Apple launched its next major update, iOS 17, during WWDC23, which brings several new features, including a contact poster for iPhones designed to be more personal and intuitive. Inspired by Android and One UI, this allows callers to customise how they are represented when placing a call. It’s not the first time Apple has taken inspiration from Android for new features, such as the Control Centre, Notification Centre, and the Quick Settings Menu in iOS.
As you may know, One UI’s Call Background allows users to customise the appearance of incoming calls with photos, GIFs, or videos. With iOS 17, users can choose their image, font, Memoji, and colour to create a personalised contact poster that shows up on the receiver’s screen when they place calls.
When they call other iPhone users, their contact poster appears exactly as they have set it. The image shows up not only in phone calls but also as part of the phone user’s contact card, creating a consistent look. This feature also helps users identify who is calling, even if they don’t recognise the number.
iOS 17 includes a new feature called “Contact Poster.”
This new feature in iOS 17 for iPhone users allows them to customise how they appear on the lock screen of other iPhone users when making a call. It is similar to a customisable lock screen. The image not only appears in phone calls but also on the user’s contact card, creating a consistent look.
The new Contact Poster feature allows users to customise how they appear on the lock screen of other iPhone users when making a call. Users can assign different images to stored contacts using the Contact Poster feature. When a specific caller makes a phone call, the assigned image will display. You can create multiple posters and choose between photos and posters. iOS 17 makes this feature easy to set up and customise.
Despite this feature looking similar to OneUI’s call background, there are several things with a few additional options to distinguish it. You can assign a sticker or custom font, and you can also change the alignment of the caller name. This means that you don’t have a text overlay. Contact Poster is expected to be available for third-party calling apps in the coming weeks.
Now, iPhone users can set their photo when calling other iPhone users.
This means that there are no more embarrassing photos your friends set as your contact photos. It’s more powerful, with iOS 17’s smooth integration across contact cards and incoming calls. Contact posters will be the same for all your contacts across all the ways you communicate and share.
In addition to contact posters, iOS 17 will include call-related updates such as Live Voicemail, which allows you to see real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail, and the opportunity to pick up while the caller is leaving their message. Facetime also adds support for voice and video messages to someone who is not available, so they can watch or listen to them later.
How to Use Contact Photos and Posters on an iPhone
There is a huge difference between iOS 17’s contact photos and posters. Photos are circular and appear at the top of the screen, while the contact poster appears at the top with the name underneath, filling the entire screen. You can choose from four poster types: camera, photos, memento, and monogram. There are also customisation options, including font, image, background, and the option to choose a Memoji or custom personal photo.
This is a new feature that allows users to customise the way they appear on someone’s iPhone each time they call them. After updating to iOS 17, you can use the Contact Photos and Posters app on your iPhone. It’s another way to express yourself and give a new look to incoming calls.
Enable Contact Photo and Post on iOS 17
- Open the Phone app and then select the Contacts tab.
- Tap on “My Card” at the top, then tap on “Open it.”.
- Tap on “Contact Photo & Poster” and then enable the “Name & Photo Sharing” option.
- Enter the name that you want to appear on the screen of the person you are calling.
- Choose whether the contact and poster will be visible to contacts only or if iOS will always ask before sharing them.
- Tap on “Edit” to start customising your contact photo and poster.
Set Up Photos as Contact Photos on iPhone.
- Open the Phone app, then select the Contact tab and tap on “My Card” to open it.
- Tap on “Contact Photo & Poster” and then enable the “Name & Photo Sharing” option.
- After that, tap on “Customise” to begin. Then you can select a contact photo and choose to use the camera to take a selfie, or choose one of the existing photos from the Gallery app, create and use Memoji, or use Monogram.
- If you choose a photo from your gallery, crop and adjust the photo according to your preference.
- Select one of the available filters if you want to apply them. Tap “Done” to save the changes.
- You will be asked to confirm if you want to “use this photo everywhere” or make more changes. In that case, choose “Not Now.”
- Tap “Done” to save the changes.
Set up a poster as a contact on your iPhone.
- Follow the previous steps to head over to the contact card to start editing. Select “Poster” and then tap on the colour picker that appears in the lower right corner to choose the background colour of the poster.
- Next, choose a background colour, move the slider to change the shade, and also pick your colour.
- Go back to the previous screen, then tap on the Memoji icon from the lower-right corner to pick either one of the existing Memojis or tap on the plus icon to create your own and further choose one of its variations.
- Preview the poster and tap “Continue” and then “Done” to save changes.
Delete the saved contact photo or poster.
- Open the Phone app and tap on the contact whose photo or poster you want to delete.
- Tap on the “Edit” button that appears in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Simply swipe up on the template you seek to delete, then tap on the bin icon.
- Delete when prompted, then hit “Done” to confirm your action to delete the contact photo or poster.
One UI’s Contact Image
This feature has been available on Galaxy devices for some time now. If you want to use it, you need to assign an image to a contact in your phone’s address book. When that contact calls you, their image will appear on your screen. This feature allows users to set custom photos or videos as call backgrounds for individual contacts, which is different from custom ringtones that play specific sounds when a person calls.
Pre-contact call backgrounds can help you identify your caller more easily at a glance, even in noisy environments. This feature works great with custom character creators in AR Emoji, which allows users to create custom AR Emoji characters based on their contacts and set them as custom call backgrounds for individual contacts. To use the call background in One UI 5, follow these instructions:
- Open the Contact app and select the contact for whom you want to set the call background.
- Next, tap on the Info icon, then on the Edit button, and tap View More to expand the list of details you can edit.
- Scroll down and tap Call Background, then tap Background in the upper-right corner and select which photos or videos you want to use.
- Then tap on the “+” button that appears in the upper-right corner. If the video is too long, it will be trimmed on the spot to fit the custom call background. When you’re ready, tap on Set as Call Background.
- Optionally, you can also enable the Use Video Sound as a Ringtone feature.
For a long time, One UI has been known for its clean and simple design developed by Samsung, as well as its many features and customisation options. Apple and Google have been inspired by One UI for their mobile operating systems. Not only Apple, but Google also includes several features that are inspired by One UI, such as a new notification shade and a new lock screen.