Modern smartphones of the company Samsung are famous for their convenient and functional interface One UIwhich is regularly updated and changed. However, along with innovations, users often encounter the fact that familiar settings move to other menus or change their operating logic. One of these functions is displaying a photo of the subscriber during an incoming call.
Many device owners notice that instead of a beautiful photo on the entire display, they see only a small round icon in the center or in the corner of the screen. This is not only aesthetically unpleasant, but also makes it difficult to quickly identify the caller, especially if the phone is lying on the table with the screen facing up. You can return the full display of the contact through the system settings, but the path to this option depends on the version of the operating system Android and shell One UI.
In this article we will look in detail where to look for the coveted switch, how to bypass system limitations and what to do if the desired result is not achieved using standard methods. You'll learn about the nuances of how the Contacts and Phone apps work, as well as how third-party factors can affect the appearance of the call screen.
Where to look for display settings in One UI
The first thing you need to do to change the appearance of the call is to go to the correct settings menu. In the latest versions of the shell One UI the logic for placing items has become more intuitive, but still requires attention. Typically, control over the appearance of a call is located directly in the application Phonerather than in the general system settings.
Open the calling application and find the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen. Clicking on this element will open a drop-down menu where you should select Settings. This is where all the parameters related to the behavior of the device during a call are concentrated, including visual aspects.
In the list of parameters that opens, you need to scroll down to the section, which may be called Call screen or Incoming call view. The names may vary slightly depending on the localization and firmware version of your Samsung Galaxy. If you don’t see such an item right away, try looking for the “Advanced” or “Personalization” section.
A switch responsible for image scaling is often hidden inside this section. It may be labeled as Show photos in full screen or have a description stating that the photo will occupy all available display space. Activating this toggle switch should instantly change the behavior of the interface for the next incoming calls.
Settings via the Contacts application
Sometimes global phone settings are not applied to specific entries if they have individual display settings. The application Contact on smartphones Samsung has its own hierarchy of settings that can override system rules. Therefore, it is important to check this configuration source as well.
Launch the application Contact and click on the menu icon (three horizontal bars or dots). Select item Settingsfrom the list. Here you should be interested in the section related to managing your contact list or displaying them. Some software versions have a separate “Contact Photos” or “Image Display” item.
Make sure that the settings do not limit displaying only thumbnails or that high-resolution image synchronization is enabled. If you are using a Google or Samsung Cloudaccount, check if the photos are uploaded in full size. Often the problem lies in the fact that the system loads a compressed copy of the avatar instead of the original.
It is also worth paying attention to the linking of photos to numbers. If one contact has several numbers recorded, make sure that the photo is assigned to the exact number from which they are calling you, or to the contact card itself as a whole. In the application Contact you can edit the entry by clicking on the pencil and double-check the attached image.
If the photo looks blurry across the entire screen, the original image may have too low a resolution. Replace it with an image of at least 1080x1920 pixels for clarity.
Issues with resolutions and image formats
Even if all settings are enabled correctly, display quality may suffer due to the technical characteristics of the image files themselves. Modern smartphone screens Samsung have a high pixel density, and old or compressed photos may look unnatural when stretched across the entire display area.
The system automatically crops the image to fit the screen proportions. If you upload a horizontal photo, it will be cropped on the sides, and if you upload a vertical photo, there may be some space left at the top and bottom. For best results, it is recommended to use portrait photos with an aspect ratio close to 9:16 or 19.5:9, which corresponds to modern displays.
File format also matters. Although it supports many formats, the standard ones work most stably. The use of exotic formats or images with a transparent background (in the case of PNG) may lead to display artifacts or replacement of the image with a gray background. Android supports many formats, standard ones work most stably JPEG And PNG. Using exotic formats or images with a transparent background (in the case of PNG) may result in display artifacts or the image being replaced with a gray background.
⚠️ Attention: Images with very high resolution (for example, from professional 50+ MP cameras) may take a long time to be processed by the system before display. It is recommended to first reduce the file size to reasonable limits (2-5 MB) before installing on a contact.
The influence of third-party applications and themes
Users who like to customize their Samsungoften install third-party themes, launchers or applications for identifying numbers. These apps can take over control of the call screen, replacing the standard interface One UI with their own design.
If you have a theme installed from the store Galaxy Store, it can force the style of the call window, ignoring your settings in the menu. Try switching to the default theme temporarily to see if the incoming call behavior changes. Often in the theme settings there is a separate “Call Screen” module where you can enable full-screen mode.
