You took a great shot on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, but it displays date and time, spoiling the composition? This problem is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi smartphones — the automatic printing of time stamps is enabled by default in some shooting modes. Fortunately, you can delete the date from the photo both before shooting (by turning it off in the camera settings), and after — using built-in tools MIUI or third-party applications.
In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways, including the hidden settings of the Redmi Note 9, which allow you to remove the date without losing image quality, you’ll learn how to turn off the time stamp in the camera, remove tags through the gallery, and which applications best cope with this task, and pay special attention to the nuances of the MIUI 12/13/14 firmware, which affect the availability of certain features.
Why the date appears in the photo and how it works
On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 (and other models in the series), the date and time are automatically applied to the images in two cases:
- 📸 Watermark Mode – the option to add tags is enabled in the camera settings (often activated accidentally when updating). MIUI).
- 📁 The "Date in the photo" function in the gallery - some versions MIUI Suggest to add a stamp when exporting or editing.
- 🔧 Firmware from regional dealers – in firmware for India, China or Europe, sometimes sewn additional labels.
Technically, the date is layered on top of the image (not in the EXIF! metadata), which means that it can be removed without losing the quality of the original — unlike when the date is imprinted in pixels (as in older push-button phones), but if you have already taken a photo with a date, you will have to use editing.
It is important to understand the difference between: Watermark (removed easily) and printed date (retouched) and Redmi Note 9 uses the first option by default, making it easier to do.
Method 1: Disable the date in the camera settings (before shooting)
The most reliable method is to prevent the camera from adding time stamps before the image is taken.
- Open the Camera app on your Redmi Note 9.
- Touch the badge. ⚙️ (Settings) in upper right corner.
- Scroll down to the Watermark or Date section (name depends on MIUI version).
- Turn off the slider next to the Show date/time option.
If your MIUI version does not have an explicit Watermark clause, check:
- 🔍 Section Additional settings → Tags.
- 🔍 Tab Modes → Document (sometimes the date is included only for this mode).
Is the camera open in Photo mode (not Document)
Updated to the latest version of MIUI
Reload your phone after the changes
Have you checked your settings in Professional mode (if used)
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Note for MIUI 14+: In newer versions of the firmware, the option may be called a Time Stamp and be in the Advanced Settings submenu. If you don't see it, update the Camera app via Google Play.
⚠️ Note: Some of the firmware for the Redmi Note 9 Pro (not to be confused with the regular Note 9!) has a hidden watermark option. MIUI (through settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → Select a region).
Method 2: Delete the date through the built-in MIUI Gallery
If you have already taken a photo with a date, use the tools of the standard Xiaomi gallery:
- Open the Gallery app and select the photo you want.
- Click Edit (Icon) ✏️ bottom-screen).
- Go to the Tools or Effects tab.
- Choose Remove Objects (in MIUI 13+) or Retouch (in MIUI 12).
- Round the date with your finger – the system will automatically mask it with surrounding pixels.
Alternative path for older versions MIUI: gallery → Open photo → Menus (⋮) → Additionally. → Remove watermarks.
| MIUI version | The way to the instrument | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 14 | Edit → Tools → Remove objects | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| MIUI 12/13 | Edit → Retouch → Brush | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| MIUI 11 and below | Menu → Additional → Watermarks | ⭐⭐⭐ |
In MIUI 14, the object removal algorithm uses AI, which is better at restoring backgrounds under a date than older versions. If you have artifacts left after editing, try to circle the area with a small indentation (2-3 mm around the date).
Method 3: Third-party applications for date deletion
If the built-in tools fail, install specialized software. The best options for the Redmi Note 9:
- 🎨 Snapseed (Google) – Healing tool perfectly removes text from homogeneous background.
- 🖼️ Adobe Photoshop Express – Spot Heal feature + hand-retouch.
- 📱 Remove Object (by Magic Eraser) – Automatic deletion with pre-circuit.
- 🔍 TouchRetouch – Optimized to Remove Dates and Logos.
Instructions for Snapseed (recommended for beginners):
- Open the photo in the app.
- Select the Healing tool (the patch icon).
- Increase the scale and circle the date.
- Tick the tick – the algorithm will replace the area with pixels from the surrounding background.
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If the date is overlaid on a complex background (such as a grass or pattern), use the Cloning tool in Snapseed: copy a piece of clean background and superimpose over the date.
For professional retouching, Lightroom Mobile is suitable: Edit → Recovery → Cloning.
⚠️ Warning: When using third-party apps, always save the original! Some programs (such as Chinese "photo optimizers") may press the image or add your own watermark. Before installing, check reviews on Google Play - especially for apps with a Chinese name.
Method 4: Manual editing in Photoshop (for PC)
If the quality of the photo is critical (for example, for printing), transfer it to your computer and use Adobe Photoshop or a free analogue of GIMP.
- Open the photo in Photoshop (File → Open).
- Select the date with the rectangular area (M) tool.
- Press Shift + F5 (Fill in) → select Content-based.
- If you have artifacts left, use a Stamp (S) or Recovery Brush (J).
For GIMP: Filters → Improvement → Spot Removal.
| Programme | Tool. | Difficulty | Quality of the result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photoshop | Completing with the contents | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| GIMP | Recovery brush | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Paint.NET | Plugin "Content Aware Fill" | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
For photos with a gradient background (for example, the sky), it is better to use the “Platch” tool (J) in Photoshop – it copies the texture from the selected area.
How to delete the date from the photo of the document without loss of readability?
Method 5: Alternative methods (for advanced ones)
If the standard methods did not help, try:
- 📲 ADB-commands – disabling the system watermark through debugging (requires unlocking the bootloader).
- 🔄 Resetting camera settings – sometimes helps with sticking the date option (Settings) → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data).
- 📥 Install custom firmware – Pixel Experience or LineageOS does not have built-in watermarks.
- 🖥️ Online services - Remove.bg or Inpaint (upload photos only through the Internet) VPN!).
For ADB-Method (only for experienced users):
adb shell settings put global camera_watermark_enabled 0This command turns off the watermarks at the system level, and then restart the phone, or the changes won't apply.
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB And custom firmware resets the warranty on the Redmi Note 9. Before experimenting, back up through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When deleting a date, users often face problems:
- 🔙 The date is returned after editing – so you turned off the watermark in the wrong camera mode (check the Document and the Professional).
- 🖼️ Artifacts after retouching – use a tool with less rigidity or zoom in when trimming.
- 📱 The application does not save changes - give it storage rights (Settings) → Annexes → Permits).
- 🔧 No Watermark option in the settings – update the firmware or reset the camera settings.
If after all the manipulations, the date still appears:
1. Check if a third-party camera app is installed (for example, Google Camera – it has its own watermark settings).
2. Remove the camera cache: Settings → Apps → Camera → Storage → Clear the cache.
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Before mass deleting dates from a photo, always test the method on copies of one photo - this will help to avoid spoiling important images.