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iPhone User Guide

Edit Portrait mode photos on iPhone

In the Photos app, you can change and adjust the lighting effects, depth of field, and focus point of the photos you take in Portrait mode.

Adjust the background blur in Portrait mode photos

Use the Depth Control slider to adjust the level of background blur in your portraits.

👁 The Edit screen in the Photos app with a portrait in the center. Below the photo is a slider to adjust the Depth Adjustment setting. Below the slider, from left to right, are the Style, Portrait, Adjust, Filters, Crop, and Clean Up buttons. The Portrait button is selected.

  1. Go to the Photos app 👁 Image
    on your iPhone.

  2. Tap any Portrait mode photo to view it in full screen, then tap 👁 the Edit button
    .

  3. Drag the Depth Control slider at the bottom of the screen to increase or decrease the background blur effect.

    A black dot marks the original depth value for the photo.

  4. Tap Done.

Apply portrait effects to photos taken in Photo mode

On supported models, photos with a person, dog, or cat taken in Photo mode can become portraits in the Photos app.

  1. Go to the Photos app 👁 Image
    on your iPhone.

  2. Tap any photo taken in Photo mode to view it in full screen, then tap 👁 the Edit button
    .

  3. If portrait effects are available, select Portrait at the bottom of the screen.

  4. Tap Portrait at the top of the screen to turn on portrait effects.

  5. Tap 👁 the Lighting Intensity Off button
    or 👁 the Depth button
    to adjust the portrait lighting or background blur.

  6. Tap Done.

To undo edits after you save, open the photo, tap 👁 the Edit button
, tap Revert, then tap Revert to Original.

Note: When the portrait effect is applied to a Live Photo taken in Photo mode, the Live Photo effects aren’t available. Tap Live to view the Live Photo or apply a Live Photo effect without the portrait effect applied.

Change the Portrait Lighting effect

You can apply, change, or remove the Portrait Lighting effects in portraits.

👁 The Edit screen in the Photos app with a portrait in the center. Below the photo are the Portrait Lighting options. Studio Light is selected. Below that is a slider to adjust the level of the effect. At the bottom of the screen, from left to right, are the Portrait, Adjust, Filters, and Crop buttons. The Portrait button is selected.

  1. Go to the Photos app 👁 Image
    on your iPhone.

  2. Tap a Portrait mode photo to open it, then tap 👁 the Edit button
    .

  3. Tap 👁 the Lighting Intensity Off button
    at the top of the screen.

    The Portrait Lighting effects appear at the bottom of the screen.

  4. Touch 👁 the Portrait Lighting control
    ,     then slide your finger left or right to choose a lighting effect:

    • Natural Light: The face is in sharp focus against a blurred background.

    • Studio Light: The face is brightly lit, and the photo has an overall clean look.

    • Contour Light: The face has dramatic shadows with highlights and lowlights.

    • Stage Light: The face is spotlit against a deep black background.

    • Stage Light Mono: The effect is like Stage Light, but the photo is in classic black and white.

    • High-Key Light Mono: The effect creates a grayscale subject on a white background.

  5. Drag the slider below the lighting effects left or right to adjust the intensity of the lighting effect.

  6. Tap Done.

To undo edits after you save, tap 👁 the Edit button
, tap Revert, then tap Revert to Original.

Change the focus point of a portrait

You can change the subject (or focus point) of a portrait (available on iPhone 13 or later). When you select a new subject, the background blur automatically adjusts so the new subject appears sharp and in focus. Make sure that the new subject isn’t blurred or too far in the distance.

  1. Go to the Photos app 👁 Image
    on your iPhone.

  2. Tap any Portrait mode photo to view it in full screen, then tap 👁 the Edit button
    .

  3. Tap a new subject or focus point in the photo.

  4. Tap Done.

Remove the portrait effect

You can remove the portrait effect from a photo taken in Portrait mode.

  1. Go to the Photos app 👁 Image
    on your iPhone.

  2. Tap any Portrait mode photo to view it in full screen.

  3. Tap Portrait in the top-left corner of the screen, then tap Portrait Off.

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