Apple has downgraded the iPhone 17 Pro’s Night mode photography
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max lack the ability to capture Night mode images in Portrait mode. And it's not clear why
Apple has removed one of the options for owners of its best smartphones to capture photos in low light conditions, it has emerged.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max devices – the most expensive handsets in Apple’s line-up – do not support the ability to access Night mode from within the Portrait mode.
The omission became clear in an iOS 26 support document spied by 9to5Mac. In a list of supported models for Night mode photography with Portrait mode, the 2025 handsets are nowhere to be seen. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max all the way up to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are still supported.
Why Apple has chosen to omit this feature for its newest handsets remains to be seen. Some users began to notice the iPhone 17 Pro models were not offering Night Mode among the other settings when operating in Portrait mode. Now Apple seems to have confirmed the apparent downgrade with the updated support document.
It doesn’t affect the ability to capture Night mode photos elsewhere within the camera. The feature can be used to automatically brighten photos and capture a little more detail than you could have previously expected when shooting in low light. I’ve really enjoyed it while star-gazing on camping trips, for example.
The device captures a longer exposure, so it’s advisable to use a tripod to stabilise if you’re able to lay your hands on one. It turns on automatically in low-light situations, but can be turned off too. If manually enabled from within the shooting options, there are a number of exposure settings available.
“If crosshairs appear in the frame, your iPhone has detected movement—align them to help you reduce motion and improve the image quality,” the company advises.
Chris Smith
