How to Set Night Mode in iPhone

Compose your shot as you would normally, but keep your device extra steady

By
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
  • Swansea University, Staffordshire University
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
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Updated on June 20, 2024
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
Ryan Perian headshot
Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
iPhone & iOS

What to Know

  • Night mode turns on automatically in low-light conditions. 
  • Take a photo like usual, but hold your iPhone steady.
  • A tripod can help improve Night mode photos.

This article teaches you how to set and use the iPhone camera's Night mode, what devices it works on, and when to use it. 

How to Turn on Night Mode on an iPhone

The best part about night mode on your iPhone is that you don't need to turn it on. Night Mode on the iPhone 11 (and above) works automatically when the camera detects a low-light environment. You don't need to do a thing.

Night mode isn't available available on iPhones below iPhone 11.

How to Use Night Mode on an iPhone Camera

Using Night Mode on an iPhone camera is pretty easy to do as it's much like taking a regular photo. Here's a brief guide on how to take pictures using Night Mode on your iPhone.

  1. On your iPhone, open the Camera app.

  2. Check the Night mode icon on the top left of the display to see that the feature is active. The icon turns yellow to show that it's working.

  3. Take your photo as normal by tapping the shutter button.

    The steps required to check Night mode is on on your iPhone camera and how to take the photo

    Depending on how dark the scene is, you may need to hold your phone still while it takes the image. This may take a few seconds. The yellow icon displays how many seconds are required.

How to Manually Change the Level of Night Mode Effect

It's possible to adjust how long the capture time is. Generally, the iPhone itself knows the best level of automation for your shot, but it's helpful to know how to do so if you want to experiment.

  1. Open the Camera app.

  2. Prepare your photo by lining up the shot.

  3. Tap the yellow Night mode button.

  4. Swipe the dial underneath the image to the right or left to adjust how long the capture time is. 

  5. Tap the shutter button to take your photo.

    Steps required to manually adjust Night mode on an iPhone camera

How to Get the Best Night Mode Shots

Your iPhone is pretty good at helping you get the best Night mode shots, but there are a few key things you can do to enhance your chances of getting a great photo. Here are some tips.

  • Hold your iPhone steadily: It's not always easy to do, especially if you have mobility issues, but try to hold your iPhone as steady as possible when taking the photo. Doing this is necessary during dark scenes as the iPhone needs to keep the shutter open for longer to get the best image.
  • Leave the manual settings alone: Yes, it's possible to adjust things manually, but you are best leaving your iPhone to do what it believes is best. The automation features are generally the most accurate settings.
  • Use a tripod: If you can, buy a tripod and use it to take the most stable of photos. If you plan on taking a lot of pictures of the sky at night, this is nearly essential.
  • Don't take photos of anything moving: Night mode works best with images that aren't mobile. Try to ensure the person or pet you're photographing is still when you hit the button. 
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