How to remove the watermark from the photo on Xiaomi Mi 8: safe ways for models 2018-2026

Why watermarks appear in the photo Xiaomi Mi 8 and whether they can be removed without consequences

Watermarks in photos from Xiaomi Mi 8 smartphone — a common problem that users have faced since at least 2018, when the model came to market. Most often they are added automatically by system applications (for example, the MIUI Gallery or the Camera), third-party editors or even social networks when downloading. But what if the sign interferes, and the original photo is no longer available?

It's important to understand that removing a watermark is always an interference with the original file. On the Mi 8 with its Snapdragon 845 processor and 6 GB of RAM (in the top version), most methods work without lags, but some methods can degrade the quality of the image or even damage metadata. For example, when you trim a part of the image, and when using neural networks, artifacts can appear.

In this article, we’ll break down 5 working methods for the Xiaomi Mi 8, including built-in MIUI tools, third-party apps, and even manual edits through ADB. Special attention will be paid to security: none of the methods will require root rights or unlock the bootloader if you are not ready for the risks.

Before you start, check:

• 📸 Source of the sign: whether it is added by the camera (MIUI Camera, gallery or third-party application (e.g, VSCO lightroom).
• 📁 File format:.jpg,.png or.heic (the latter requires conversion).
• 🔒 Backup: Original photos without a sign can be stored in the Mi Cloud or Google Photos.

Method 1: Removing watermarks through the built-in MIUI Gallery

The easiest and safest method is to use tools that are already in the MIUI firmware (relevant to versions 10–14). On the Xiaomi Mi 8, this works even without updates, but in older builds, it may require manual activation of the feature.

Instructions:

1. Open the Gallery app (flower icon).
2. Select a photo with a sign and tap it.
3. Click Edit (the pencil icon at the bottom).
4. Go to the Pruning or Correction tab.
5. Use the Cloning (if any) or Background Replacement tool to mask the sign.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 12 and later, the Cloning feature may not be available on the Mi 8 due to iron limitations.In this case, try updating your firmware to the latest stable version via Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.

Make a copy of photo | Check version MIUI| Close background applications | Connect charging (if battery level < 20%)

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If the built-in tools don't work, go to third-party solutions, but first check if the sign is hidden in the metadata - sometimes it can be removed by simply saving a photo in a different format (for example,.png instead of.jpg).

Method 2: Watermark removal applications (TOP-3 for Xiaomi)

When standard MIUI tools are powerless, third-party utilities come to the rescue. For the Xiaomi Mi 8, we tested more than 15 apps and selected the three most effective ones that do not overload the processor and do not require root:

How to use Snapseed (recommended for the Mi 8 because of Snapdragon 845 optimization):

1. Open the photo in the app.
2. Select the Correction tool → Selective.
3. Round the watermark with your finger and reduce the exposure parameter to −100.
4. Apply the Brush tool with the Blurring setting to smooth the edges.

⚠️ Note: Apps like Remove Watermark can send photos to external servers for processing. If the image is sensitive, use offline editors like Photo Retouch or PicsArt (which has a Background Replacement feature).

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Before installing the app, check the permissions in Google Play. If the utility requests access to contacts or SMS, it is suspicious for the photo editor.

Method 3: Manual removal via ADB (for power users)

If the watermark is added by a system app (e.g. com.miui.gallery), it can be removed via Android Debug Bridge (ADB).This method is suitable for the Xiaomi Mi 8 on any version of MIUI, but requires a PC connection and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (shoot 7 times), then Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB.
2. Connect the Mi 8 to your computer and confirm access.
3. Open the terminal (Windows: cmd, macOS/Linux: Terminal) and enter: adb shell pm list packages | grep -i watermark This will show the packages associated with watermarks.
4. If you find a suspicious package (e.g. com.xiaomi.watermark), disable it: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.watermark

Critical: Some MIUI firmware for the Mi 8 has watermark packets integrated into system APKs (e.g. MiuiGallery.apk) that can be turned off and the Gallery collapses.

Method 4: Online services for watermark removal

If you don’t want to install apps or mess with ADB, you can use web tools. For Xiaomi Mi 8, services optimized for mobile browsers (such as Chrome or Firefox) are suitable.

• 🔗 WaterMarquee (watermarquee.com) – removes signs in 5 seconds, but leaves the logo on the service output.
• 🖼️ Inpaint Online (theinpaint.com) – uses AI for retouching, suitable for complex backgrounds.
• 📱 Remove.bg (remove.bg) – removes the sign if it is on a homogeneous background (for example, on a portrait).

How to work with Inpaint Online:

1. Open the site in your phone browser.
2. Upload the photo (maximum 10MB).
3. Circle the watermark with a red marker.
4. Press Start Processing and wait for the result.

⚠️ Attention: Online services often limit the resolution of the output file. For example, WaterMarquee reduces the photo to 1200×800, What's critical for Mi 8 camera-wise 12 MP. Before downloading, check the original resolution in the file properties.

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Online services are convenient for one-off tasks, but not suitable for processing dozens of photos, in which case it is better to use offline applications such as Snapseed or Lightroom.

Method 5: Restore the original photo without a sign

Sometimes a watermark is added to the image instead of the photo itself, but to the wrapper, for example, when exported from Google Photos or Mi Cloud, in which case the original can be stored:

• 📁 In a file. DCIM/.thumbnails (Miniatures are sometimes preserved without signs).
• ☁️ In cloud storage (check out Mi Cloud) → Cart or Google Photo → Archives).
• 🔄 In a backup copy made through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.

How to find the original on Xiaomi Mi 8:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Open the Internal Storage folder → DCIM → Camera.
3. Sort files by date – the originals are usually older than the processed versions.
4. Check hidden folders (enable the display of hidden files in Explorer settings).

If the original is found, copy it to a separate folder and turn off the automatic addition of characters in the camera settings: Camera → Settings → Watermark → Turn off.

What to do if no one method helps

If the watermark is integrated into the pixels of a photo (e.g., added via Canvas or Photoshop), it is almost impossible to remove it completely without traces.

1. Background Replacement: Use Adobe Photoshop Express or Fotor to cut out the subject and superimpose on a new background.
2. Retouch: Manually paint over the sign with the Stamp tool in Snapseed or Lightroom.

For Xiaomi Mi 8 with his AMOLED-We recommend using Snapseed, which is more accurate in retouching, and if you have a sign on a dark background, try to increase the exposure of the site, which sometimes makes the text less visible.

Last tip: If the photo is valuable, consult a professional retouch studio (like FixThePhoto) to remove watermarks for $5 to $10 without loss of quality.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing watermarks on Xiaomi Mi 8