How to Use the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR

By Tom's Guide Staff
published

Use these tips to help you master the iPhone XS, iPhone XR and iPhone X — from how to navigate the devices to getting the most out of their new features.

How to Use Portrait Mode on the iPhone XR and XS Front Camera

The iPhone XS, like the iPhone X before it, can capture photos through its dual-lens rear cameras with a bokeh effect. The benefit to these shots is that your subject remains in sharp focus while the background gets an artistic blur.

But the iPhone XS and iPhone X can snap these kinds of shots using its front camera, too, which will make for more stylish selfies. Thank the powerful TrueDepth camera on the front of the latest iPhones for this newfound capability.

Here’s how to snap a Portrait mode picture using the front camera. —Caitlin McGarry

1. Open the Camera app on your iPhone.

2. Select Portrait mode from the bottom menu. (You can snap the photo right now, if you’re looking to take a Portrait mode shot with the rear cameras.)

3. Press the front-facing camera icon on the bottom right of your display. Portrait mode is still selected.

4. Use the cube-shaped navigation tool to toggle through lighting options. You can choose from Natural Light, Studio Light, Contour Light, Stage Light and Stage Light Mono. Natural lighting is the default selection.

Note that Portrait Mode Lighting also works with the rear cameras of the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus, in addition to the X-series handsets.

Tom's Guide Staff
Tom's Guide Staff

Tom's Guide upgrades your life by helping you decide what products to buy, finding the best deals and showing you how to get the most out of them and solving problems as they arise. Tom's Guide is here to help you accomplish your goals, find great products without the hassle, get the best deals, discover things others don’t want you to know and save time when problems arise. Visit the About Tom's Guide page for more information and to find out how we test products.

7 Comments Comment from the forums
  • spal26558
    It's good I understand n I will tell my friend also
    Reply
  • doduyvuong
    If i switch the Control USB Restricted Mode on iPhone XS and i forget it for so longtime, untill the batterie is running out, can i still be able to recharge it to use t again?
    Reply
  • webgtlnbrgrs
    Gee, it asked me if I wanted to up load all the info from my iPhone 7 , I clicked yes, and it said put both phones close together and it did it all on it's own, I don't understand why you even wrote this article ..
    Reply
  • dittodan
    I tried several times and this only brings up a screen to let you "slide" to make it go off. What am I doing wrong?
    Reply
  • dittodan
    Tried adding an Amazon and and PayPal CC and it denied me. Before I got this phone, both of the cards were signed up and working fine.
    Reply
  • dittodan
    Is this higher capacity charger the same one used for an iPad?
    Reply
  • powerharp
    After years of using Android, I changed to an iPhone ONLY because iPhone can stream audio to my hearing aids. After 2 weeks with the iPhone there are several clearly inferior characteristics. Most annoying is that you cannot close all open apps at once. The requirement to swipe each open app up or possibly do three at once is garbage. it is extremely difficult to switch between apps as will, something I did frequently on my clearly superior Android phones. Also, Android has apps that allow you to record phone calls but Apple doesn't, claiming that it is illegal in a lot of places. It's also legal in a lot of places. The iPhone function to swipe to get to the open apps is a joke (Android just requires a touch) and the procedure to get to the previous screen when browsing is also laughable compared to Android.
    Reply