Change Call Background on Samsung Galaxy Phones

Changing the call background on your Samsung Galaxy phone lets you personalize what you see during incoming and outgoing calls. Instead of the default gradient or plain color, you can set a favorite photo, a custom image, or a preset theme. This guide covers the built-in Samsung method (which works on One UI 3.0 and newer) and a workaround for older versions. You don’t need any special apps or root access—just a few taps in the Phone app settings.

What You’ll Need

• A Samsung Galaxy phone running One UI 3.0 or later (most models from 2021 onward). To check, go to Settings > About Phone > Software Information and look at “One UI version.”
• An image you want to use. It can be a photo from your gallery, a downloaded picture, or a screenshot. For best results, use a portrait-oriented image (e.g., 1080×1920) so it fills the screen without cropping.

Step-by-Step

1. Open the Phone app. Tap the Phone icon on your home screen or app drawer. This is the app you use to make calls, not the Contacts app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu. In the top-right corner of the Phone app, tap the vertical ellipsis (⋮) icon. A drop-down menu will appear.
3. Select “Settings.” From the menu, tap “Settings.” This opens the Phone app’s settings screen, not the system settings.
4. Look for “Call background.” Scroll down the settings list. You’ll see an option labeled “Call background.” Tap it. (If you don’t see it, your device may be on an older One UI version—see the “Common Mistakes” section below.)
5. Choose a source. You’ll see a few tabs or options: “Gallery,” “Wallpapers,” and sometimes “Themes.”
   • Gallery lets you pick any photo from your phone.
   • Wallpapers offers preset Samsung wallpapers that adapt to the call screen.
   • Themes (if available) lets you apply a matching theme from the Galaxy Store.
6. Pick your image. If you chose Gallery, browse to the photo you want. Tap it to select it. If you chose Wallpapers, scroll through the options and tap one.
7. Adjust the crop (if needed). After selecting a photo, Samsung will show a crop/preview screen. Drag the image to position it, and pinch to zoom in or out. The call background is displayed in portrait orientation, so the top and bottom of your image may be cropped. Tap “Done” or the checkmark when satisfied.
8. Confirm your choice. You’ll return to the “Call background” screen. The new background will appear as a thumbnail. Tap the back arrow to exit settings. Your call background is now set.
9. Test it. Make a test call to a friend or use the “Call” button on a contact. You should see your chosen image behind the caller info.

Common Mistakes

• Looking in the wrong settings. Many users search for “Call background” under the main Settings app. It’s only inside the Phone app’s settings, not the system settings. Always navigate via the Phone app’s three-dot menu.
• Using a landscape image. The call screen is portrait, so a landscape photo will be heavily cropped or appear zoomed in. Use a portrait image or crop it yourself before selecting.
• Expecting the background to appear during video calls. This setting only affects voice calls. Video calls (via Google Duo, WhatsApp, etc.) have their own backgrounds or use the camera feed.
• Not saving the change. Some older One UI versions require you to tap “Apply” or “Save” after cropping. If you just hit back, the change won’t stick. Look for an explicit save button.
• Assuming it works on all Galaxy models. The built-in option is available on most recent Galaxy devices, but some budget models (like the Galaxy A series from 2020) may not have it. In that case, use the workaround in the Troubleshooting section.

Tips

• Use a dark or busy image. The call screen shows contact names and buttons in white text. A light or overly busy background can make text hard to read. Choose a darker image or one with a clear central area.
• Match your theme. If you use a dark mode theme, pick a dark background to keep the screen consistent. If you use a colorful theme, a matching color can look cohesive.
• Update your phone. Samsung adds features in One UI updates. If you don’t see the option, check for a software update in Settings > Software Update.
• Use a high-resolution image. Low-res photos will look pixelated on the call screen. Use an image at least 1080 pixels tall.
• Reset to default. If you want to go back to the original background, return to the “Call background” screen and tap “Default” or “Reset.”

Troubleshooting

I don’t see “Call background” in Phone settings. This usually means your phone is running One UI 2.x or older, or your model doesn’t support it. You can try the following workaround: Open the Settings app, go to Wallpaper and Style, and set a wallpaper. Some Galaxy models use the home screen wallpaper as the call background when no specific call background is set. Alternatively, you can use a third-party app like “Call Background” from the Galaxy Store (not the Play Store) that overlays an image during calls, but be aware of permissions.

My chosen image is cropped too much. The call screen has a specific aspect ratio (around 9:19.5). If your image is square or landscape, you’ll lose a lot of it. Crop your image to a portrait ratio (e.g., 9:16) before selecting it. You can use the built-in photo editor in the Gallery app.

The background changed but only shows on incoming calls, not outgoing. Samsung applies the same background to both, but some third-party call screen apps might override it. Check if you have any call screen apps installed (like “Truecaller” or “CallApp”) and disable their overlay or uninstall them.

After an update, my background reverted to default. Software updates can sometimes reset settings. Simply reapply your background using the steps above. It only takes a minute.

I can’t find the “Gallery” option. On some One UI versions, the “Call background” screen shows a grid of preset wallpapers and a “+” button. Tap the “+” or the “Gallery” tab to add a custom photo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will changing the call background affect my lock screen or home screen wallpaper?
A: No. The call background is separate. It only appears during calls. Your home and lock screens remain unchanged.

Q: Can I set different backgrounds for different contacts?
A: Not with the built-in method. The call background is global for all calls. To have per-contact backgrounds, you’d need a third-party app, but that’s not recommended for privacy and battery reasons.

Q: Does this work on Samsung Galaxy S21, S22, S23, etc.?
A: Yes, all recent Galaxy S series phones with One UI 3.0 or later have this option. The steps are identical.

Q: Can I use a video as the call background?
A: No, the built-in feature only supports static images. Some third-party apps allow video, but they can drain battery and may not be stable.

Q: Why is my call background blurry?
A: Samsung may apply a slight blur effect to the background to make text more readable. This is normal. If it’s too blurry, try using a higher-resolution image and ensure it’s not a low-quality download.

Q: Will the background appear during emergency calls?
A: No. For safety reasons, emergency calls (like 911) always show a plain, high-contrast screen so that buttons are easy to find. This is intentional and cannot be changed.

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