I discovered this hidden camera mode on my iPhone — and it's a game-changer for night photography

I’ve been using my iPhone 17 Pro for almost four months now, and while it continues to prove that it’s a low-light beast with its camera, I stumbled upon a new mode that makes this camera phone even more valuable. I’m referring to night mode max, which is another option to choose when you’re shooting photos under extreme low light conditions.

I didn’t realize this was an option when I first got my iPhone 17 Pro, but it’s one of those hidden iOS 26 features you should know about because it’s a game-changer for nighttime photography. What’s special about night mode max is that it increases the exposure time to 30 seconds, allowing the camera sensor to gather in more light. The results are sharper, better-exposed photos.

However, night mode max only works under specific conditions. Here’s how to use night mode max on your iPhone to improve its low light camera performance.

Night mode max on iPhone: What you need to know

It's actually easy to access night mode max on your iPhone. The first way is to pull up the menu options by swiping up from the navigation bar at the bottom, then tapping on the night mode button until you get an indication that it's active. Alternatively, you can do the same by long pressing the night mode icon that automatically appears in the top right — then selecting the “max” option.

Besides turning on the feature, you also need to know that your iPhone needs to remain as still as possible when using this night mode max. Normally, night mode shots captured by handle require 3 seconds worth of exposure, but night mode max can go for as long as 30 seconds.

You’ll see the exposure time with night mode max change depending on the scene, so I suggest waiting a few seconds until it levels out. Additionally, I highly recommend using a tripod and phone holder — or simply prop up your iPhone against something. That way, it’ll stay in place and activate its 30-second exposure.

Longer exposure, better clarity

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I tried out this new mode by taking a few shots one night around my backyard, shooting with the standard night mode on and then enabling night mode max right after. Immediately after comparing the two sets of images, I can tell how the longer exposure time helps improve the clarity of low light shots.

For example, take the first set above in the gallery with the tree in the middle of the scene and the two cars in the background. Through my own eyes, the scene was dark enough that it’s impossible for me to make out the colors of the cars — but you can see how night mode max boosts the exposure of the scene to make it look much brighter.

With the close-up shots of the tree, they illustrate how night mode max uses the longer exposure to draw out more detail. Some of the textures appear hazy with the standard night mode shot, yet the same areas have more definition with night mode max.

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Another thing you’ll notice in some of the shots is how it gives the sky an ethereal look. Due to the 30-second exposure of the images, the clouds have a wispy look that makes the shot way more dramatic looking — which is an artistic quality I don’t mind. I suspect it’d cause moving water in the darkness to appear the same way, much like how waterfalls and streams end up looking misty because of the longer exposure.

Benefits the ultrawide camera too

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Night mode max isn’t just reserved for the iPhone’s main camera, even though it’s the one that delivers the best low-light performance. In fact, the feature works with the ultrawide camera too — with excellent results.

In the first set of shots above taken with the ultrawide camera, notice how the foreground is dim and murky looking. I captured that with standard night mode, but everything comes into view with the night mode max photo. For example, the textures of the wooden rail become clearly visible.

You can see similar results with the second set of photos, but what’s important to note here is that night mode max captures more definition with the tree and its branches. Even though it might be hard to see, zooming into the photo reveals how the tree’s bark exhibits more textures.

As much as I crave more manual controls for the iPhone’s camera, this extra mode is the closest thing to matching the long exposure captures available on the best Android phones. For now, though, night mode max works best on landscapes and static subjects — so I’m eager to try it out more.

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