Apple discreetly eliminates Night Mode Portraits on the iPhone 17 Pro, leading to confusion among users.

      Unsplash

      A feature that many of us have overlooked since 2020—the ability to capture Portrait Mode photos while in Night Mode—has unexpectedly disappeared from the recent Pro models. Users began to notice this issue, bringing it to attention on Reddit and Apple's forums. Apple has now officially acknowledged through a support document that Night Mode Portraits are indeed unavailable on the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max.

      What Occurred

      When Portrait Mode was introduced, it revolutionized photography, and the iPhone 12 Pro significantly enhanced its capabilities. Thanks to the LiDAR scanner, it allowed users to take beautifully blurred background shots even in poor lighting conditions by combining Night Mode's long exposure with Portrait depth mapping. Every Pro model from the 12 to the 16 supported this feature.

      Unsplash

      However, with the iPhone 17 Pro, this ability has been eliminated. When attempting to switch to Portrait Mode in low-light situations, the Night Mode icon simply vanishes. The device doesn’t even retain the depth data required to apply the blur later. Comparative tests show that an older iPhone with the same software can still utilize this feature, while the new 17 Pro Max cannot. It turns out that this isn't a malfunction; it is a conscious omission.

      Why It Matters & Why You Should Care

      For many, Night Mode Portraits weren’t merely a fancy feature; they provided the only means to capture decent photos of friends in dimly lit bars, concerts, or festive dinners. Its removal fundamentally alters how users engage with the camera in low-light environments.

      So, why remove it? While Apple hasn’t provided a specific reason, we can speculate:

      - Motion blur: Night Mode requires longer exposure, and any slight movement can compromise the portrait quality.

      - Noise and grain: Combining Night Mode's extensive processing with artificial bokeh often resulted in images that appeared soft or grainy.

      - Resolution drop: Night Mode Portraits are limited to 12MP, whereas the 17 Pro aims for standard portraits at a sharper 24MP.

      Apple likely determined that the trade-off in quality was no longer acceptable. Nevertheless, the silent removal of a feature that many users depend on—especially those upgrading primarily for camera enhancements—is deeply disappointing.

      Unsplash

      What’s Next

      Apple has not indicated plans to reinstate the feature, though they have previously reversed unpopular decisions when users voiced their concerns strongly.

      Currently, if you own an iPhone 17 Pro, you must make a choice: a bright photo (using Night Mode) or a blurred background (Portrait Mode). You can no longer have both. Until Apple addresses this or reintroduces the feature, you'll need to modify your shooting technique when lighting is low.

      Moinak Pal has been covering both consumer-focused technology and automotive technology in the tech sector for...

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