Google announced Friday that it will allow users to remove visible watermarks from AI-generated images, videos, and songs created with its Gemini models and Flow video editor.
The visible watermark becomes optional while invisible SynthID watermarks and C2PA metadata remain in place, preserving transparency for verification while letting creators use AI content more freely in professional work.
What happened
Google announced Friday that users can now remove the visible watermark from AI-generated content created with its Nano Banana, Omni, and Lyria models. The visible watermark toggle will be available in Gemini and the video editor Flow, with Search support coming soon; users can manage the setting via Settings > Media Watermark.
Why it matters
Visible watermarks on AI content can make it less useful for professional and creative work. However, Google is maintaining invisible SynthID watermarks and C2PA standard-related metadata, so AI-generated content can still be identified when checked—balancing creator control with the need to track AI-generated media.
What to watch
The feature is rolling out in the coming days. Google is also open sourcing a new library called Credentio, which lets developers embed local validation in their apps to verify whether content was AI-generated.
On Friday, August 14, 2026, Google announced that users can now optionally remove visible watermarks from AI-generated content, including images, videos, and songs. The feature applies to three Google AI models: Nano Banana, Omni, and Lyria. Josh Woodward, Google's VP for Gemini, announced the change via a post on X, explaining that the toggle will be available in Gemini and Flow (Google's video editor), with Search support arriving soon. Users will access the setting through Settings > Media Watermark to turn the visible watermark on or off.
Google's rationale centers on the practical challenge that visible watermarks can make AI-generated content less suitable for professional and creative work. However, the company is not eliminating content identification altogether. Woodward emphasized that "invisible SynthID watermarks and C2PA metadata are still being used for transparency," allowing users to check whether an image was AI-generated by using Gemini or Search. He described this as "striking a balance here between creative control and safety." The feature will roll out over the coming days.
Beyond the watermark removal, Google is open sourcing a library called Credentio, which enables developers to embed local validation mechanisms in their applications to verify AI-generated content. This move arrives in the context of growing industry debate over AI content labeling—Anthropic recently sparked discussion by including watermarks in text and files generated by Claude to comply with EU regulations, highlighting the divergent approaches companies are taking to transparency and user control.
Google's decision to make visible watermarks optional reflects a broader tension in AI policy: the need to label AI-generated content for transparency, versus the practical limitation that such labels can make content less useful for professional and creative purposes. Josh Woodward, Google's VP for Gemini, framed the change as balancing "creative control and safety," acknowledging that visible marks can hinder legitimate professional use. The company is not removing identification entirely—invisible SynthID watermarks and C2PA metadata will persist—which suggests Google is attempting to satisfy both regulatory and user concerns by shifting from visible to invisible verification methods. This comes shortly after Anthropic's high-profile inclusion of watermarks in Claude-generated text and files to comply with EU regulations, indicating the watermarking question is becoming a standard industry consideration.
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