Witness CameraBurn a timestamp and GPS location into video on iPhone and Android
Visible provenance in the picture, and how it differs from the invisible kind.
Some outlets and insurers want the date, time and place visible on screen, the way a dashcam shows them. Witness Pro can burn that into the picture. This page explains what it does and how it relates to the provenance data every recording already carries. Written by the developer of Witness Camera, so read it with that in mind; where another approach is better, it says so.
Short answer. Witness Pro can burn the date, time and coordinates into the picture itself, in a corner of the frame, visible to anyone who watches the video. It is a Pro setting called Visible timestamp and location. It is separate from the invisible provenance that every recording already carries, free: the SHA-256 hashes, the manifest and the independent time-stamp. Turning the visible version off removes none of that. On Android it cannot be combined with 10-bit HDR.
Visible and invisible provenance
- Invisible, always on, free: a SHA-256 hash of every piece, a manifest of UTC times and location, and an independent RFC 3161 time-stamp. Checkable with OpenSSL.
- Visible, Pro, optional: the date, time and coordinates drawn into the picture. Anyone watching can see them without any tool.
They answer different questions. The visible overlay helps a viewer who will never run a command. The invisible record lets an expert check the file. Burn-in does not make the footage more authentic, and a visible overlay can be cropped out of a copy, which is one reason the hashes matter.
Turning it on
- Unlock Witness Pro and open the Pro page in the app.
- Switch on Visible timestamp and location.
- Allow location if you want coordinates. If you decline, the time and date can still be shown.
- Record a short test and check the overlay in the corner.
When to use it
- Outlets that want dashcam-style on-screen provenance.
- Site, property and damage documentation where the frame should carry its own context.
- Footage that will be watched by people who will not verify files.
When not to
Coordinates in the picture reveal where you were to everyone who sees the video. For footage you will publish, especially where sources or bystanders could be put at risk, think about whether to show them on the published copy. Some protest-filming guides advise against recording location at all. See where guides differ.
Questions
Can Witness show the date, time and GPS on the video?
Yes, with Pro. The Visible timestamp and location setting burns them into the picture.
Do I lose the hashes if I turn burn-in off?
No. The hashes, manifest and time-stamp are in every recording whether burn-in is on or off.
Does burn-in make footage more authentic?
No. It makes the context visible. Authenticity rests on the hashes and the independent time-stamp, because an overlay can be cropped or recreated on a copy.
Does it work with 10-bit HDR on Android?
No. On Android the visible timestamp cannot be combined with 10-bit HDR.
Try it free
The free app includes this. Set it up and test it before you need it.
More Witness features explained
- Witness features explained
- Stealth mode camera apps for iPhone and Android: what they can and cannot hide
- How to hash video footage and prove it has not been altered
- Trusted timestamp for video: how RFC 3161 time-stamping works
- Chain of custody for video: what a manifest records and how to check it
- Record video straight to cloud storage while you are still recording
- Send video and your location to a trusted contact while you record
- Start recording video without unlocking your phone
- Record video straight to Nextcloud or your own WebDAV server
- Trim silence out of video automatically: the highlight cut
- Record with the front and rear camera at once on iPhone and Android
- Record video on a weak connection: how Witness sends a preview first
- Does Witness encrypt video? What protects footage and what does not
- Generate a PDF evidence report from a video recording
- How to blur faces and anonymise voices in protest video, and why it is hard
- Witness for Professionals: how Witness Pro works
Written on 27 October 2026. Features and prices change. This is not legal advice.