Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where, when incoming, a contact image is displayed as a small circle or rectangle, occupying only a small part of the display.This is especially annoying, given that modern devices have high-resolution screens that could effectively show photos of subscribers. The standard settings of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS do not always offer an obvious way to fix this, forcing users to look for workarounds.
The problem is the way the Phone system app works and the image framing algorithms work. Android tries to fit any photo into a given square or circle by cutting the extra edges, but there are proven methods to get around these limitations and get the system to display the picture as widely as possible, filling all available screen space during a conversation.
In this detailed guide, we'll take a look at all the nuances of setting up contact avatars, how to prepare the image correctly, what settings are hidden in the system menu, and whether to resort to third-party solutions if the regular tools do not give the desired result. Competent setting will not only improve the visual experience, but also help instantly recognize the caller even without looking at the name.
Preparing the image for the perfect display
The first and most important step is to choose and process the original file correctly. Many users make the mistake of uploading vertical shots to contacts, which the system automatically cuts off on the sides, leaving only the center of the face. To achieve a full-screen effect, you need to consider the proportions of the display of your Xiaomi smartphone.
The ideal option would be to use horizontal photos or special wallpapers where the main object is in the center and the edges are filled with a background image. If you use a vertical portrait, make sure that there is enough free space around the head of the character that will not be trimmed by zoom algorithms.
Image resolution is also critical. Too low quality will lead to "grain" when stretched over the entire display. It is recommended to use images with a resolution of at least 1080×1920 pixels for vertical shots or 1920×1080 for horizontal ones. This will ensure the clarity of the contours even on large screens of the Redmi Note series or flagship Xiaomi Mi.
⚠️ Note: Do not use images with transparent background (format) PNG The phone system application may incorrectly process transparency by replacing the background with black or white, which will spoil the visual effect.
- 📸 Use high-resolution photos to avoid pixelation when stretched.
- 🖼️ Choose horizontal shots or photos with a lot of background on the sides of the object.
- ✂️ Frame the image in advance, leaving the object in the center of the composition with a margin of space.
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For quick photo preparation, use the built-in Xiaomi Gallery Editor: open the photo, click Change, select the 1:1 or 16:9 aspect ratio and save a copy before installing it in contacts.
Standard installation of photos through the Contacts app
The basic method, available on all devices, is to use a built-in contact manager, which is the most stable and doesn't require any additional software to be installed. However, it has its own zoom limitations, which you should keep in mind. To get started, open the Contacts app on your device.
Find the right person on the list or search. When you open your contact card, look at the area where the photo should be located. Usually there is a gray silhouette or current image. Press it or the edit button (often looks like a pencil) to go into data change mode.
In the menu that opens, select the option to add or replace a photo. The system will suggest selecting an image from a gallery or taking a new picture. Once you select a file, the framing interface will open. This is where the key to success lies: a standard cropping tool often offers only a square area.
☑️ Photo installation algorithm
In some versions of the MIUI shell, when framing, you can change the shape of the highlight area. If you don't have that option, try to capture as much of the image's useful area as possible. Once saved, the system will automatically apply the photo, but the result may differ from what you would expect due to aggressive framing into a circle.
Use of the Wallpaper for Contact function in MIUI and HyperOS
Xiaomi’s shells have a unique feature that allows you to assign not just an avatar, but full wallpaper for a specific contact, a solution that is often ignored by users, although it allows you to bring the image to the full screen without trimming important details, which works differently than the standard avatar.
To access this option, go to your phone's settings. Search for "Contacts" or search for the corresponding section in the menu. Inside, look for the item related to visualization of calls. In new versions of HyperOS, the path can look like Settings → Applications → System Application settings → Contacts.
You can find a wallpaper for contact or something similar here, and when you activate it, the system will ask you to select an image from the gallery, and the advantage of this method is that the image is stretched across the entire lock screen or call screen, ignoring the standard round frames, which creates the presence effect that many users are looking for.
It's worth noting that this feature can be called differently depending on the firmware version and the region, and in global versions it's sometimes hidden or removed. If you didn't find this item, maybe your version of the software doesn't support native extension of the call functionality without third-party utilities.
Customization through the system gallery and wallpaper
There's an alternative method that's often overlooked, which is assigning images directly through the Gallery app, which works on most models, including Redmi and POCO, and allows you to manage display areas more flexibly.
Open the image you want in the gallery. Click on the three dots in the lower right corner or the "More" button. In the drop-down menu, select "Appoint" or "Install as." The system will offer several options: desktop wallpaper, lock screen or contact. Select "Contact".
Once you select a contact, the system will suggest editing the image, and unlike the standard contact editor, there are often more zoom options available, you can move the image up, down or sideways by selecting the part that you see when you call, which allows you to pull the face out of the overall plan.
| Method of installation | Display quality | Difficulty | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through the Contacts app | Low (circular trimming) | Low. | 100% devices |
| Through the Gallery | Medium (flexible framing) | Medium | 95% of devices |
| Third-party annexes | High (full screen) | Tall. | Depends on Android. |
| Change of subject matter | Depends on the topic. | Low. | Only MIUI/HyperOS |
Once the selection is confirmed, the image will be saved to the subscriber profile. Check the result by making a test call to your number or asking someone to call you. If the photo is still cropped, try resizing the procedure in the gallery editor.
Use of third-party applications for calls
If Xiaomi’s Android built-in tools don’t meet your needs, specialized apps from the Google Play store come to the rescue, completely replace the standard caller and offer advanced personalization features, including full-screen installation without restrictions.
One of the most popular solutions is the Truecaller or Contacts+ app. Once you install it, you have to give it all the permissions you want: access to contacts, phone, microphone and, importantly, the right to display over other windows. Without the last item, the photo will not be able to block the system interface.
In the settings of a third-party application, find the section responsible for the appearance of the call (Call Screen or Theme), there will be an option to upload a full screen photo (Full Screen Photo). You can upload individual photos for each contact or set a single style. The interface of such programs often allows you to adjust the transparency of the response buttons to make the photo more visible.
⚠️ Note: Installing a third-party call may conflict with system call recording functions or operator number detector.Be prepared for the fact that some system functions may not work smoothly.
- 📲 Download the call management app (e.g. Truecaller).
- 🔐 Provide all necessary permissions, including “Above other applications».
- 🎨 In the application settings, activate the “full screen photo” mode».
- 📂 Upload high-resolution photos of contacts through the program interface.
Why is a system call better than a third-party one?
Solving Display and Scaling Problems
Even after setting it up properly, users may encounter artifacts such as black fields on the sides, blurred images, or a return to a standard avatar after rebooting, most often due to the app’s cache or the design theme.
Try clearing the Contacts and Phone app cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find what you want, select Memory and click Clear Cache. Don't confuse it with Clear Everything, otherwise you'll lose your call history, although contacts are usually synced to your account.
Some third-party themes for MIUI have hard-coded call screen templates that don't support full-screen photos. Try switching to the standard theme "Classic" or "Free" in the Themes app to see if the system's behavior changes.
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If the photo doesn't show after all the manipulations, the problem may be in the file format.Convert the image to a standard JPEG without meta tags and try again.
In rare cases, resetting display settings helps. Go to Settings → Screen and check the interface zoom settings. If you have a "large" or "enlarged" value, the system can force the content area to shrink by cutting the edges of the photo. Return the scale to the default value.