How to add a date to the photo in Xiaomi smartphones: all ways for Android

Have you ever lost precious photos because you forgot when they were taken? or would like to have the date of the shoot automatically displayed in the pictures — like in old film cameras? on Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi and other devices). POCO) This feature is hidden deep in the settings or not at all in some versions. MIUI. But don’t rush to install third-party apps – we’ll tell you how to turn on date display without root and quality loss.

The problem is that smartphone manufacturers now consider the date in the photo to be an "obsolete" design element, but for documents, travel or family archives, this feature remains relevant.

• 🔍 Hidden settings of Xiaomi’s camera that work even on new models (2023–2026.)
• 📱 Step-by-step instructions for different versions MIUI (including MIUI 14 and HyperOS)
• 🛠️ Bypasses using built-in Android tools (without third-party apps)
• ⚠️ Risk Warnings in Metadata Editing EXIF

Important: the methods vary depending on the model and version of the firmware. For example, on Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12, the path to settings will be different. POCO M6 to the flagships of Xiaomi 14.

1. Including date in the Xiaomi camera (official way)

The most reliable method is to use the built-in watermark feature that is available in most Xiaomi models, but the manufacturer has hidden it deep in the menu.

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ Settings (or swipe from the right edge of the screen).
3. Go to the Watermark section (or Date and Time in older versions).
4. Activate the switch Add date.
5. Select the display format (for example, YYYY-MM-DD or DD/MM/YYYY).

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO X5 s MIUI 14) this option may not be present in the main menu:

• 🔄 Switch to Professional Shooting Mode (Icon) PRO) repeat.
• 📱 Update the firmware to the latest version (HyperOS returns feature for all devices).

Reboot your smartphone before checking|Open the camera in Photo mode (not Video")|Check the presence of the "Watermark" item in the settings|Update the Camera app via Google Play-->

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If the option "Watermark" is missing, try resetting the camera settings: Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data. It'll bring back the hidden parameters.

On new flagships (for example, Xiaomi) 13T) date is automatically added to metadata EXIF, It doesn't show up in the picture, so you can see it:

1. Open the photo in the gallery.
2. Touch the badge. ℹ️ Information (or swipe up the screen).
3. In the Details section, find the fields Date of shooting and Time.

2. Alternative method: use of the "Document" mode

Few people know, but Xiaomi has a hidden document mode that automatically adds date and time to the photo, which works even on devices that do not have the option of watermarking.

Instructions:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Swipe your finger across the screen to the left or touch the icon. ⋯ More. Three dots).
3. Select Document Mode (or Scanner in some models).
4. Take a picture - the date and time will appear in the lower right corner.

🔍 Features of the method:

• 📄 It only works for photos in format. JPEG (not RAW or HEIC).
• 🖼️ The date is added as part of the image, not as metadata (cannot be deleted without editing).
• ⏱️ Time is taken from the system clock of the smartphone – make sure it is synchronized with the network.

Built-in camera function|Regime “Document"|Party of annex|Manual editing|I don't need a date in the photo.-->

⚠️ Note: In Document mode, the camera can automatically crop the edges of the image. If you need to save the original frame, use this method only for copies of photos.

3. Add date through the application "Gallery" (without installing software)

If your Xiaomi model doesn’t support adding a date when shooting, you can use the built-in editor in the Gallery app, which is suitable for photos you’ve already taken.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the photo in the Gallery app.
2. Touch the badge. ✏️ Edit (or Modify).
3. Select the text or the inscription tool.
4. Enter the date manually (for example, 15.05.2026) and place it in the right place.
5. Save the changes (select Save as a copy to avoid losing the original).

📌 Advantages of the method:

• 🎨 You can choose font, color and size of the date.
• 🔄 It works on all Xiaomi models, including the old ones (Redmi). 4X, Mi A1).
• 📁 Does not require administrator rights or root access.

🔴 Deficiencies:

• ⏳ Manual process – not suitable for batch processing.
• 🖌️ The date will be part of the image (cannot be deleted without traces).

4. Use of third-party applications (for advanced users)

If the built-in methods don't work, you can use specialized applications. We tested 5 popular utilities and selected the best ones for Xiaomi.

🔹 Recommendation: For most users, Xiaomi is enough PhotoExif Editor:

• 📅 Add a shooting date from EXIF-data (automatically).
• 🔧 Customize the position, font and color of the text.
• 📂 Processing multiple photos at the same time.

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party applications to work with photos:

• 🛡️ Check permissions – the application should not request access to contacts or SMS.
• 📥 Download. APK Google Play or Xiaomi’s official website (avoid third-party sources).
• 🔄 After editing, check the integrity of the files – some programs spoil EXIF.

5. Manual editing EXIF-data (for technical users)

If you don't want to install additional applications, you can manually edit the metadata of the photo, which requires basic knowledge of how to work with files, but gives you complete control over the date.

Instructions for Xiaomi:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the photos on a PC.
3. Install ExifTool (free, cross-platform).
4. Open the command line (cmd or terminal) and execute the command: exiftool -DateTimeOriginal="2026:05:15 14:30:00" -CreateDate="2026:05:15 14:30:00" photo.jpg where photo.jpg is your file name and 2026:05:15 14:30:00 — date and time.
5. Copy the edited files back to your smartphone.

🔧 Additional ExifTool commands:

• 📅 Change the date for all photos in the folder: exiftool "-alldates+=1:2:3 14:30:00" /path/to/photos/ (add 1 year, 2 month, 3 file-day)
• 🔍 View current ones EXIF-data: exiftool -a -u -g1 photo.jpg

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect editing EXIF may lead to:

• 🔴 Loss of geotags (coordinate of the survey).
• 📷 Failure in the display of thumbnails in the Xiaomi gallery.
• ⏳ Incompatibility with some social media (for example, Instagram may reset the date).

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Editing EXIF-Data is the most flexible way, but it requires caution. Always back up your original files before changing metadata.

6. Automation via Tasker (for power users)

If you take pictures often and want your date to be added automatically, you can set it up via the Tasker app, a method that is suitable for advanced Xiaomi users, as it requires setting up triggers.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Tasker from Google Play.
2. Create a new profile (+ → Status. → Plugin → AutoInput).
3. Set the trigger to open the Camera app.
4. Add the task (+ → Plugin → AutoInput → UI Interaction):

Save the profile and activate it.

🔹 Pre-installed settings for Xiaomi:

• 📱 For MIUI 14 Use coordinates: X:900, Y:500 (for the settings button).
• ⏱️ The delay between actions must be at least 1000 ms (otherwise the camera will not have time to open the menu).
• 🔄 Before using, test the profile manually – the location of the elements may differ.

⚠️ Note: Automation via Tasker may conflict with:

• 🔒 The function of application protection in MIUI (Turn it off for Tasker).
• 🔄 Battery Optimization (Add Tasker to Exceptions).

7. Problems and Solutions: Why is the date not displayed?

Even after setting the date correctly, we’ve collected the most common causes and ways to fix them for Xiaomi devices.

🔧 Additional advice:

• 🔄 If the date is lost after the reboot, check the time synchronization settings in Settings → Accounts. → Synchronization.
• 📱 In some models (POCO F5) The watermark function only works when shooting in 4:3 format (not 16:9).
• 🔍 If you are using GCam (Google Camera), you can add a date through the Timestamp module in the port settings.

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