Night Mode on iPhone: How to use it and the best photos we’ve seen
You may not even have noticed that your iPhone has a special night mode. Unlike other camera app modes, you don’t have to swipe or switch between a night mode photo and a normal photo. Night mode turns on and automatically adjusts when it detects a low-light environment.
When enabled, it greatly improves photos by extending the exposure time of your iPhone’s camera. The result can be some pretty incredible low-light shots.
Use night mode
Note: Night mode is available on all iPhone 11 models and later, as well as iPad Pro.
Since you can’t manually turn on night mode for any setting, you’ll need to be in a low or medium light environment for that gray or yellow moon icon to appear.
This is how it works:
- Open the Camera app and navigate to Photo mode. Look for a moon icon in the top left (bottom left in landscape orientation).
- If it’s grayed out, it means night mode is available, but it’s not turned on automatically because the scene is too bright.
- If the moon icon is highlighted in yellow, it means it’s automatically turned on for your scene and ready to go.
- Next, tap the upward-facing arrow and then the yellow moon icon at the bottom to adjust the exposure time.
- Finally, keep your iPhone as still as possible during your night mode recording. The yellow moon icon indicates how long and a countdown also appears above the shutter button.

Night mode gallery
Here are some of the best night mode shots shared with us on Twitter. You can see hundreds more from the 9to5Mac community in our tweet.

wilson (@Wilson_boi_101) – iPhone 12 Pro Max









FTC: We use automatic affiliate links that generate revenue. More.
Watch 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: