How to remove the inscriptions from photos on Xiaomi: date, watermark and logo

Why Xiaomi Photos Have Inscriptions and How to Fix It

You took a great shot on your Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro, but it flaunts an annoying date, MIUI logo or watermark? This problem is familiar to many smartphone owners of the brand. The manufacturer activates the tagging feature on the photo by default in some shooting modes — especially in the firmware of MIUI 12-14 on budget and mid-budget models.

The reasons for labeling can vary from the camera watermark feature enabled in settings to automatically adding a date in Document or Professional mode. Fortunately, most tags can be removed both during the shooting stage and after – using embedded tools or third-party applications. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, including models from 2020-2026.

It is important to understand that some watermarks (for example, the Leica logo on Xiaomi 13 Ultra flagships) are part of the corporate identity and are removed only software, while the date or model name can be disabled in two clicks.

Method 1: Disabling the watermark in the camera settings

The most obvious and quick way is to deactivate the tagging function directly in the Camera app, which works on most devices with MIUI 11 and later, including the Redmi Note 11, POCO F4 and Xiaomi 12T.

1. Open the Camera app on your smartphone.
2. Touch the gear badge (⚙️) in the upper right corner or swipe up to open the settings panel.
3. Find the Watermark section (on some models – Tags in the photo or Date/Time).
4. Transfer the slider to the off position. or uncheck next to the option.

If your MIUI version does not explicitly have a watermark, check the Additional tab or Shoot Modes. On some firmware, the option is hidden under the name tag settings.

Take a test shot in Photo mode

Check the photo in the gallery for tags.

Restart the Camera app (if the tags remain)

Update the firmware (if there is no option)-->

⚠️ Note: On dual camera devices (e.g. Redmi) 10C) You can only add a watermark when you're shooting on the main module.

Method 2: Deletion of the date from EXIF-data (without loss of quality)

If the label is already in the photo, but you do not want to lose quality when cropping, you can remove the tags from the EXIF metadata. This method is suitable for the date, time and model of the device, which are stored in the image's service information.

1. Install an application to work with EXIF, for example: 📱 EXIF Eraser (free, no advertising) 📱 Photo Exif Editor (Extended Features) 📱 Metadata Remover (removes all tags)

Open the app and select a problem photo.

DateTime

Model

Software

Clear the values or remove them completely.

Save the changes (the app will create a copy of the photo without tags).

This method does not affect the pixels of the image, so the quality remains original, but it does not help to remove the visual watermarks (for example, the MIUI logo in the corner) that are part of the image itself.

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To check quickly EXIF-data without installing applications, send a photo to the exif.tool service via the browser.

Method 3: Trimming or retouching in the Xiaomi Gallery

To remove visual watermarks (such as the MIUI logo or the model name in the corner), you can use the built-in Gallery editor, which is suitable if the label is located at the edges of the image and can be cut without losing important details:

1. Open the photo in the Gallery app.
2. Click Edit (Pencil icon) ✏️).
3. Select the Trimming tool (frame icon) 🔳).
4. Adjust the boundaries so that the label remains outside the frame.
5. Save the changes (select Save as a copy to avoid losing the original).

If the watermark is in the center or cannot be cut, use the Retouch tool (magic wand icon). 🪄):

• 🖌️ Brush: paint the label manually with the appropriate color.
• 🧩 Cloning: Copy a section of background over a sign.
• 🔍 Remove objects: highlight the tag and press Remove.

⚠️ Attention: If you zoom in, retouched areas may look unnatural. For important photos, it is better to use professional editors such as Adobe Lightroom or Snapseed.

The built-in gallery Xiaomi

Snapseed

Adobe Lightroom

PicsArt

Other-->

Method 4: Use ADB-Teams (for experienced users)

If a watermark is added at the firmware level (e.g., on the Xiaomi Mi A3 or POCO F1 with custom builds), it can be disabled via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that requires connecting the smartphone to a PC and basic command line knowledge.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Turn on USB Debugging on your smartphone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI to activate Developer Mode. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

Command line.

Terminal

adb devices

(The name of your device should appear).

adb shell settings put global camera_watermark_enabled 0

Reboot your smartphone.

After you restart, take a test shot, the tags should disappear. If the command doesn't work, try an alternative:

adb shell settings put system camera_watermark_off 1

Method 5: Install custom firmware (extreme case)

If watermarks are added at the kernel level (e.g., on the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro with firmware for the Chinese market), they can only be removed by flashing the device, which is only suitable for advanced users, as it carries risks:

• 🔧 Loss of warranty (if the device is under warranty).
• 💥 Possible "brick" (turning into a "brick") with an error.
• 🔄 Data loss (required to make a backup!).

Algorithm of action:

1. Unblock Bootloader through the official Xiaomi website (requires an account binding Mi).
2. Install a custom TWRP recavator for your model.
3. Download firmware without watermarks (e.g. MIUI EU or Pixel Experience).
4. Sweat the device through TWRP, following the instructions for your model.

On Xiaomi 12/13 series models with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/2 processor, unlocking the bootloader can take up to 720 hours (30 days) due to manufacturer policy. Before firmware, make sure the build you choose is compatible with your device and does not contain critical bugs (check reviews on the 4PDA or XDA-Developers forums).

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Custom firmware like MIUI EU or LineageOS not only removes watermarks, but also offers advanced camera settings that are not available in stock versions.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When trying to remove the captions from the photo, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

Another common mistake is ignoring regional firmware, where on devices for the Chinese market (with the CN suffix in the model name), watermarks can be sewn deeper, and removing them will require a complete flashing on the global or European version of MIUI.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions