How to Add a Timestamp to a Photo (Free, Works on Any Device)

Adding a visible timestamp to a photo is one of the simplest ways to prove when a moment was captured. Whether you are documenting a home inspection, recording a legal matter, logging field work, or just keeping travel memories organized, a permanent date stamp removes any guesswork later. Most smartphones embed the capture date in invisible EXIF metadata, but that data gets stripped by social platforms and messaging apps. A visible stamp burned directly onto the image is permanent and works everywhere.

Method 1: Use the Free Browser Tool (Any Device, No App)

The fastest option for any device is the free Add Timestamp tool at ImageAndPDF.com. It runs entirely in your browser, no account required, nothing is uploaded to a server, and it works on iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac.

1. Open imageandpdf.com/image/add-timestamp in any browser.
2. Drop your photo onto the upload zone or tap to browse your camera roll.
3. Choose the timestamp position: corner, edge, or a custom location by dragging.
4. Pick the font size, color, and whether you want just the date, just the time, or both.
5. The tool reads the EXIF capture date from your photo automatically. You can also override it with any date you need.
6. Download the stamped photo. The original file is never modified.

Supported formats: JPG, PNG, WebP, and HEIC from iPhone. The original resolution is fully preserved.

Method 2: iPhone Markup Tool

iPhones running iOS 16 and later let you add text overlays to photos through the built-in Markup feature. Open the photo in the Photos app, tap Edit, tap the three-dot menu in the top right, and choose Markup. Select the text tool, tap to place a text box, and type the date manually. You can change the font size and color before saving.

The limitation with this method is that you need to type the date yourself. iOS does not read the EXIF capture date and insert it automatically. For a single photo it takes about 30 seconds, but for more than a handful of photos the browser tool above is significantly faster.

Method 3: Android Timestamp Camera App

On Android, Timestamp Camera Free is the most popular option for shooting photos with automatic timestamps. It overlays the current date and time on every photo as you take it, which is ideal if you want stamps on new photos going forward. The free tier supports date and time format. If you need to add a timestamp to photos you already have, the browser-based method in Method 1 works on Android just as well.

Method 4: Windows and Mac Desktop

On Windows, IrfanView is a free image viewer that supports batch text overlay including EXIF date tokens. You can process hundreds of photos at once using its batch conversion. For one-off edits, any editor that supports text layers (GIMP, Paint.NET) works, though you need to read the date from file properties and type it manually.

On Mac, Preview does not support automatic date stamping. The easiest desktop workflow on macOS is the same browser tool from Method 1, which works identically in Safari or Chrome.

Tips for a Clean Stamp

White text on a dark semi-transparent background reads clearly on almost any image. The lower-right corner is conventional and keeps the main subject unobstructed. Choose a font size that is readable at full resolution without dominating the frame, roughly 2 to 3 percent of the image height works for most photos. If the photo background is already very light, use dark text or a contrasting background box behind the text for legibility.