How to take a full screen photo of a caller on Xiaomi Poco X3

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones and the Poco sub-brand often face unusual interface behavior when incoming calls. Instead of the usual full-screen image of the contact, which you can see on many other Android devices, the MIUI system by default offers only a small round preview in the corner of the display.

The problem is not the lack of technical capability, but the specific logic of the MIUI shell, which prioritizes multimedia functions or picture-in-picture mode during a conversation. However, it is possible to return the classic view of an incoming call with a large photo, without requiring superuser rights or flashing the device, you need to fine tune system parameters and permissions.

In this guide, we will take a look at all the ways you can do this, look at both the standard methods through contact settings and the deeper manipulation of application rights that are often overlooked. Follow the instructions carefully so that your Poco X3 will once again delight you with the familiar communication interface.

Why the caller’s photo doesn’t appear on the full screen

The main reason is the aggressive optimization of the MIUI interface, which suggests that during a conversation, the user may want to use other functions, so the video context or preview of the caller is compressed, and this behavior often conflicts with the expectations of users who want to see a full-screen photo immediately upon receipt of the call.

There is also a nuance with contact data sources: If the number is stored in multiple locations or the sync with the Google cloud is incorrect, the system may not tighten the high-resolution image, and the Android version and the specific shell modification installed on the Poco X3 NFC or Poco X3 Pro also affect.

⚠️ Warning: Changes in system settings may temporarily affect the stability of the Phone app. If the sound is lost after settings, just restart the device.

Often users forget that two different components are responsible for displaying a photo: the caller app itself and the system phone book. If one of them is limited, the desired effect will not be achieved. It is important to understand the difference between a contact photo and an image that is pulled up from social networks or messengers.

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The main reason for the small photo is the priority of the MIUI interface over the standard display of Android, which requires manual adjustment of settings.

Basic configuration through the Contacts app

The first step should always be to check the quality and binding of the image itself, often solved by simply replacing the photo with a better one or reassigning it. Open the standard Contacts or Phone app and find the number you want on the list.

Click on the subscriber's name to go to the contact card. You click on the edit button (usually a pencil or three dots in the corner), select the current photo or add a new one if there is none.

When selecting a photo from a gallery, it is important to make sure that the source source has sufficient resolution. Xiaomi Poco X3 has a screen with a high pixel density, and small pictures will look blurry when stretched. After selecting a frame, the system will suggest cropping it so that the face falls into a round or square area.

• 📸 Use vertical portraits, they fill the screen better when calling.
• 💾 Save the changes by clicking the tick or save button at the top of the screen.
• 🔄 Check if your contact with your Google account is synced so that the photo doesn’t disappear after the reset.

After saving, try to make a test call from another number, and if the photo is still small, move on to the deeper permission settings, as they block the full screen mode.

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For the best quality of the caller’s photo, use images with a resolution of at least 1080x1920 pixels.

Configure access rights and application permissions

The most effective method, which helps 90% of MIUI cases, is application rights management, which limits the ability of the Phone app to block other windows or use certain display features without the user’s explicit permission.

You need to go to the system settings. Find the Apps section and select All Apps. Find the Phone app (green handset icon) in the list. Note that there can be two apps called Phone: one from Google, one from MIUI. Poco X3 usually uses the Google version, but it is worth checking both.

Inside the app menu, look for Other Permissions or just Permissions. Here we're looking for a item that might be called "Master on top of other apps," "Pop-ups," or "Background display." Make sure the switch is activated.

It's also worth checking your privacy settings, and sometimes the privacy protection in MIUI hides the preview of contacts on a locked screen for security reasons, and if you don't feel critical about this protection, you can turn off the concealment of notification contents for the call app.

Using the design theme to change the interface

The MIUI shell allows you to deeply customize the look through the Theme app. The standard call interface can be replaced completely by installing a third-party theme where the incoming call screen is implemented differently, which often helps if the system bug is not solved by settings.

Open the Themes app on your desktop. Search for queries like “Call screen,” “Big photo call,” or just look at popular free themes. Before installing, be sure to check the screenshots in the theme description — it usually shows what the incoming call screen looks like.

Once you install the theme and apply it to the system, the call interface needs to change. Some themes offer separate components: you can only download Call Style without changing the icons and wallpaper. To do this, go to the Topic app and select My Components.

Using themes is a safe way to experiment with design, and if the theme doesn’t like it or causes errors, it can be removed at any time by returning to the standard Poco design.

Problem with video context and picture in the picture

Recent versions of MIUI have introduced a feature that automatically translates a caller's video or preview into picture-in-picture mode if you roll up a menu or click on a screen during the beeps, which can create the illusion that the photo is small, even though it was originally large.

To avoid this, try not to touch the screen in the first seconds of a call. Let the system draw the entire interface. Also check the settings for video calls. If you have Wi-Fi Calling or operator-based video calls enabled, the interface can switch to video conferencing mode, where the default preview of the subscriber is small.

You can turn off video mode in the SIM card settings. Go to Settings -> SIM-Select your SIM card and find "Video Call" or "Incoming Video Calls." Switch to "Audio" or turn off automatic video response.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling video mode may affect the ability to make video calls through a standard call, but will not affect instant messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram.

If the problem only occurs with video calls, then the small window is the standard behavior for placing your own image or the person in the corner, and you can't change this with regular means, because it's dictated by the video protocol.

Third-party applications for call management

If Xiaomi’s regular funds don’t work, Google Play Market apps come to the rescue. There are specialized calls that completely replace the system interface and guarantee full-screen display of photos, since they do not have MIUI restrictions.

One of the most popular solutions is the Truecaller or Contacts+ app. Once you install it, you have to make it the default call app, and the system will suggest it, or you can choose it in the settings.

However, this method has its drawbacks: Third-party calls can consume more battery power, as they must be constantly hanging in memory, waiting for an incoming call, and they require widespread access to your contacts and call history, which can raise questions about data privacy.

There are also helper apps that don't replace the call, but only modify the lock screen to show a large photo on top of the system interface, such as Hi Locker or similar apps, but their performance on new versions of Android can be unstable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)