How to add a date and time stamp to an iPhone or Android video
Phone videos record when they were made, but they don’t show it on the picture. Here’s how to put the real recording date and time on the video itself, on a Windows PC, without uploading it anywhere.
Where the date and time are hiding
iPhones and Android phones save the moment recording started inside the video file (the “creation time” in its metadata). Most video players never display it, and online “add timestamp” tools usually ask you to type a time in yourself.
Two details trip people up:
- It’s stored in UTC. A video recorded at 2:30 PM in Florida in summer is stored as 6:30 PM UTC. It has to be converted to your local time, including daylight saving.
- It’s the start time only. To show a clock that runs with the video, the time has to be counted forward frame by frame.
Check the recorded time (free)
To see the stored time yourself, open the video in the free MediaInfo app and look for Encoded date or creation_time. Remember it is UTC.
Add a running date and time with Video Stamp
- Copy the video to your PC the way that keeps the original file (for example the Photos app import, iCloud for Windows, or a USB cable). Videos sent through messaging apps often lose their recording time.
- Drag the video into Video Stamp. It reads the recording time, converts it to your time zone, and shows you the start time it found.
- Pick the date and time format, the position and the look.
- Click Stamp Video. You get a new copy with a running date and time; the original stays exactly as it was.
It works the same way for GoPro, DJI drone, camcorder and dashcam footage.
Common questions
Why is there no date and time on my iPhone video?
The iPhone Camera app doesn't draw a timestamp on the picture. It stores the recording time inside the file instead, where most players don't show it.
Why is the time in my video's details several hours off?
Phones store the recording time in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). It has to be converted to the local time zone, including daylight saving, before it is shown.
Can I add the date and time without uploading my video?
Yes. Video Stamp runs on your Windows PC and works offline, so the video never leaves your computer.
See it on your own footage
The free trial is the full app with no time limit. Stamped copies carry a “TRIAL” watermark until you add a license ($79 per PC, or $299 for 5 PCs).
Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit). Questions? msimpson@914studiogroup.com