The iPhone 17 Pro series has quietly removed a camera feature that many users regularly use. Night Mode Portrait, a mode that allowed brighter portrait shots in low light, is no longer available on Apple’s latest Pro models. The change first came to light through posts on Reddit and Apple’s own support forums, and Apple has now updated its website to confirm that the feature is not supported on the iPhone 17 lineup.
Apple introduced Portrait Mode back on the iPhone 7 Plus, and it became a big part of the iPhone camera experience. Night Mode Portrait arrived later with the iPhone 12 Pro, using the LiDAR scanner to take portrait shots in darker environments. The feature worked by combining longer Night Mode exposures with depth data to separate the subject from the background.
On the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, that combination simply does not exist anymore.
Night Mode still works for normal photos, and the camera still saves depth information in the background so users can convert regular images into portraits later. But when you try to take a portrait in low light, the Night Mode toggle disappears completely. This means the phone is not capturing the depth data needed for Night Mode Portrait shots.
Tests done by users on older iPhones running iOS 26 show that the feature works fine there, so this appears to be a hardware limitation or a deliberate choice for the new models.
Apple has not explained the decision, but there are a few possible reasons based on how smartphone cameras work.
- Night Mode Portrait requires longer exposures. Any movement from the user or the subject often ruins the shot. Apple may want to avoid blurry or inconsistent results.
- Night Mode Portrait photos tend to look brighter but also show more noise and heavier processing. Apple may have decided that the results do not meet its current quality standards.
- Each year’s camera system comes with tuning changes. The company may be focusing more on other low-light improvements rather than combining two complex modes.
Night Mode is still available for regular photos, and Apple continues to update its low-light processing every year. Portrait Mode also continues to work well in daylight or environments with enough light. However, users who loved taking stylised portraits at night will feel the difference. On the iPhone 17 Pro series, you simply cannot take a Night Mode Portrait anymore
