Modern smartphones, including the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, have displays with an aspect ratio far from the classic proportions of old photos. When an incoming call comes, the system often has to display an image of contact with black fields on the sides or top, which looks unaesthetic and reduces the area of usable screen space. Users often wonder how to correct this visual imbalance and get the avatar to occupy all available display area during a conversation.
The problem lies in the difference in formats: standard photos have a ratio of 4:3 or 1:1, while the screen of the Redmi Note 7 is stretched in 19.5:9. The MIUI operating system by default tries to fit the entire image without cutting its edges, which leads to empty areas. However, using built-in shell tools or third-party solutions, you can achieve the effect of full screen filling, making the call interface more modern and easy to understand.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all available ways to adjust the display of a subscriber’s photo. You will learn how to prepare the image correctly, what settings are hidden in the engineering menu or standard interface, and what alternative applications will help solve the problem if the standard functionality does not suit you. MIUI 10, 11 and 12.
Image Preparation: The Right Format and Framing
Before you change the system settings, you need to prepare the image file itself. The standard Xiaomi gallery offers basic editing tools, but for the ideal result, it is better to use specialized applications or online services. The key point is the aspect ratio. For the Redmi Note 7 with its resolution of 2340×1080 pixels, the optimal vertical format is close to 19:9 or 2:1.
If you upload a square photo, the system will automatically trim it down the center, which can cause the face of the contact to be outside the frame or cut off at the edges.Cadration is the first and most important step.Make sure that the person's face occupies the center of the frame with a small margin on top and bottom, so that when zooming to the full screen, important details are not lost.
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Use high-resolution avatar apps (at least 1080 pixels on the short side) to ensure that the picture doesn’t look blurry or pixelated on the big Redmi Note 7 display.
It is recommended to save the final image in JPG or PNG format with maximum quality. File compression can lead to artifacts that will be especially noticeable when stretching the picture to the full screen. Once the file is prepared, it should be stored in the device's memory, preferably in the Images or Camera folder, so that the system can easily find it when assigning a contact.
Configure the display through the standard MIUI interface
In MIUI, the process of placing a photo on a contact is simple enough, but it has its own nuances that affect the final look when you call. The standard algorithm of actions involves going to the Contacts app, selecting the right person and clicking on the edit icon, and this is where the basic display parameters are hidden.
After selecting a photo from the gallery, the system will suggest framing the image. Notice the cropping frame: it often offers a square format by default. You need to manually change the proportions of the highlight area by pulling the corners of the frame to make it as close as possible to the shape of the screen of your Redmi Note 7. This action will tell the system which part of the photo should be used to display the whole screen.
☑️ Algorithm for setting a photo on contact
It is important to note that some versions of MIUI have a separate full screen photo setting in the call settings menu. To find it, go to Settings → Apps → Calls → Settings. If there is one, make sure the switch is activated. However, even without this switch, the correct framing during the contact setup phase often solves the problem.
Use of third-party applications for calls
If Xiaomi’s standard “bell” doesn’t meet your visualization requirements, the market offers a variety of alternatives. Phonebook replacement apps often have more flexible interface settings, allowing you to stretch photos 100% of the screen, add background blur effects, or change the theme in real time.
One of the most popular solutions is the Truecaller or CallApp app. Once installed and given the necessary permissions (access to contacts, phone, overlays), these programs completely replace the standard incoming call interface. They automatically pull up photos from social networks or your gallery and display them in full screen mode with high quality.
However, it is worth considering that using third-party “calls” requires additional permissions and can consume more battery resources. In addition, MIUI must manually allow auto-start and work in the background for a new application, otherwise an incoming call may not appear or come late.
⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party calling apps, carefully read the permissions requested. SMS unverified programs to avoid personal data leakage.
Specifics of the work of Google Dialer on Xiaomi
Many Redmi Note 7 users are switching to the standard Google Dialer, which often comes bundled with global firmware or is installed manually. The interface of this application is different from MIUI Dialer, and the logic of working with avatars here also has its own peculiarities.
To make the image appear correctly, it is better to upload it directly through the web interface contacts.google.com or in the Google Contacts app on your smartphone. The system itself will offer to crop the image to a round or square format, but when you call in Google Dialer tries to adapt it to its design. In recent versions of the application, the background around the photo blurs and fills the space, creating the illusion of a full screen.
If you use Google Dialer, make sure that the app settings include Full-screen Contact Photos.The path to setup can vary depending on the version, but it’s usually in Settings → Appearance or Call Screen.The absence of this option can take you back to a small round photo window.
| Parameter | MIUI Dialer | Google Dialer | Truecaller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interface. | Classic Xiaomi | Minimalist Material Design | Bright, with ad units |
| Photoworking | Depends on framing. | Automatic background filling | Full screen, effects |
| Synchronization | Mi Account, SIM, Phone | Google Account | Own database, social media |
| RAM consumption | Low. | Average. | High. |
Solving scaling and black fields problems
Even after all the settings, users may find themselves in a situation where the black bars are not going away, often because the resolution of the original file is too low, or the system misinterprets the image metadata, in which case it helps to re-save the screenshot of the contact and install it again.
Another common reason is the phone and contact cache. Accumulated temporary files can prevent the display from being updated correctly. Cleaning the cache through the Settings menu → Apps → All Apps → Contacts → Memory → Clear the cache often solves the problem without losing data, since the numbers themselves are stored in the database or cloud.
What to do if the photo is turned over?
Also worth checking is the theme. Some third-party themes for MIUI can force your call screen style to ignore the system settings of the photo. If you use a custom theme, try switching to the standard Classic or Limitless in the Themes app to eliminate style conflicts.
The impact of the Android and MIUI versions on functionality
The Redmi Note 7 started with Android 9 Pie and MIUI 10, but many users have upgraded to Android 10 and MIUI 12. With each update, Google and Xiaomi change security policies and display interfaces. Newer versions of Android restrict full-screen access to apps during a privacy call, which can affect the operation of third-party "calls."
MIUI 12 and above has improved animation and live wallpaper, which can also block static contact photos. If you want to see a photo, you may have to turn off dynamic effects in the theme. In addition, new versions of the system tightly control overlay resolutions (mapping over other windows), which is critical for applications like Truecaller.
UI adaptability is the key word here. The system tries to adjust the content to the camera cutouts (there are no cutouts in the case of the Redmi Note 7, but there is a status bar). Make sure that the "Full screen" settings (in the "Screen" section) for the Phone app do not have a black bar restriction.
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On different versions MIUI The settings may vary. If you don't find Full Screen Photo, look for synonyms like Display, Appearance, or search by settings.
⚠️ Warning: When you reset your phone to factory settings, all your contact photos will be deleted if they are not synced to your Google or Mi Cloud account.