict with new data.
To clear the cache, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Contacts and Phone. Inside each app, select Clear Cache (not to be confused with Clear Data to avoid losing your call history).
Another common problem is duplicate contacts, if you have the same number stored in both your phone and your phone. SIM-map, and in a Google account, the system may be confused as to which avatar to show, it is recommended to combine duplicates or delete extra copies, leaving one main entry.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Photo black and white | Activated mode "Do not disturb" or "Sleep" | Check the sound profile settings |
| Poor quality | Automatic compression by the system | Use the photo in resolution 1080x2400 |
| Photo doesn't change. | Application cache or synchronization | Clear the cache and check the internet |
| Black stripes | Wrong aspect ratio | Cut the photo in the proportion of 20:9 |
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In 90% of cases, problems with displaying photos are solved by simply cleaning the cache of the Contacts app and restarting the device.