All smartphones allow you to set a contact photo, which will be displayed next to the contact’s name when you receive or make a call. But Samsung goes one step further and offers the feature to set backgrounds on call screens of phones running Samsung One UI 3+.
You can set a photo, video or GIF as your phone call background. More importantly, you can set different call backgrounds for specific contacts. Does that sound exciting to you? Let’s explore how to change the call screen background on Samsung Galaxy phones.
1. Change background for all phone calls
Samsung lets you change the call background that displays when you make or receive calls. You can either set a photo or have it play a video in the background.
- Open the Samsung Phone application on your mobile.
- Tap the three-dot icon at the top and select “Settings” from the menu.
- Tap “Background call” and tap “Background” at the bottom.
- Select a different background from the options by tapping on it.
- A preview screen will open. If you like the new phone call background, tap “Set as call background”.
2. Set custom photo, video or GIF as phone call background
If you don’t like the native call background options offered by Samsung, you can set any photo or video stored on your phone as a call screen background on your Samsung Galaxy phone .
Method 1: Using Samsung Phone App
- Open the Samsung Phone app.
- Tap the three-dot icon and go to “Settings -> Call background -> Background”.
- Tap the “+” icon at the top and choose “Select from Gallery” from the menu.
- Find the photo, video or GIF you want to set as your call background in your gallery and tap on it. If you like the preview, tap “Set as call background”.
To note: if you set a video as your call background, you may need to trim it. Skip to tip #3 to find out how.
Method 2: From the Gallery app
- Launch the Samsung Gallery app on your phone.
- Open the photo or video you want to put as your call screen background.
- Tap the three-dot icon at the bottom and select “Set as Wallpaper” from the menu.
- Select “Background call”.
- When the preview screen appears, tap “Set as call background”.
3. Cut out video background
When setting a video as your call background, you’ll need to trim it first if the video is longer than 15 seconds, the maximum length Samsung lets you use.
You can manually trim video in any video editing app before setting as call background or use “Trim” option while setting call background. For the latter, follow these steps:
- Select the custom video you want to set as your call background.
- On the video preview screen, tap the “scissors” icon to start cutting it.
- On the trim screen, drag the slider to surround the part you want to set as the call background, then drag the left or right edge of the slider inside it to trim the video duration.
- Tap “Done”, followed by “Set as call background”.
Point: Turn on the toggle next to “Use video sound as ringtone” if you want to change your phone’s ringtone for video sound.
4. Zoom in/out photos
When you select a custom photo from your Gallery to set as your call background, use the pinch-in and out gesture on the preview screen to zoom in and out on the photo or move the photo by dragging it. This allows you to set the favorite part of the image as the call background.
5. Use AR emoticons
Besides pictures and videos, you can set AR emojis as call background on your Samsung Galaxy phone. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, AR (augmented reality) emojis are animated characters that you can create for yourself or someone else.
- Go to “Settings -> Call background -> Background” in the Samsung Phone app.
- Tap the “+” icon at the top and choose “Create with AR Emoji” from the menu.
- Select an existing AR emoji or create a new one by pressing the “+” button.
- Tap “Set as call background” on the preview screen.
6. Change call layout
Samsung offers another way to customize the call screen. Choose from two different styles to display caller information. One has a larger profile picture, while the other is relatively smaller.
- Launch the Samsung Phone app.
- Go to “Settings” by tapping on the three-dot icon.
- Tap on “Background call” followed by “Layout”.
- Tap the preferred style.
Previously, Samsung did not allow users to set custom backgrounds for different contacts, but with Samsung One UI 4.1, you can customize incoming call backgrounds for any contact.
- Launch the Samsung Contacts app and open the contact whose background you want to change.
- Tap the “Edit” button (looks like a pencil) at the bottom.
- Tap “Show more” on the next screen, then scroll down and tap “Background call.”
- On the default background that appears, tap the “Background” button at the bottom. Choose a background from the options or set a custom photo or video background by tapping the “+” icon at the top.
- Once you have selected one for the contact, tap on “Set as call background”.
Similarly, you can set different call backgrounds for other contacts. You can either create AR emojis for them or use their image to set as your call background.
To note: If a custom background is not appearing for a specific contact, open the contact from the Recents list in the Phone app, then tap the “Edit” button.
8. Remove Phone Call Background for Single Contact
If you don’t like the background you set for a contact, you can remove it or replace it with another one.
- Open the affected contact in the Samsung Contacts app, then tap “Edit -> Show more -> Call background”.
- On the preview screen, tap the “Background” button at the bottom.
- On the next screen, scroll down and tap “Reset to default” or any other background if you just want to change the background.
9. Remove call backgrounds
Any custom photo or video that you use as a call background will appear in the call background list. If this section has become cluttered or you don’t want a photo or video to show, you can remove the backgrounds you no longer want to see.
- Go to the Phone app and select “Settings -> Call background -> Background”.
- Tap the three-dot icon at the top and select “Remove backgrounds”.
- Selection circles will appear at the top left of personalized photos or videos. Tap the item(s) you want to delete and tap the “Delete” button at the bottom.
To note: you cannot remove pre-installed video backgrounds.
Manage your contacts
If you want to continue personalizing your contacts on your phone, you might want to know how to add a contact to your phone’s home screen and hide calls and texts from a specific person.
