Apple’s latest camera update has surprised many early adopters of the iPhone 17 Pro, as the company quietly removed Night mode Portraits from the device. While some users quickly noticed the missing feature, others only discovered the change through testing and community reports. Since Apple has offered no official explanation, the shift has triggered ongoing debate among iPhone enthusiasts.
The feature once allowed LiDAR-equipped iPhones to brighten dark scenes while keeping the signature background blur of Portrait mode. It first appeared on the iPhone 12 Pro and stayed available through several generations. However, the iPhone 17 Pro lineup now stands alone in losing the option.
How the Change Affects Photography
The removal has practical effects for photographers. In low light, switching to Portrait mode now causes the Night mode icon to disappear. As a result, images captured in Night mode no longer save any depth information, meaning users cannot convert them into portraits later. The behavior applies to both rear and front cameras.
Although the loss frustrates some users, others argue that Portrait mode on the iPhone 17 Pro still delivers strong results. The phone relies on Apple’s updated 24-megapixel image pipeline, which produces sharper detail in dark scenes without the longer exposures that Night mode typically requires.
Possible Reasons Behind Apple’s Decision
Apple has not said why it pulled the feature, but several clues point toward a hardware-specific shift. Older LiDAR iPhones running the same software still support Night mode Portraits, suggesting the decision was not tied to iOS 26 itself.
Longer Night mode exposures often introduce motion blur and increased noise. Because the iPhone 17 Pro aims for cleaner texture and more accurate detail, Apple may have chosen consistency over brightness. Still, the lack of communication leaves users to speculate, especially since Apple’s own support pages continue to list the feature as available.
