How to Date Your Photos in Xiaomi: All Ways to Use MIUI 12-15

You took a picture on your Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro, but you want it to show the date of the shooting? Unlike the old soapboxes, where the date was printed directly on the frame, modern smartphones hide this information in metadata. However, in MIUI there are several ways to return the usual format, from built-in functions to third-party applications.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of adding a date to a photo, including the settings of the Xiaomi camera, editing through the gallery, as well as workarounds for models where the function is disabled by default (MIUI 12–15) and popular series (Redmi, POCO, Mi).

Why is there no default date in Xiaomi’s photo?

Modern smartphones, including Xiaomi’s lineup, store the date and time of the shooting in the metadata of EXIF, hidden information accessible through the properties of the file.

• 📸 Aesthetics: The inscription spoils the composition of the picture, especially in professional shooting.
• 🔄 Flexibility: Date can be added to editing or printing.
• 📱 Trends: users prefer “clean” photos for social networks.
• 🛠️ Technical limitations: on some models, the function is disabled due to the features of the processor (for example, on the budget Redmi A-series).

However, MIUI has some ways to return the date display, which we will discuss below, and it is important that on custom firmware models (such as Xiaomi.eu), the path to settings may be different.

Method 1: Enabling date through Xiaomi camera settings

The easiest method is to activate the feature directly in the Camera app, which works on most devices with MIUI 12-15, but may not be available on some budget models (e.g. Redmi 9A or POCO C40).

Instructions:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ (Settings) in upper right corner.
3. Scroll down to the Watermark or Settings section.
4. Activate the Date and Time Switch (or Time Mark).
5. Select the display format (e.g., GHG-MM-DD or DD.MM.GGG).

After that, the date will automatically be superimposed on all new photos. Please note: the feature only works for the main camera - no date is added to the selfie.

Is the main camera (not a selfie) open?

Has the camera app been updated to the latest version?

Is there enough space on the device (the function may not work with a full memory)?

Is the smartphone rebooted after the MIUI update?

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Method 2: Editing through the Xiaomi Gallery

If the camera settings do not have a watermark option, you can add a date after shooting through the standard Gallery, which is suitable for all models, including the Redmi 10C and the POCO M4 Pro, but requires manual editing of each shot.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the gallery and select the photo you want.
2. Click Edit (Icon) ✏️).
3. Go to the Text or Tab.
4. Add a text block and enter the date manually (or copy it from the file properties).
5. Adjust the font, color and position of the inscription.
6. Save the changes (select Save as a copy to avoid losing the original).

⚠️ Note: This way, the date will not be updated automatically. If you are editing old photos, make sure you specify the correct date of the shoot (it can be recognized in the file properties).

Use templates to speed up the process: create one style of writing and apply it to all images through the Copy Style function (available in newer versions of MIUI 14+).

Method 3: Third-party applications for adding date

If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't work, use specialized apps that offer more features: automatic date additions, font customization, batch processing.

Top.-3 apps:

For installation:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Give access to the Chamber and the Warehouse.
3. Set up the date format and writing style in the app menu.
4. Use it instead of a standard camera or edit the finished shots.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g., Timestamp Camera) may not work properly on Xiaomi with MediaTek Helio G processors (e.g., Redmi 9 or X-rays). POCO M3). Before using, check the reviews for your model.

Standard Gallery Xiaomi|PhotoStamp|Add Text on Photo|Timestamp Camera|Other-->

Method 4: Use EXIF-printer

If you only want a date to print a photo, you can extract it from the metadata and add it to the export, which is suitable for users who print photos through Google Photos, Canva or specialized services.

How to extract the date from EXIF:

1. Open the photo at the Gallery.
2. Press three points (⋮) → Details (or Properties).
3. Find the lines for the shooting date or EXIF: DateTime.
4. Copy the date and paste it into an editor (like Canva or Photoshop Express).

For automatic printing with date:

• 🖨️ In Google Photos, select Print. → Set up a layout and add a text block with a date.
• 📄 In Canva, use templates with the date field (search for “photo date template»).
• 💻 On PC, use FastStone Image Viewer (free program with packet date addition function).

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If you often type a date photo, create a template in Canva with a transparent text block and save it as "Foundation." Then just copy the date from EXIF and paste it into the template before printing.

Method 5: Hidden MIUI features for advanced users

Some Xiaomi firmware (especially Xiaomi.eu or custom builds) have hidden camera settings that allow you to activate the date display. ADB-commands or edit system files.

Warning: This method is only suitable for power users! improper actions can cause camera malfunctions.

Instructions for ADB:

adb shell settings put global camera_timestamp_enabled 1


adb shell settings put global camera_timestamp_format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm"

Once you have completed the commands, restart the device. If the function is supported by your model, a new Timetamp will appear in the camera settings.

For models with unlocked bootloader, you can edit the build.prop file by adding a line:

ro.camera.timestamp.enable=1

But this method requires root rights and can void the warranty.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on your Xiaomi model, MIUI version and usage goals.

For most users, the best solution is to combine the camera’s built-in settings (if available) with PhotoStamp’s batch processing app, and if you want a print-only date, just remove it from EXIF and add it to the layout.

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On Xiaomi models with a Snapdragon processor (such as the POCO F4 or Redmi K50), the built-in watermark function is more stable than on devices with MediaTek (such as Redmi 10).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the date in the photo in Xiaomi