iPhone 17 Pro Drops “Night Mode Portrait” Feature, Sparking User Frustration
Apple Removes Night Mode Portrait from iPhone 17 Pro Series
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro has launched with significant hardware upgrades, but it has quietly abandoned a staple photography feature. According to a report by Macworld, the new flagship devices have lost support for “Night mode Portrait,” a capability that has been standard on Pro models since the iPhone 12 Pro launched in 2020.
The feature previously allowed users to combine the brightening power of Night mode with the artistic background blur (bokeh) of Portrait mode. However, Macworld confirms that on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, this combination is no longer possible. When shooting in low light, users must now choose between a bright Night mode shot without blur or a standard Portrait shot that is significantly darker.
The removal appears to be intentional rather than a bug. Macworld discovered that Apple’s official support document lists every compatible device from the iPhone 12 Pro through the iPhone 16 Pro but explicitly excludes the iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
Technical testing suggests a shift in image processing is to blame. Macworld found that when Night mode is active on the new phones, the camera does not capture the depth information required to generate the portrait effect.
The quiet removal has sparked backlash among early adopters. The report highlights complaints from users on Reddit and Apple Support forums who feel the change is a regression. Many expressed frustration that a “Pro” device seemingly offers less utility in dim social settings, like candlelit dinners, than its predecessors.
As of now, Apple has not explained why the feature was removed, leaving users unsure if a future software update could restore the functionality.