Applications like Truecaller or other caller IDs also have their own display settings. They can display a pop-up window on top of the standard screen or replace it entirely. Go to the settings of such an application and find the “Appearance” or “Call Interface” section to disable control interception if you want to use the native capabilities of the system.
Specifics of working in Do Not Disturb mode
One of the hidden reasons why the photo is not displayed on the full screen or the call looks different is the activated mode Do Not Disturb. In this mode, the system can minimize visual notifications so as not to distract the user, showing the call as a small banner or without an image at all.
Check the Do Not Disturb mode settings in the Settings → Notifications → Do not disturbsection. Make sure you don't set a restriction to hide details for important contacts or all calls. Sometimes it helps to add the desired subscriber to the list of exceptions or “Favorites”, for which the mode rules do not apply.
In addition, there are operating scenarios that the user could set up by accident. For example, when you connect a headset or watch Galaxy Watch the phone can automatically switch to a mode where the screen goes dark or shows simplified information. Disable temporarily peripheral devices to test the hypothesis.
The table below shows the main scenarios that affect the type of call and ways to check them:
| Scenario | Possible cause | Action to check |
|---|---|---|
| Small photo | Interface settings | Check the "Incoming call type" item |
| Black background | Dark theme or error | Change theme to light |
| No photo at all | No access to memory | Check permissions of the Phone application |
| Call is not visible | Do not disturb mode | Disable the mode in the notification shade |
Solving problems with application permissions
In rare cases, the problem is software in nature and related to access rights. The Phone or Contacts app may lose permission to read media files and may not be able to load the image at full size or display it at all.
Go to Settings → Applications and find the application Phonein the list. Click on the item Permissions and make sure that access to Photos and videos or Files and media is allowed. If the permission is already set, try revoking it and re-issuing it.
Clearing the application cache is also an effective method. This won't delete your contacts or call history, but it will reset temporary files that may have become corrupted. In the same application menu, select Storage and press the Clear cachebutton. After that, reboot your smartphone.
☑️ Diagnosing the problem
⚠️ Attention: The settings interface may differ on different models (S23, A54, M51, etc.) and in different firmware regions. If you do not find the described items, use the settings search by entering the query “call” or “call.”
Alternative methods and widgets
If standard system tools do not give the desired result, you can use widgets or special functions Samsung. For example, using the "Contacts" widget on the main screen allows you to set up a quick call with a large icon, although this does not change the incoming call screen, but solves the problem of quick identification.
There are also scripts in the application Bixby Routines (or Modes and scripts). You can create an automation that, when receiving a call from a specific contact, changes the brightness settings or turns on a specific display mode, although direct control of the call picture through scripts is limited by security policy Android.
For advanced users who are ready to experiment, there are modules for custom recovery or debugging tools ADB, allowing you to hide certain interface elements, making the system think that it has no room for frames, thereby stretching the content. However, this method requires deep knowledge and carries risks.
ADB command for experimentation
Using commands like "adb shell pm disable" to disable components of the system call interface may result in the inability to receive calls. Do this only if you understand the consequences and know how to restore the system.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why is the caller's photo displayed only in a small circle?
Most likely, the full-screen display option is disabled in the Phone application settings. Go to your phone settings, “Call Screen” section and turn on the corresponding switch. This may also be a feature of the installed design theme.
Is it possible to install a video instead of a photo when making a call?
With standard means One UI you cannot install a video on an incoming call, only a static image. To implement a video call, third-party applications that replace the call screen are required, which can consume more battery.
Why did the call type setting disappear after the Android update?
The company Samsung periodically changes the location of menu items or combines them with other sections in new versions One UI. Use the search inside the settings for the word “call” to find the current location of the switch.
Does the quality of the Internet affect the loading of photos during a call?
Yes, if the contact is synchronized with the cloud (Google or Samsung Cloud) and the photo is not saved locally in phone memory, then if the connection is poor, the system may not have time to load a high-quality image at the time of the call.
How to return all call settings to default?
Go to the settings of the "Phone" application, scroll to the very bottom and select "Reset settings" (if there is such an item) or simply disable all custom switches in the "Call Screen" section. Clearing application data also helps, but this will delete call history.
The main cause of problems with displaying photos is a conflict between the settings of the Phone application itself, the installed theme and the Do Not Disturb mode.