How to disable geotags in the photo Xiaomi: a complete guide with hidden settings

Have you ever uploaded a photo to a social network or sent it to friends, and then suddenly found that the coordinates of your home, work or favorite cafe were attached to the picture? Geometrics (EXIF- location data) in Xiaomi photos can be a real threat to privacy — especially if you did not know about their existence. By default, Redmi smartphones, POCO and Mi automatically store GPS- coordinates in the metadata of the images, and this applies even to budget models like the Redmi Note 12 or Xiaomi flagships 14 Ultra.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to disable geotags, from standard camera settings to hidden MIUI options and third-party apps. You’ll learn how to remove location from photos you’ve already taken, why coordinates sometimes persist even after the feature is turned off, and what to do if the settings suddenly reset after the update. And a unique lifehack for owners of Xiaomi with pure Android (POCO F5, Xiaomi 13T), where the interface is different from the classic MIUI.

Why does Xiaomi keep its location in photos?

The geotagging feature was originally conceived as a useful tool: it helps you sort your images by location in a gallery, quickly find photos from specific trips or events, for example, in the Google Photos app you can filter images across a map if geotagged, but in practice, this often turns into a security threat:

• 📍 Social media and instant messengers can automatically read EXIF- data when downloaded (even if you can’t see the coordinates on the map).
• 🕵️‍♂️ Attackers or just curious people will be able to determine your route through a series of photos.
• 🏠 Photos of a home or office with geotags are a direct way to give away your exact location.
• 📱 When you transfer pictures to other devices (for example, via Bluetooth), the coordinates are stored.

In MIUI, geotagging is activated by default on most models, including Redmi 10/11/12, POCO X5/F5, Xiaomi 12/13/14. Even if you turn off location services in your phone settings, the camera can continue to store approximate coordinates through Wi-Fi networks or cell towers, this is due to the operation of Google Location Services and Mi Location services.

⚠️ Warning: On some firmware (e.g., MIUI Global for the European market), the geotagging option may be hidden in additional camera settings. If you don't find it in the main menu, check the Additional → Tagging Settings section.

Method 1: Disabling geotags in the settings of the Xiaomi camera

The most obvious and quickest method is to deactivate the location saving directly in the camera app. The interface may vary slightly depending on the MIUI version (12/13/14/15) and the smartphone model, but the general logic is maintained.

1. Open the standard Camera app on your Xiaomi.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ Settings (usually located in the upper right corner).
3. Scroll down to the Additional or Advanced Settings section.
4. Find the Save Location option (may be called Geotechs, Geometrics or EXIF- Location).
5. Move the slider to the off position.

On some devices (e.g., POCO F4 GT or Xiaomi 12 Pro), the path may look like this: Camera settings → General → Save location data. If you don't see this option, your firmware is probably modified (e.g., MIUI EU or custom build).

How do you check if the geotags are actually turned off? Take a test photo, then open it in the gallery, click Information (or Details) and see if the coordinates are displayed. If so, move on to the next way.

Method 2: Global Disconnection of Location Services (Risk Method)

If you want to completely deny any applications (including the camera) access to your location, you can turn off the geolocation at the system level.

• ❌ Maps (Google Maps, Yandex.Navigator, Mi Maps) will stop working.
• ❌ Weather, nearest Wi-Fi networks, coverage areas 5G will not be determined.
• ❌ Some camera features (e.g., Moon Mode or Starry Sky) may malfunction.

If you are prepared for these restrictions, follow the following steps:

1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Location Services.
2. Turn off the main location accuracy switch.
3. For reliability, go to Application Permits → Location and deny access to the camera.

⚠️ Warning: On devices with MIUI for China (e.g. Xiaomi 13 China ROM), a global geolocation shutdown may result in system services errors, in which case it is better to use method 1 or 4.

Method 3: Removal of geotags from already taken photos

If you've just learned about geotags and you want to remove coordinates from all the old photos, there are a few ways, and the easiest way is to use built-in MIUI tools or third-party apps.

