Apple removes Night Mode from iPhone 17 Pro Portrait Feature
Cupertino, CA – Apple has removed the Night mode function from the Portrait mode on its newest iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, a change confirmed on the company’s official support page. The feature, previously available for creating photos with a bokeh effect in low-light conditions, is now absent from the latest flagship devices.
The removal impacts users who frequently utilize Portrait mode in dimly lit environments, diminishing their ability to capture subjects with sharp focus and blurred backgrounds. While Night mode remains available on the iPhone 17 Pro for standard photos, selfies, and time-lapse videos, its absence in Portrait mode has sparked concern and user complaints.
Apple’s support documentation details compatibility, listing the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max through the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro max as supporting Night mode within Portrait photography.
Reports surfaced last month on reddit, with some users, including The Verge reporter Tom Warren, initially believing the change to be a software bug. As of Friday, December 5, 2025, Apple has not issued a statement explaining the decision, leaving users uncertain whether the removal is permanent, a technical limitation, or a feature slated for future software update inclusion.
The change represents a step backward for iPhone 17 Pro users who relied on the artistic aesthetic of low-light Portrait mode, now exclusive to iPhone 16 Pro models and earlier. Users can still utilize Night mode in standard photo mode, but will lose the specific effect previously available in Portrait.
