How to take a full-screen contact photo on Xiaomi Redmi 9T: 5 proven ways

You want to have a full-screen picture of a caller on a Xiaomi Redmi 9T instead of a small mug? It's not only aesthetic, it's practical, it's easier to identify the caller at first sight. Unfortunately, standard MIUI settings don't always allow you to activate this mode in one click. Depending on the firmware version and the launcher installed, different approaches may be required.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the working ways to stretch your contact photo to the full screen, from basic settings to hidden MIUI features to third-party apps, how to get around system limitations, what settings affect your display, and what to do if the photo is still not growing, and how to avoid common errors that cause settings to be reset after an update.

Why is the contact photo not displayed on the full screen by default?

In Xiaomi Redmi 9T (as in other smartphones on MIUI), the size of the photo displayed when you call depends on several factors:

• 📱 Version. MIUI: In the firmware older MIUI 12.5 the zoom algorithm has changed – the system automatically crops the photo under a round avatar, even if the settings indicate “Full screen mode".
• 🖼️ Resolved source photo: If the contact image is smaller 720×720 pixels, the system will not be able to stretch it without loss of quality and will leave in miniature.
• 🔧 Launcher and theme: Third-party launchers (e.g. Nova Launcher or Nova Launcher) POCO Launcher) can override call display settings.
• 📞 Phone app: In some regional versions MIUI Full-screen photo function disabled at code level.

In addition, Redmi 9T with Global Market Firmware (EEA) may block full-screen mode due to EU privacy policy, which considers large photos to be “excessive personalization.” This is not documented, but is confirmed by user experiments on Xiaomi forums.

Method 1: Configure through the standard "Contact" application

The most obvious method is to change the display settings directly in the Contacts app, which works on most versions of MIUI, but may require additional manipulation.

1. Open the Contacts app (an icon with a person’s silhouette).
2. Find the right contact and tap it to open the card.
3. Click on the pencil icon (✏️) top-right corner for editing.
4. Touch the current photo of the contact – the image change menu will open.
5. Select Change Photo → Gallery and upload a new image with a resolution of at least 1080×1080 pixels.
6. After saving, go back to the contact card and check if the option Full-screen mode under the photo appeared (in some versions it is hidden behind a long tap in the image).

If there is no option, try the following:

• 🔄 Restart your smartphone – sometimes changes only apply after a reboot.
• 📲 Remove the app cache Contacts in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Contacts → Warehouse.
• 🌐 Check if a regional theme is set (for example, for India or China) – it may block some features.

💡

If you use Google or Mi Account contact sync, photo changes can be applied with a delay of up to 5 minutes. To speed up the process, turn off and turn on sync again in your account settings.

Method 2: Using MIUI design themes

There's a hidden feature in MIUI: Some themes force full-screen photo displays when you make calls, and this method works even on versions where standard settings don't help.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Theme of design.
2. In the search bar, enter a full screen call or Big contact photo.
3. Download and use one of the themes that support full-screen mode (for example, "Pure Black Full Screen" or "MIUI Pro Call").
4. After applying the theme, check the display of the photo during the test call (you can use a second smartphone or Demonstrate the call in the engineering menu).

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI The theme used may reset to the standard one. To avoid this, save a backup copy of the theme in Settings → Theme of the design → My subjects. → Exports.

Method 3: Editing system files (for advanced)

If none of the previous methods worked, you can manually change the settings for displaying calls through system files, which requires root rights or the use of ADB.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB Tools on your PC and connect Redmi 9T over USB with debugging enabled (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap to activate Developer Mode, then Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB).
2. Open the command line and execute: adb shell settings put global incoming_call_fullscreen_photo 1
3. Reset the device.

If the team fails, try an alternative method:

• With Root Explorer or MT Manager, find the file /system/csc/others.xml.
• Open it in the text editor and add a line: <CscFeature_Phone_IncomingCallFullScreenPhoto>true</CscFeature_Phone_IncomingCallFullScreenPhoto>
• Save the changes, set the rights to 644 and restart the smartphone.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can lead to bootloop ( looped boot).Before changes, back up through TWRP Or Mi Flash Tool.

Method 4: Third-party Calling Applications

If standard methods don't work, you can use alternative calling apps that support full-screen photo display. 9T:

• 📞 Truecaller: Shows a large photo of the contact, but requires registration and access to contacts. ID.
• 🔍 ExDialer: Lightweight app with flexible display settings. Supports manually scaled photo.
• 🎨 Contacts+: Allows you to customize the call screen, including the size of the avatar and background.

How to set up Truecaller for full-screen photos:

1. Install the app from Google Play and complete the initial setup.
2. Go to Settings → Call → Incoming Call Screen.
3. Activate the option Full-screen caller ID.
4. In the Contact Photos section, select Stretching to the full screen.
5. Install Truecaller with the default call app in Android settings.

Download APK from an official source (non-third party sites)

Check the permissions of the application (access to contacts, calls, SMS)

Create a backup copy of standard contacts

Disable battery optimization for the application in MIUI settings

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Method 5: Engineering menu and hidden settings

The Xiaomi Redmi 9T has a hidden engineering menu that allows you to activate experimental call display functions, a method that is suitable for Android 10/11-based firmware.

Instructions:

1. Open the phone app and enter the code: ##4636##
2. In the menu that opens, select Phone Information.
3. Scroll down and find the Incoming call full screen photo option.
4. Change the value from Disable to Enable.
5. Return to the main screen and restart the device.

If the code doesn’t work, try an alternative:

• Install the MTK Engineering Mode app (for MediaTek processors running Redmi 9T).
• Go to the Telephony section → Call Settings.
• Find the Caller ID full screen and activate it.

⚠️ Warning: Changes to the engineering menu may affect communication stability. If you have problems with volume or microphone after activation of the function, reset the network settings in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.

Problem Solving: Why is the photo not stretched?

If you have followed all the instructions, but the contact photo is still displayed in thumbnail, check the following points:

Another common reason is a conflict with spam blocking apps (such as Mi Security or Google Phone) to check this out:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Mi Security or Google Phone and turn off the permission to display on top of other apps.
3. Restart the device and check the display of the photo.

💡

If you use two of them SIM-Full screen photo can only work for the main (SIM 1) To activate the function for the second SIM, Repeat the settings separately for it in the Settings section → SIM-maps and mobile networks → A challenge → Call settings for SIM 2.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up photo contact