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All smartphones allow you to set a contact photo, which will be displayed next to the contact’s name when you receive or make a call. But Samsung goes one step further and offers the feature to set backgrounds on call screens of phones running Samsung One UI 3+.
You can set a photo, video or GIF as your phone call background. More importantly, you can set different call backgrounds for specific contacts. Does that sound exciting to you? Let’s explore how to change the call screen background on Samsung Galaxy phones.
1. Change background for all phone calls
Samsung lets you change the call background that displays when you make or receive calls. You can either set a photo or have it play a video in the background.
- Open the Samsung Phone application on your mobile.
- Tap the three-dot icon at the top and select “Settings” from the menu.
- Tap “Background call” and tap “Background” at the bottom.
- Select a different background from the options by tapping on it.
- A preview screen will open. If you like the new phone call background, tap “Set as call background”.
2. Set custom photo, video or GIF as phone call background
If you don’t like the native call background options offered by Samsung, you can set any photo or video stored on your phone as a call screen background on your Samsung Galaxy phone .
Method 1: Using Samsung Phone App
- Open the Samsung Phone app.
- Tap the three-dot icon and go to “Settings -> Call background -> Background”.
- Tap the “+” icon at the top and choose “Select from Gallery” from the menu.
- Find the photo, video or GIF you want to set as your call background in your gallery and tap on it. If you like the preview, tap “Set as call background”.
To note: if you set a video as your call background, you may need to trim it. Skip to tip #3 to find out how.
Method 2: From the Gallery app
- Launch the Samsung Gallery app on your phone.
- Open the photo or video you want to put as your call screen background.
- Tap the three-dot icon at the bottom and select “Set as Wallpaper” from the menu.
- Select “Background call”.
- When the preview screen appears, tap “Set as call background”.
3. Cut out video background
When setting a video as your call background, you’ll need to trim it first if the video is longer than 15 seconds, the maximum length Samsung lets you use.
You can manually trim video in any video editing app before setting as call background or use “Trim” option while setting call background. For the latter, follow these steps:
- Select the custom video you want to set as your call background.
- On the video preview screen, tap the “scissors” icon to start cutting it.
- On the trim screen, drag the slider to surround the part you want to set as the call background, then drag the left or right edge of the slider inside it to trim the video duration.
- Tap “Done”, followed by “Set as call background”.
Point: Turn on the toggle next to “Use video sound as ringtone” if you want to change your phone’s ringtone for video sound.
4. Zoom in/out photos
When you select a custom photo from your Gallery to set as your call background, use the pinch-in and out gesture on the preview screen to zoom in and out on the photo or move the photo by dragging it. This allows you to set the favorite part of the image as the call background.
5. Use AR emoticons
Besides pictures and videos, you can set AR emojis as call background on your Samsung Galaxy phone. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, AR (augmented reality) emojis are animated characters that you can create for yourself or someone else.
- Go to “Settings -> Call background -> Background” in the Samsung Phone app.
- Tap the “+” icon at the top and choose “Create with AR Emoji” from the menu.
- Select an existing AR emoji or create a new one by pressing the “+” button.
- Tap “Set as call background” on the preview screen.
6. Change call layout
Samsung offers another way to customize the call screen. Choose from two different styles to display caller information. One has a larger profile picture, while the other is relatively smaller.
- Launch the Samsung Phone app.
- Go to “Settings” by tapping on the three-dot icon.
- Tap on “Background call” followed by “Layout”.
- Tap the preferred style.
Previously, Samsung did not allow users to set custom backgrounds for different contacts, but with Samsung One UI 4.1, you can customize incoming call backgrounds for any contact.
- Launch the Samsung Contacts app and open the contact whose background you want to change.
- Tap the “Edit” button (looks like a pencil) at the bottom.
- Tap “Show more” on the next screen, then scroll down and tap “Background call.”
- On the default background that appears, tap the “Background” button at the bottom. Choose a background from the options or set a custom photo or video background by tapping the “+” icon at the top.
- Once you have selected one for the contact, tap on “Set as call background”.
Similarly, you can set different call backgrounds for other contacts. You can either create AR emojis for them or use their image to set as your call background.
To note: If a custom background is not appearing for a specific contact, open the contact from the Recents list in the Phone app, then tap the “Edit” button.
8. Remove Phone Call Background for Single Contact
If you don’t like the background you set for a contact, you can remove it or replace it with another one.
- Open the affected contact in the Samsung Contacts app, then tap “Edit -> Show more -> Call background”.
- On the preview screen, tap the “Background” button at the bottom.
- On the next screen, scroll down and tap “Reset to default” or any other background if you just want to change the background.
9. Remove call backgrounds
Any custom photo or video that you use as a call background will appear in the call background list. If this section has become cluttered or you don’t want a photo or video to show, you can remove the backgrounds you no longer want to see.
- Go to the Phone app and select “Settings -> Call background -> Background”.
- Tap the three-dot icon at the top and select “Remove backgrounds”.
- Selection circles will appear at the top left of personalized photos or videos. Tap the item(s) you want to delete and tap the “Delete” button at the bottom.
To note: you cannot remove pre-installed video backgrounds.
Manage your contacts
If you want to continue personalizing your contacts on your phone, you might want to know how to add a contact to your phone’s home screen and hide calls and texts from a specific person.
Was this article helpful?
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