How to take a full screen call photo on Xiaomi: all the ways

Xiaomi smartphone owners often find that when a call is made, the contact photo is too small or absent from the lock screen, which is uncomfortable, especially if you use customized images for important subscribers, and is a problem for all models, from the budget Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra, regardless of the version of MIUI or Android.

Fortunately, there are several ways to do this: through standard phone settings, through third-party apps, or even by editing system files (for advanced users), and in this article, weโ€™ll take a look at all the working methods, including hidden MIUI features that arenโ€™t written about in the official documentation, and youโ€™ll also learn why sometimes photos donโ€™t show up at all and how to fix them.

Important: Some methods require root rights or additional software installation, and we will mark these points separately so that you can choose the best option without risk to the system.

Why is the photo not displayed on the full screen?

Before you change your settings, you need to understand the cause of the problem. In MIUI, the logic of displaying photos when you call depends on several factors:

1. Firmware version. In MIUI 12 and later, the call screen rendering algorithm has been changed, so that the default system now trims images into a round or square area, rather than stretching them, and this is done for aesthetics, but often interferes with users.

Photo resolution: If the contact image is low resolution (e.g., 200ร—200 px), the system automatically centers it without stretching it to the entire screen, the optimal size is 1080ร—1920 px (for vertical orientation).

3. Phone app settings. In some MIUI builds (especially on POCO and global versions), the photo zoom option is hidden in the depth of the menu or disabled by default.

4. Subject conflict. If you use custom themes from Theme โ†’ My themes, they can override the standard display of the call screen. For example, the theme "Minimalism" often crops the photo to a circle.

5. Cache errors: Sometimes the system caches images of contacts incorrectly, causing them to appear distorted or not at all.

To determine the exact cause, check:

  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Version MIUI: Go to Settings. โ†’ The phone. โ†’ Version. MIUI. If you MIUI 13/14, The problem is most likely in the settings of the application "Phone".
  • ๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธ Photo Contact Resolution: Open Contact โ†’ click on the photo โ†’ See the file properties.
  • ๐ŸŽจ Active topic: Settings โ†’ Topics โ†’ My themes. Try switching to the default theme".

Method 1: Configure using the application "Phone" (without root)

The easiest and safest method is to use the hidden settings of the standard Phone app, which works on most Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO devices with MIUI 12-14 and does not require superuser rights.

Instructions:

  1. Open the Phone app (the phone icon on the home screen).
  2. Press three points (โ‹ฎ) top-right โ†’ Select Settings.
  3. Scroll down and find the Call Screen section (on some models it may be called Inbound Calls).
  4. Activate Full Screen Photo or Spread the photo to the full screen (the wording depends on the version of MIUI).
  5. If you donโ€™t have this option, tap 5 times on the Version item (bottom of the settings screen) and this will open a hidden developer menu where an additional switch may appear.

What if there is no option?

  • ๐Ÿ”„ Update the Phone app via Google Play (if you have global firmware).
  • ๐Ÿ“ฒ Install an alternative dialer (see Method 3).
  • ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Reset the application settings: Settings โ†’ Annexes โ†’ Phone. โ†’ Warehouse โ†’ Drop it.

Make sure that the MIUI version is at least 12.

Check the resolution of photo contacts (minimum 500ร—500 px)

Turn off custom themes

Backup your contacts (via Google Account)

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โš ๏ธ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) When full screen is activated, the call response button may disappear, in which case, return the settings back or use gestures (swipe up to answer).

Method 2: Editing system files (for advanced)

If standard settings don't work, you can manually change the settings for displaying photos in system files, which requires root rights or access to ADB, but gives you 100% results.

Step 1: Getting root rights

You need Magisk or some other root tool to edit system files, and if you don't already have superuser rights, you can use this.

  1. Unlock the bootloader via fastboot oem unlock (instructions for your model are available on the official Xiaomi website).
  2. Install Magisk through Custom Recovery (TWRP).
  3. Check the rights using the Root Checker app.

Step. 2: File editing call_ui_config.xml

Open any root-enabled file manager (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer) and follow the path:

/system/priv-app/Contacts/Contacts.res/apk/res/xml/call_ui_config.xml

Find the line:

<bool name="fullscreen_photo_enabled">false</bool>

And replace false with true. Save the file and reboot the phone.

Alternatives without root (via ADB):

If root cannot be obtained, you can try changing the settings via ADB:

adb shell settings put global fullscreen_photo_enabled 1

Then restart the device.

What if the photo does not appear after editing?
1. Check if the file rights have been reset (should be) 644 or rw-r--r--). 2. Clear the cache of the "Phone" application: Settings โ†’ Annexes โ†’ Phone. โ†’ Warehouse โ†’ Clear the cache. 3. Make sure that the contact photo is saved in the phone book, not just in Google Contacts (sometimes sync breaks the display). 4. Try to install another photo with permission. 1080ร—1920 px (for example, cut any image to this size through Lightroom).

โš ๏ธ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can lead to bootloop ( looped boot).Before changes, back up the partition /system through TWRP Or OrangeFox Recovery.

Method 3: Using third-party dialers

If you don't want to dig into settings or get root, you can install an alternative call app, and many of them support full-screen photo display by default.

Top.-3 dialer:

AnnexPlusesConsReference
TruecallerAutomatic stretching of photos, blocking spam, identification of numbersAdvertising in the free version, collects dataGoogle Play
DrupeCastomy themes for call screen, gestures, widgetsPaid functions, sometimes slow downGoogle Play
ExDialerLightweight, T9 support, photo size settingOutdated interface, no Russian languageGoogle Play

How to set up a full-screen photo in Truecaller:

  1. Install and open Truecaller.
  2. Go to Settings โ†’ Call screen.
  3. Activate the option Full screen photo.
  4. Choose the display style: Stretching or Filling.
  5. Make Truecaller the default dialer in Android settings.

