How to get full-screen Caller ID on iOS 15

iphone 13 pro display on leaning against books
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

If you're running the latest version of iOS on your iPhone, you may want to know how to get full-screen Caller ID on iOS 15 back. Since iOS 14, incoming calls have been shown as a banner notification at the top of the screen if the phone is unlocked, so you don't have to be disturbed from what you're doing when a call comes in.

That said, this banner notification is not to everyone's taste. Whether you're running the small-screened iPhone 13 mini or the bigger iPhone 13 Pro Max, the buttons can feel fiddly and calls can be easily missed. It also means functions such as Remind Me and Messages are not immediately at your fingertips. 

Thankfully, you can switch on full-screen Caller ID again on your iPhone. All incoming calls will take up the entire screen when you're using your iPhone — just as they do when your phone is locked. You can always switch back if you decide you prefer a banner notification. But here's how to get full-screen Caller ID on an iPhone on iOS 15.

How to turn on full-screen Caller ID on iOS 15

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Screenshot showing iOS 15 home screen with Settings app highlighted

(Image credit: Apple)

2. Scroll down and tap "Phone."

Screenshot showing iOS 15 Settings app with "phone highlighted"

(Image credit: Apple)

3. In the section "Allow Phone to Access," tap "Incoming Calls."

Screenshot showing iOS 15 Settings app with "incoming calls" highlighted

(Image credit: Apple)

4. By default, this will be set to "Banner." To get full-screen Caller ID back, select "Full Screen."

Screenshot showing iOS 15 Settings app with "Full Screen" highlighted on "incoming calls" menu

(Image credit: Apple)

5. Tap "Phone" in the top-left corner and you'll see "Incoming Calls" is now set to "Full Screen."

Screenshot showing iOS 15 Settings app with "full screen" selected on "incoming calls" menu

(Image credit: Apple)

It's also possible to assign a photograph to a contact. Whenever that person calls you, the image will fill your screen. To do this, follow our guide below on how to set full-screen photos for Caller ID in iOS 15.

How to set full-screen photos for Caller ID in iOS 15

1. Open the Contacts app on your iPhone.

Screenshot of iOS 15 home page with "contacts" highlighted

(Image credit: Apple)

2. Tap the contact you want to assign an image to.

Screenshot of iOS 15 Contacts app with a contact highlighted

(Image credit: Apple)

3. Tap "Edit" in the top-right corner.

Screenshot of a contact in iOS 15 with "edit" highlighted

(Image credit: Apple)

4. Now select "Add Photo," towards the top of the screen.

Screenshot of a contact in iOS 15 with "add photo" highlighted

(Image credit: Apple)

5. A set of icons will appear. Choose the Gallery icon to browse the images on your iPhone. Select an image that you want to use for your contact.

Screenshot of a contact in iOS 15 with gallery icon highlighted

(Image credit: Apple)

6. Use your fingers to move and scale the photo so that it is positioned within the circle. When you're satisfied, tap "Choose."

Screenshot of iOS 15 with a photo of a cat showing "move and scale" options

(Image credit: Apple)

7. Now, you can choose a filter for the photo if you wish. Tap "Done" when you're finished.

Screenshot of iOS 15 showing edited contact photo

(Image credit: Apple)

8. On the final page, tap "Done" if you're happy with your choice, then that's it.

Screenshot of iOS 15 showing a contacts page with different contact icons

(Image credit: Apple)

Now you've discovered how to get full-screen Caller ID on iOS 15, you'd might like to see some other guides for your iPhone. Check out 15 essential Messages tips every iPhone owner should know or how to set up Wi-Fi calling on iPhone. For general tips, see our iPhone 13 starter guide. And do check out how to use Universal Control on Macs and iPads

David Crookes
Contributor

David Crookes is a freelance writer, reporter, editor and author. He has written for technology and gaming magazines including Retro Gamer, Web User, Micro Mart, MagPi, Android, iCreate, Total PC Gaming, T3 and Macworld. He has also covered crime, history, politics, education, health, sport, film, music and more, and been a producer for BBC Radio 5 Live.