A feature that has been a staple since 2020 – Night Mode Portraits – has suddenly disappeared from the new iPhone 17 Pro duo. Users began to notice the unusual thing and discussed it on Reddit and the Apple forums. Finally, Apple confirmed in a support document: Night Mode Portraits is indeed removed from the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max.
Portrait Mode was a big hit when it launched, but the iPhone 12 Pro takes it to the next level. Thanks to the LiDAR sensor, it can create a bokeh effect in low light by combining Night Mode's long exposures with a depth map. From the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 16 Pro, all support this feature.
But on the iPhone 17 Pro, everything stops. When switching to Portrait Mode in a dark environment, the Night Mode icon disappears completely. The device does not even save depth data for post-processing background blur. Tests placed side by side with older iPhone models show: the same conditions and the same iOS version, the older model still shoots normally, but the 17 Pro Max does not. And this is not a bug – it is a deliberate decision.
For many people, Night Mode Portraits isn't a 'sidekick' – it's the only way to take photos of friends at a bar, concert, or holiday dinner. Removing it has a direct impact on how people take photos in low light.
Although Apple has not made any specific announcement, we can guess a few reasons:
- Noise in long exposure: Night Mode requires long exposures, even the slightest movement can ruin the entire Portrait photo.
- Noise and color flatness: Combining low-light processing with artificial blur often results in soft, noisy images.
- Resolution limitation: Night Mode Portrait photos are only at 12MP, while the iPhone 17 Pro prioritizes sharper 24MP portraits.
It's possible that Apple believes the final product isn't up to its standards, but quietly removing a feature that users rely on—especially those upgrading for the camera—is hard to accept.
Apple has not revealed its intention to bring this feature back, although the company has a history of 'reversing' when the community reacts strongly.
Right now, if you have an iPhone 17 Pro, you only have two options:
Night Mode or Portrait Mode — you can't have both.
Until Apple fixes or updates it, you'll have to change how you shoot in low light.