Date & time

Add date and time to Android photos

A date in your gallery is not necessarily a date on the picture. For a meter reading, a repair or a delivery, start by deciding whether you need information stored in the file or text the recipient can actually see.

By Hui Quan Zhong Updated 2026-10-01 5 min read

Check the built-in camera first

Android cameras differ by manufacturer and software version. Look under Camera settings for Watermark, Date stamp or a similarly named option. A device-name watermark alone does not add the capture date.

Take one test photo and open the saved file in your gallery. Hide the gallery controls: if the date disappears, you were looking at the viewer’s interface, not a stamp saved into the picture.

Choose a method
Your task	Suitable approach
A supported phone, new photo	Enable its built-in date watermark and test the output.
New photos with customizable fields	Use a timestamp camera and select only the fields needed.
An existing photo	Read the capture date first, then label a copy.

Choose a styleOpen StampCam, select a watermark style and open its editing controls.

Enable date and timeLeave the timestamp visible and remove fields you do not need.

Check the phone clockConfirm the date and time zone before shooting, especially after travel.

Illustration · not a test result

Stamp a new photo in StampCam

Choose a style Open StampCam, select a watermark style and open its editing controls.
Enable date and time Leave the timestamp visible and remove fields you do not need.
Check the phone clock Confirm the date and time zone before shooting, especially after travel.
Take a test picture Frame the subject so the stamp avoids important details, then capture it.
Inspect the saved file Open the result in your gallery and confirm the date is part of the image.

Product presentation · interface varies by version — iOS — Product presentation · interface varies by version

Product presentation · interface varies by version — Android — Product presentation · interface varies by version

Choose fields the reader actually needs

Open the watermark editing controls for your selected style. Keep date and time enabled; turn off address, coordinates or weather if the record does not need them. Location permission is relevant to place information, not a time-only label.

A short note such as “Meter A · before repair” can distinguish similar pictures more clearly than a large block of optional information. Check that the watermark does not cover the reading, damage or object you are documenting.

Photographing an installation during a field inspection.

Handle old photos without changing their story

An editor may use the date you enter, the editing date or the file’s stored capture date. Check which source it uses. Imported pictures and chat downloads can have misleading file dates, so compare with the original photo information.

Check the version you will actually send

Open the saved photo outside the camera app.
Check the date, time zone and legibility at normal viewing size.
Send a sample through your usual sharing route and inspect that copy.
Preserve the original file when the record matters.

Questions

Does every Android camera have a date watermark?

No. Options depend on the phone maker and camera version. Test the saved picture rather than relying on the setting’s name.

Do time-only photos need location permission?

The date and time come from the device clock. Location permission is needed for location-dependent fields such as coordinates or an address.

Can I stamp an old photo with its original date?

Yes, using an editor or manual label that uses the correct capture date. Check the original information and keep an unchanged copy.

Sources

Every external source this article cites, with the link it was read from. None of them is a page about our own app.