How to completely remove the caption from the photo on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: a step-by-step guide

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 smartphones often face the problem of automatically adding a signature on photos - a watermark with the name of the device model. This feature is enabled by default in MIUI firmware and can spoil the frame, especially if you plan to publish photos on social networks or use them for professional purposes. Fortunately, there are several ways to remove this signature, and not all of them require root rights or complex manipulation.

Many users mistakenly think that the watermark is sewn into the image itself at the pixel level, but in fact the signature on the Redmi Note 9 photo is added to the EXIF metadata and superimposed on top of the image when viewed in the Xiaomi gallery. This means that the original file remains intact, and the signature can be removed both programmatically and through the system settings. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods from standard to advanced, including solutions for cases when the standard methods do not work.

If you don't want to waste time experimenting, then go straight to the first one, which is the easiest one, and works on 90 percent of devices. For those who are ready for more advanced settings, we've prepared instructions using ADB and editing system files. And at the end of the article, you'll find answers to common questions, like why a signature comes back after a MIUI update or how to remove it in screenshots.

Method 1: Disabling the watermark through camera settings

The most obvious and safe method is to deactivate the feature directly in the Camera app, which does not require superuser rights and is suitable for most versions of MIUI 12, 13 and 14. However, please note that after updating the firmware, the settings may reset and the signature will return.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Open the Camera app on your Redmi Note 9.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ Settings (usually located in the upper right corner).
3. Scroll down to the Watermark section (or the caption in the photo in some versions).
4. Move the slider to the off position.
5. Close the settings and take a test shot to check the result.

If your MIUI version does not explicitly include “Watermark,” try an alternative path: Camera Settings → Additional → Device Information and turn off the Show Model option.

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Backup of important photos

Update the Camera app through the Play Store

Reboot your phone before settings-->

⚠️ Note: Some firmware (e.g. global versions for Europe) may not have a watermarked item, in which case try the second method or install an alternative shooting app, such as Google Camera or Open Camera.

Method 2: Delete the signature through EXIF editing

If the watermark is missing from the camera's settings but continues to appear in the photo, the problem lies in the EXIF metadata, which is automatically added to each shot and can contain information about the device's model, date of shooting, and even coordinates, and thankfully, it can be cleaned manually or automatically.

You will need any application to work with EXIF, for example:

• 📱 EXIF Eraser (free, no advertising)
• 🖼️ Photo Exif Editor (paid version with advanced features)
• 💻 ExifTool (for PCs, installation is required)

Instructions for EXIF Eraser:

1. Install the app from the Play Store.
2. Open it and give access to the files.
3. Choose a photo with a watermark.
4. Click Delete EXIF and save the modified file.

For mass processing, use ExifTool on your PC. Download the utility and execute the command in the terminal (the folder with the photo should be in the same directory as exiftool.exe):

exiftool -overwrite_original -all= *.jpg

This command will remove all metadata from the JPG photos.

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If you share a photo frequently on instant messengers, set up automatic EXIF deletion when you send it. In Telegram, for example, this is done through Settings → Privacy → Metadata

Method 3: Disable the signature via ADB (without root)

For users who are not afraid of the command line, there is a method of disabling the watermark via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which does not require superuser rights, but requires connecting the phone to a computer and enabling the developer mode.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. 7 times click on the MIUI Version until the notification “You are a developer” appears.

USB debugging

Settings → Additional → For Developers

Redmi Note 9

ADB Tools

adb shell settings put global camera_watermark_enabled 0

After you complete the command, restart the phone. The watermark should disappear. If that doesn't happen, try the alternative command:

adb shell settings put system camera_watermark_enabled 0

⚠️ Attention: Changes through ADB They may be reset after the update. MIUI. To avoid this, back up your settings via adb backup or use the method with Magisk to permanently disable.

Through camera settings

Editing by EXIF

ADB teams

Magisk module

I don't know, I'll pick it after reading it.-->

Method 4: Completely delete the signature with Magisk (root)

If previous methods didn't work, the radical way is to edit system files, which requires super-user rights (root) and Magisk installed, which is guaranteed to remove the watermark at the firmware level, but requires caution: wrong actions can lead to camera failures.

Instructions:

1. Install Magisk Manager and get root access (instructions for Redmi Note 9 are available on XDA Developers).
2. Download a root-enabled file manager like Root Explorer or Mixplorer.
3. Go to /system/vendor/build.prop or (for new MIUI versions): /vendor/build.prop
4. Find the line: ro.camera.watermark.enable=true and replace true with false.
5. Save the changes, set the rights to 644 (rw-r--r---) and restart the phone.

To simplify the process, you can use the ready-made Magisk module:

• 🔧 Disable Watermark MIUI (available in the Magisk repository)
• 📱 MIUI Watermark Remover (requires manual installation)

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make the choice easier, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:

For most users, the best solution is a combination of the first and second ways: disabling the watermark in the camera settings + cleaning EXIF for photos already taken. If you are ready to experiment, try ADB - this will give a temporary but stable result. Root access should be considered only if other methods have not worked, and you understand the risks.

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On devices with MIUI 14 and later, the watermark can be sewn into the Camera app itself, in which case only replacing the standard camera with an alternative (such as GCam) or manual removal via Magisk will help.

What to do if the signature remains?

If none of these methods helped, check the following points:

• 🔄 Update the firmware: in new versions MIUI Watermark bugs are often fixed. Check for updates in Settings → Updating the system.
• 📸 Try another camera: Install Google Camera or Open Camera – these apps don’t add Xiaomi signatures.
• 🛠️ Reset the camera settings: go to Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data.
• 📱 Check the regional firmware: on the Chinese versions MIUI You can use the Mi Flash Tool to install the global firmware.

If the problem persists, it is possible that a watermark has been added to the hardware level (e.g., in some Redmi Note 9 Pro versions).

1. Use third-party applications for shooting.
2. Process the photo in a graphics editor (for example, Photoshop or GIMP), removing the signature manually.

FAQ: Frequent questions about watermarks on Xiaomi