โš ๏ธ Note: When using third-party dialers, functions are disabled MIUI, such as:

  • Integration with Mi Account (calling synchronization)
  • Lock screen gestures for response/deflection.
  • System recording of conversations (if it was configured).

Standard (MIUI)

Truecaller

Drupe

ExDialer

The other (I'll write in the comments)

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Method 4: Configure with ADB (without root)

If you donโ€™t have root, but you do have a computer, you can try changing your settings via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that works on most Xiaomi devices with Android 10+.

What you need:

  • ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ USB-cable (preferably original).
  • ๐Ÿ”ง Utility. ADB and Fastboot.
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Included debugging by USB phone-on.

Step-by-step:

  1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings โ†’ About Phone โ†’ MIUI version and tap it 7 times.
  2. Activate USB Debugging: Settings โ†’ Additional โ†’ For Developers โ†’ Debugging by USB.
  3. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the trusted device.
  4. Open the command prompt (or Terminal) and type: Adb devices Make sure your device appears in the list.
  5. Use the command to include full screen photos: adb shell settings put global fullscreen_photo_enabled 1
  6. Reboot your phone: adb reboot

If the team doesnโ€™t work, try an alternative:

adb shell am start -n com.android.contacts/.settings.DisplayPhotoSettingsActivity

This will open a hidden menu of photo settings, where you can manually enable full-screen mode.

๐Ÿ’ก

After changing your settings through ADB, check if they reset after the reboot. If so, repeat the command or use the task in Tasker to automatically apply each time you turn on your phone.

Method 5: Manually modifying contact photos

Sometimes the problem is not with the phone settings, but with the images themselves, and if the contact photo is in the wrong resolution or format, MIUI may not display it correctly.

Photography requirements:

  • ๐Ÿ“ Permission: minimum 720ร—1280 px, optimally โ€” 1080ร—1920 px.
  • ๐ŸŽจ Format: JPEG or PNG (transparently).
  • ๐Ÿ”ณ Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical).
  • ๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธ Color gamut: Avoid dark backgrounds โ€“ they merge with the call interface.

How to properly crop the photo:

  1. Open the image in any editor (e.g. Google Photos or Lightroom).
  2. Cut it to a ratio of 9:16 (or 1080ร—1920 px).
  3. Save it in JPEG format with 80-90% quality.
  4. Assign a photo to your contact via the Contacts app (not Google Contacts!).

Example of correct and incorrect photos:

If after replacing the photo it still does not appear on the entire screen, clear the cache of the application "Contacts" and "Phone" through Settings โ†’ Applications.

Problem Solving: Photos are not displayed at all

If the contact photo doesnโ€™t show even after all the settings, check the following points:

1. Contact synchronization

Make sure that the contact is saved in your local phone book, not just your Google Account or your phone book. SIM-For this purpose:

  1. Open the Contacts app.
  2. Find the right contact and click Edit.
  3. Check that the account field has selected a phone, not Google.

2. Clearing the cache

Sometimes the system caches images incorrectly to reset the cache:

Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Application Management โ†’ Contacts โ†’ Storage โ†’ Clear cache


Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Application Management โ†’ Phone โ†’ Storage โ†’ Clear cache

3. Permit verification

Make sure that the Contacts and Phone apps have access to the storage:

  1. Go to Settings โ†’ Privacy โ†’ Application permissions.
  2. Find Contacts and Phone.
  3. Activate Warehouse Permits and Contacts.

Resetting the settings of the Phone application

If nothing helps, reset the dialer settings:

Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Phone โ†’ Additional โ†’ Reset settings

๐Ÿ’ก

If the photo is not displayed only for some contacts, the problem is most likely in the images themselves. Try assigning them new photos with the correct resolution (1080ร—1920 px).

FAQ: Frequent questions

Can I take a full-screen photo of a call on Xiaomi without root?
Yes, in most cases, it is enough to activate the hidden setting in the Phone application (see Method 1) or use ADB (see Method 4). Root is only required for manual editing of system files (see Method 2).
Why did the MIUI update make the call photo small again?
Updates MIUI You can often reset your user settings. After the update: Check the settings in the Phone app (Settings) โ†’ If the option is lost, repeat the command via ADB: adb shell settings put global fullscreen_photo_enabled 1 Clear the cache of the "Contacts" and "Phone" applications".
How to make an animation photo when calling (for example, paralax effect)?
Standard dialer MIUI This does not support animation photos. For this you need: Install a third-party dialer (for example, Drupe or Contacts).+). Use it. KLWP (Custom launcher with call widget. Some firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu) have hidden animations that can be activated via a call widget. ADB: adb shell settings put global call_photo_animation 1 โš ๏ธ Animations can increase battery consumption.
Does this work on the POCO F5 and Redmi Note 12?
Yes, the instructions from the article are relevant for all devices on MIUI 13/14, including: POCO F5 / F5 Pro Redmi Note 12 / 12 Pro+ Xiaomi 13 / 13 Lite Redmi K60 / K60 Ultra Exception: some models for China (with China ROM firmware) may require additional customization via ADB.
Can I return the standard call screen after using Truecaller?
Yes, for this: Go to Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Default. Click the Call App and select Phone (standard MIUI dialer). Turn off Autoplay for Truecaller in Settings โ†’ AutoRun. If the photo doesn't show up on the full screen again, repeat the settings from Method 1.