In a move that has caught users and observers by surprise, Apple appears to have quietly removed a specific camera feature from its latest flagship smartphones. The ability to combine Night mode with Portrait mode, a staple of Pro iPhones for half a decade, is conspicuously absent on the newly released iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This unannounced change has left users puzzled, as the feature remains functional on older models and is still advertised in Apple's official support documentation. The situation raises questions about whether this is a deliberate design choice or a significant software oversight.
The Missing Feature Discovery
The disappearance of Night mode Portrait capability on the iPhone 17 Pro series was not announced by Apple but was instead discovered by users in community forums and later confirmed by tech publications. The feature, which allows for brighter, detailed portrait shots in low-light conditions by merging a long exposure with depth-sensing data, has been a part of Apple's camera suite since the iPhone 12 Pro launched in 2020. Its absence on the newest, most advanced models is particularly jarring, as it represents a step backward in functionality. Curiously, all previous Pro models from the iPhone 12 Pro through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, when updated to the latest iOS 26, continue to support the feature without issue.
Timeline of the Feature:
- 2020 (iPhone 12 Pro): Night mode Portrait capability introduced.
- September 2025: iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max launch.
- Early December 2025: Users and media discover the missing feature.
- December 4, 2025, 23:20 UTC: Apple's support documentation still inaccurately lists the feature as supported on the latest models.
Official Documentation Adds to the Mystery
Compounding the confusion is Apple's own official support documentation. A page detailing Night mode capabilities explicitly lists the iPhones that support taking Night mode photos with Portrait mode. As of December 4, 2025, this list includes every Pro model from the iPhone 12 Pro to the iPhone 16 Pro Max but notably excludes the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. This discrepancy between advertised functionality and actual device performance suggests the change was either a last-minute decision not reflected in marketing materials or an unintended bug that has persisted since the phones' launch nearly three months prior. The company has not issued any public statement or correction regarding this support page.
iPhones Officially Listed as Supporting Night Mode Portraits (Per Apple Support Doc):
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max (Note: iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are absent from this list.)
Potential Reasons Behind the Removal
While Apple has remained silent, industry observers and users have speculated on two primary reasons for the feature's removal. The first and more charitable explanation is that it is a temporary software bug introduced in iOS 26 or the iPhone 17 Pro's firmware, which will be rectified in a future update. Given the complexity of modern computational photography pipelines, such an error is plausible. The second, more deliberate possibility is that Apple made a conscious decision to remove the feature due to quality concerns. Night mode Portrait shots, while brighter, can often suffer from increased digital noise, motion blur from subject movement during the long exposure, and occasional artifacts in the depth-of-field effect. Apple may have decided the inconsistent results were not meeting its quality bar for the "Pro" experience.
Impact on User Experience and Photography
For photographers relying on their iPhone 17 Pro in low-light situations, the impact is direct. Attempting to take a portrait in a dark environment now forces a choice: users can take a standard, well-exposed Night mode photo without the pleasing background blur (bokeh) of Portrait mode, or they can take a Portrait mode shot that will likely be darker and noisier because the Night mode computational pipeline does not activate. This limits creative flexibility and represents a tangible reduction in capability compared to the previous generation. The fact that it took nearly three months for the wider public to notice this change, however, suggests it may not be a frequently used feature for the average user.
Looking Forward: Bug or Permanent Change?
The central question remains unanswered: is this a glitch or a new policy? The evidence is contradictory. The silent removal and outdated support page hint at an oversight, while the precise exclusion of the latest models from the feature list could indicate intent. The tech community is now watching for two key indicators. The first is an iOS software update that might quietly restore the functionality. The second is any official communication from Apple, which could either apologize for the bug or explain the rationale behind removing the feature. Until then, owners of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max have lost a photographic tool their predecessors still possess, in a rare example of a software feature regression in Apple's flagship lineup.
