How to change the background of a call on Xiaomi: 5 ways for MIUI 14 and 15

The standard black screen on a Xiaomi incoming call looks boring? Want to surprise friends with an unusual background or just add personality to your smartphone? Changing the background of the call is one of the hidden features of MIUI that many users do not even know. Unlike desktop wallpaper, this setting is not so easy to find on the menu, but it is available on most models - from the budget Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 14.

In this article, you will find 5 proven ways to change the background of a call, from standard MIUI 14/15 tools to third-party applications with advanced features. We will also discuss why this feature can be blocked on some devices, and what to do if user backgrounds disappear after the update, and at the end, a unique life hack for owners of POCO F5 and Xiaomi 13T, where the background of the call can be animated.

Before you start, make sure your smartphone runs on MIUI 12 or later – on older firmware versions (MIUI 11 and below), the call background change function is either missing or malfunctioning. Also check if the device has launchers from third-party developers (such as Nova Launcher or Apex) that may conflict with the system settings of calls.

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1. Standard method: through phone settings

The most reliable method is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models (except for devices for the Chinese market with limited firmware).

Open the Phone app (Trainer icon) and go to the section ⋮ (three-point) → Settings → Incoming challenges → Call screen background. Some firmware may have slightly different paths:

Phone → ⋮ → Settings → Additional → Incoming call screen

In the menu you will see 3 options:

• 📱 Standard background – black screen with white icons (set by default).
• 🌄 Gallery – allows you to select any image from your phone’s memory.
• 🎨 Color – monochromatic background (12 shades are available, including gradients).

If you choose the Gallery, the system will offer to crop the image to the screen size. The optimal resolution for the background of the call is 1080×2400 pixels (for most modern smartphones). Avoid photos with small details: when an incoming call, the screen displays acceptance / deviation buttons that can overlap important elements of the picture.

Image without watermarks |The background is not too dark (icons should be visible) |Picture does not contain personal data |Resolution at least 1080p-->

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If it doesn't apply after you select the background, restart your phone. Sometimes the system cache prevents you from displaying new settings correctly.

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2.Why aren't some Xiaomis having a background change option?

Can't find the call screen background in the settings? There could be a few reasons:

✅ An outdated version MIUI. On firmware older MIUI 12 this function is either missing or hidden. Update the system through Settings → The phone. → Update MIUI. If no updates are available, try the methods in Section 4 (third party apps).

✅ Regional restrictions: on some devices for the Chinese market (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) feature disabled due to local regulations.Check your smartphone model:

Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI

If the firmware name has the letters CN at the end of the firmware name (e.g. MIUI 14.0.5 CN), then you have the Chinese version.

✅ Operator policy: Some mobile operators (e.g. MTS or Beeline) block the change of the background of calls on firmware, this applies to smartphones purchased from the salons with pre-installed software.

✅ Lack of support on budget models, some entry-level devices (e.g. Redmi) A1 or POCO C50) The call background change function is disabled to save resources, in which case only installing a third-party application will help (see section 4).

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3. How to make an animated call background (for POCO and Xiaomi 13 series)

Owners of the POCO F5, Xiaomi 13/13T and 14 Series can use dynamic backgrounds for incoming calls.This feature appeared in MIUI 14 and only works on devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor or later.

To activate the animation:

1. Open Phone → Settings → Incoming Calls → Call screen background.
2. Select the Dynamic background (if not, update the firmware).
3. Download one of the suggested patterns (e.g., Pulsating Circles or Gradient Waves).
4. Set the animation speed with a slider.

Limitations:

• 🔋 Animated backgrounds increase battery consumption by 5–7% on long conversations.
• 📱 On some devices, animation can slow down if resource-intensive applications (for example, games) are running in the background).
• 🎨 You can’t download your own animations – only system templates.

Standard black.|Static image from the gallery|monochromatic|Animated background-->

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4. Third-party applications for changing the background of the call

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work, you can use third-party software, and we tested 5 popular apps and selected the best ones:

The most reliable option is Call Screen Studio.

1. Open the application and give access to the Phone and Warehouse.
2. Select the Call Screen section.
3. Download your favorite background or create your own (you can add animation).
4. Activate the Set as Default Call Screen option.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Full Screen Caller) conflict with Xiaomi's Phone system app. If call notifications stop coming after installation, turn off battery optimization for the app in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Battery.

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5 How to get back the standard background if something went wrong

If after experimenting with backgrounds, the incoming call screen began to display incorrectly (for example, buttons are cut or the name of the caller is not visible), return the standard settings:

Method 1: Through phone settings

Phone → ⋮ → Settings → Incoming calls → Call screen background → Standard

Method 2: Reset the settings of the phone application

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Phone app and select Warehouse.
3. Click Clear Data (this will reset all call settings, including history).

Method 3: Removing Third-Party Applications

If the problem occurs after installing customization software, delete it and restart the phone. Some applications (like Full Screen Caller) leave behind system files that can interfere with the standard call interface, in which case a factory reset will help (but this is a last resort).

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Before resetting your Phone app settings, export your call history through Settings → System → Backup, or all records will be lost.

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6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When you change the background of a call, users often face typical problems.

🔹 The background doesn't change after the choice

• Check if the phone has a second launcher (like Nova Launcher) that can block system settings.
• Restart the device – sometimes changes are only applied after the reboot.

🔹 Accept/Discard buttons are not visible in a dark background

• Select an image with light areas or add a white gradient in the editor (for example, in PicsArt).
• In the background settings (Phone → Settings → Incoming calls), enable the option Contrast buttons (if any).

🔹 Background resets after update MIUI

• This is a well-known MIUI 14-15 error. Once you update, reset the background through the settings.
• If the problem recurs, use third-party apps (like Call Screen Studio) that are independent of system updates.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware for Xiaomi (especially on devices with an unlocked bootloader), changing the background of the call can cause the phone system application to crash. If after changing the background, the incoming call screen turned black or the phone reboots when calling, reset the settings of the Phone application (see Section 5).

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FAQ: Answers to popular questions