Option A: Through the standard Xiaomi gallery

1. Open the Gallery app and select a photo.
2. Press three points. ⋮ → Details (or Information).
3. Find the coordinates string and tap the 🗺️ or ✏️ icon.
4. Delete the location data and save the changes.

Note that this method only works for individual images, and you'll need third-party software to batch-removal of geotags.

Option B: EXIF editing applications

For mass removal of labels, we recommend:

• 📱 EXIF Eraser (free, no ads) – deletes all metadata in one tap.
• 📱 Photo Exif Editor – allows you to selectively edit geotags, date, camera model.
• 🖥️ ExifTool (for PC) – a powerful tool for advanced users.

Example of working with EXIF Eraser:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Select a folder with a photo or individual pictures.
3. Click Delete EXIF and confirm the action.
4. Files will be cleared of all metadata, including coordinates.

💡

Before mass deletion of EXIF, back up your photo – some data (such as the date of the shooting) may be useful for sorting.

Method 4: Hidden settings for firmware without geotagging option

On some Xiaomi devices (especially custom firmware or MIUI for China), the option to disable geotags may not be available in the camera menu, in which case the hidden engineering mode or ADB commands will help.

Method A: Engineering menu (MTK- chips)

If your smartphone is powered by a MediaTek processor (like the Redmi Note 11 or POCO M4 Pro), try:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the code: ##4636###.
3. Go to Phone Information → Camera settings.
4. Find the camera.save.location setting and set 0.

Method B: ADB- Commands (for advanced)

If you have access to ADB (for example, via a PC), do:

adb shell settings put global camera_save_location 0

This command forcibly disables the system-level geotags, so to get it back, replace 0 with 1.

⚠️ Warning: Misuse of ADB or the engineering menu can cause the camera to malfunction. If you are not sure about your actions, skip this method and use third-party applications (method 3).

Method 5: Features for Xiaomi with pure Android (POCO, Xiaomi T-series)

Devices like the POCO F5, Xiaomi 13T or Xiaomi Pad 6 run on pure Android without a MIUI shell. Here, the camera's settings interface is different, and the geotagging option is hidden deeper. Follow this algorithm:

1. Open Google Camera (or the standard camera if installed).
2. Tap your profile in the upper right corner → Camera settings.
3. Scroll to the Social Media section.
4. Turn off the Geotega option for photos and videos.

On some devices (such as the POCO X5 Pro), the path may look like this: Settings → Additional → Location in photos. If you use GCam (a modified Google camera), geotagging is managed through its settings - usually in the Advanced → Location tags section.

💡

On Xiaomi with pure Android, geotags can be saved even when the camera option is disabled if the Google account settings include Location History. Check this in Settings → Google → Account Management → Data and Privacy → Location History.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after the geotags are turned off, Xiaomi users are faced with unexpected nuances, and here are the most common situations and ways to fix them:

Problem 1: Coordinates persist despite shutdown

Possible causes and solutions:

• 🔄 Reset camera settings: Go to Settings → Apps → Camera → Storage → Clear data.
• 📡 Google Services: Disable Location History in your Google Account (see Method 5).
• 📱 Firmware: Some versions of MIUI 13/14 for the European market have geotagging tied to system services. Try updating the software.

Problem 2: The option to “Save Location” is not on the menu

This is typical of:

• 🇨🇳 MIUI China ROM — Install global firmware via Fastboot.
• 🛠️ Custom firmware (e.g., Pixel Experience) – use ADB or third-party apps.
• 📸 Third-party camera applications (e.g. Open Camera) – configure EXIF- data in their menu.

Problem 3: Geometry is back after the MIUI update

After major updates (e.g. from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), the camera settings may be reset.

1. Before updating, take a screenshot of the current camera settings.
2. After installing the update, check the status of the Save Location option right away.
3. If the function is activated again, turn it off and restart the phone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about geotags on Xiaomi