How to remove the date stamp from a photo
· 2 min read · The Memory Palace Team
Many compact cameras of the 1980s and 1990s printed the date on the photo itself, in orange digits in a corner. This guide shows how to remove it for free, which tool fits your phone or computer, and why you should write that date down first.
Last checked: 6 October 2026, on the help pages of Google, Apple, Snapseed and GIMP.
The short answer
On an edge, crop. Over the picture, use an eraser tool: Magic Eraser in Google Photos, Clean Up in Apple Photos, Samsung's Object Eraser or Snapseed on a phone; GIMP or Photopea on a computer. Digitise first, and keep the date in the file name, for example 1994-08-15_beach.jpg. Our guide to scanning or photographing old photos covers the first step.
The options compared
| Option | Where | Cost | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crop | Any editor | Free | None |
| Magic Eraser (Google Photos) | Android, iPhone | Free, no subscription since May 2024 | At least 3 GB RAM and Android 8.0, or iOS 15 |
| Clean Up (Apple Photos) | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Included | iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max with iOS 18.1; iOS 18.4 in the EU |
| Healing (Snapseed) | Android, iPhone | No subscriptions, purchases or ads, per Google Play | Not stated in the help |
| Heal tool (GIMP) | Computer | Free software | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Spot Healing Brush (Photopea) | Browser | Free online editor | A browser |
Good to know
- The tool invents. It fills the area with what it guesses was there. Work zoomed in, in small strokes.
- Our restorer does not remove dates. It repairs wear and can colourise, but has no date-removal function.
- The date is valuable. To see which years your digital photos cover, try the free photo timeline, which reads only the date inside each file, in your browser.
Sources
- Google Photos Help, edit photos (Magic Eraser): support.google.com/photos/answer/6128850?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
- Apple Support, Clean Up requirements in Photos: support.apple.com/en-gb/121429
- Snapseed Help, Healing: support.google.com/snapseed/answer/6157842?hl=en
- Snapseed on Google Play: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en
- GIMP, Heal tool: docs.gimp.org/2.10/en/gimp-tool-heal.html
- Google, editing features for all Google Photos users (May 2024): blog.google/products/photos/google-photos-editing-features-availability
- GIMP, about: gimp.org/about
- Photopea, smart tools: photopea.com/learn/bt-smart
Questions people ask
How do I remove the orange date from an old photo?
Digitise the photo first. If the date is on an edge, crop it. Otherwise use a tool that fills the area: Magic Eraser in Google Photos, Clean Up in Apple Photos, Samsung's Object Eraser, Snapseed's Healing tool, or GIMP's Heal tool on a computer.
Is Google Photos' Magic Eraser free?
Yes. Google announced in May 2024 that Magic Eraser was coming to all Google Photos users with no subscription required. Google lists at least 3 GB of RAM and Android 8.0 or iOS 15 or later.
Can I remove the date on an iPhone?
With Clean Up in the Photos app on supported models: Apple lists iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max with iOS 18.1 or later, and iOS 18.4 in the EU. On other iPhones, use Google Photos or Snapseed.
Will the result be invisible?
Over a plain background, such as sky, a wall or sand, usually yes. Over a face, patterned clothes or fine detail, the tool invents what was underneath and it often shows.
Does your photo restorer remove date stamps?
It is not made for that. Our restorer repairs wear and can colourise, but it has no function for removing printed dates, so we do not promise it.
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