How to remove date and time from photos on Xiaomi: all working ways

Date and time images are a useful feature for archives, but not always relevant in everyday shots. On Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones, this tag is automatically put in some modes (for example, in a watermark or when shooting through the Camera app with the option enabled), Fortunately, it can be removed both before shooting (disable settings), and after – using built-in tools or third-party editors.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways, including hidden MIUI features, Google Photos capabilities and specialized applications. We will pay special attention to the nuances for different versions of firmware (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15) and models - from the budget Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 14. If you are looking for a solution without loss of quality or want to permanently disable the automatic tag - here you will find the answer.

Why the date appears in the photo and how it works in Xiaomi

The date and time tag is added to the images for two main reasons:

• 📸 Camera watermark: A feature in the settings of the Camera app that puts text on top of the image (most often in the lower right corner) that is enabled manually or automatically in some modes (e.g. Document or Professional).
• 🗓️ EXIF-Labels: technical data (date, device model, shooting parameters) that are stored in the file but not displayed in the photo itself, and can be seen through the file properties or special programs.

On Xiaomi smartphones, a watermark with a date is activated via the camera menu: Settings → Watermark → Date/time. In some versions MIUI (for example, MIUI 13 for global firmware), this item may be called Date Mark or hidden in additional settings. EXIF-data – they remain in the file, but cease to appear on the image.

Interesting fact: on devices with MIUI China (CN-version) the option of the watermark may be absent at all - instead, the date is prescribed in the EXIF automatically, without the ability to turn off through the standard settings, in which case only editing the photo after shooting will help.

Method 1: Disabling the watermark in the camera settings (before shooting)

The easiest way to do this is to prevent the camera from adding a date to new images, which won't remove the label from the photos you've taken, but will eliminate the problem in the future. Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco on MIUI 12–15:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ Settings (usually in the upper right corner).
3. Scroll down to the Watermark (or Date Mark) section.
4. Turn off the switch next to Date and Time (or Date).
5. For some models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro): Go to Settings → More → Watermark.

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (new name for the device) MIUI (15) path may differ: Camera → Settings → Setup parameters → Watermark. If there is no point, your firmware does not support this function (see spoiler below).

When you turn off the watermark, take a test shot and check it in the gallery. If the date is still visible, it's written in the gallery. EXIF-data (you can only delete it through editing, see the following methods).

Method 2: Delete date through the built-in Xiaomi gallery

Annex Gallery in MIUI It has basic editing tools, including the ability to remove text tags, and it's suitable for photos where the date is watermarked (see in the image itself), but it doesn't help with the image. EXIF-data.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the gallery and select the photo you want.
2. Click Edit (the pencil icon at the bottom of the screen).
3. Go to the Tools tab (or More, depending on the version of MIUI).
4. Choose Remove Objects or Retouch.
5. Slip around the date – the app will automatically mask it with surrounding pixels.
6. Save the changes (Ready or Save as a copy)

🔹 Limitations of method:

• ❌ Does not work with fine text or if the date is on a contrasting background (for example, white in a light shot).
• ❌ Not removing. EXIF-Data - only a visual tag.
• ✅ Suitable for quick editing without installing third-party apps.

💡

If the Remove Objects tool failed to meet the date, try hand-painting it with the brush function in the same editor. Choose the color closest to the background of the photo and gently blur the tag.

Method 3: Using Google Photos to delete date

Google Photos is a universal solution for Xiaomi owners, since the application is pre-installed on most devices with global firmware. It allows you not only to edit pictures, but also to manage the application. EXIF-data (including the date of the shooting).

How to remove the visual date (watermark):

1. Open the photo in Google Photos.
2. Click Edit → Tools → Retouch.
3. Choose Delete and circle the date.
4. Save the changes (the app will prompt you to create a copy).

How to change EXIF-data (date in file properties):

1. Open the photo in Google Photos.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Change the date and time.
3. Enter a new date (or select the current one) and save.

⚠️ Attention: Change EXIF-Google Photos does not delete the data completely, but only corrects it. If you need to completely erase the metadata (for example, for privacy), use specialized applications from Method 5.

Method 4: Third-party editors – Snapseed, Lightroom, PhotoRoom

If the built-in MIUI tools fail, specialized applications will come to the rescue. We tested the 3 most effective options for Xiaomi:

• 🎨 Snapseed (from Google): Free editor with Healing tool, suitable for deleting dates against a homogeneous background, plus: does not spoil quality, saves in the original resolution.
• 📷 Adobe Lightroom: Professional tool with Spot Removal. minus: requires registration for some features.
• ✂️ PhotoRoom: Automatically deletes text from a photo (artificial intelligence) Plus: one tap to delete a date, but can leave artifacts on complex backgrounds.

Step-by-step instructions for Snapseed:

1. Install Snapseed from Google Play.
2. Open the photo in the app.
3. Go to the Tools section → Healing.
4. Increase the scale and swipe the date.
5. Save the result (select Export without loss of quality).

Make a backup copy of the original photo|Charge the phone (editing consumes battery)|Select a photo with a homogeneous background (it is easier to delete the date)|Check the results with 100% increase-->

🔹 Tip for Lightroom: If the date is on a dark background, use the Cloning tool instead of Spot Removal – it more accurately copies the texture.

Method 5: Complete removal EXIF-Data (for confidentiality purposes)

If you need to not just remove the visual tag, but completely erase all metadata (including date, phone model, geolocation), you will need specialized applications.

• 🔒 Publication of photos in social networks (avoid leakage of personal data).
• 📤 Sending pictures on the job (sometimes) EXIF contains confidential information).
• 🛡️ Tracking protections (geoteags can reveal your location).

Top.-3 cleaning-up EXIF:

1. EXIF Eraser (simple, no ads): deletes all metadata in one tap.
2. Photo Exif Editor (advanced): allows you to edit individual fields (e.g., date only).
3. Metadata Remover (for batch processing): Clears EXIF for multiple photos at once.

How to use EXIF Eraser:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Select a photo in the app gallery.
3. Press Delete EXIF.
4. Keep the cleaned copy (the original will remain unchanged).

💡

Removal EXIF-Once cleaned, it will be impossible to restore the original date of the shooting or geotags. Always keep a backup of the original file.

⚠️ Note: Some messengers (such as Telegram or WhatsApp) automatically compress a photo when sending and delete part of it. EXIF-However, the date of the shooting can be stored in the properties of the file even after compression.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you delete a date from a photo on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems.

• 🔄 The date is returned after editing: this happens if you edit a copy of the photo and the original remains with a watermark. Solution: delete the original or disable the watermark in the camera settings (Method 1).
• 🖼️ Post-retouch artifacts: If the background under the date is complex (such as people's faces or texture), tools like Healing can leave blurred spots.Solution: use Cloning in Lightroom or hand-blown in Photoshop Express.
• ⏳ Long processing in Snapseed: the application can hang on a high-resolution photo (for example, 108 MP with Xiaomi 13 Ultra).Solution: Pre-reduce the resolution in the gallery or use PhotoRoom (optimized for large files).

🔹 Proven life hack: if the date in the photo with an important event (for example, a wedding), and you can not delete it without a trace, try to crop the image so that the label is outside the frame. MIUI select Edit → Cutting and set boundaries that exclude the date.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions