How do I turn off HDR auto on my iPhone?

To turn off automatic High Dynamic Range (HDR) on your iPhone, which is often referred to as Smart HDR on newer models, you need to adjust a specific setting within your iPhone's Camera settings.

Understanding Automatic HDR (Smart HDR)

Automatic HDR, or Smart HDR on more recent iPhones, is a feature designed to enhance your photos by capturing multiple exposures at different brightness levels and then intelligently combining them. This process helps preserve details in both the brightest highlights and the darkest shadows of your images, leading to a more balanced and vibrant photo. While often beneficial, some users prefer to turn it off for manual control, specific artistic effects, or to avoid the over-processed look that can sometimes occur.

Step-by-Step Guide to Disabling Smart HDR

The process for turning off automatic HDR (Smart HDR) is straightforward and primarily involves adjusting a setting in your iPhone's system preferences. This guide applies to specific iPhone models that feature the Smart HDR setting, which includes iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone 11 models, iPhone SE (2nd generation), and iPhone 12.

For iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone 11 Models, iPhone SE (2nd Generation), and iPhone 12:

1. Open the Settings App: Tap the grey gear icon on your iPhone's home screen to open the Settings app.

2. Access Camera Settings: Scroll down through the list of settings until you find and tap on Camera.

3. Disable Smart HDR: Within the Camera settings, look for the "COMPOSITION" section. Locate the Smart HDR toggle switch and tap it to the Off (grey) position.

   Note: By turning off Smart HDR, your iPhone will no longer automatically apply HDR processing to your photos by default.

Manually Controlling HDR After Disabling Auto

Once you have turned off Smart HDR in your iPhone's settings, you gain the ability to manually decide when to use HDR directly from the Camera app itself. This provides more control over your photography.

1. Open the Camera App: Navigate to and open the Camera app on your iPhone.
2. Locate the HDR Button: In the Camera app, at the top of the screen (or sometimes within the "More" options depending on your iOS version), you will now see an HDR button or icon.
3. Toggle HDR On or Off: Tap this HDR button to manually toggle it On or Off for each individual photo you take. When it's off, you'll typically see a line through the HDR icon, or it will simply not be highlighted.

For more information on iPhone camera features, you can refer to Apple's official support documentation.

Why Disable Smart HDR?

While Smart HDR is designed to improve photos, there are several reasons why users might choose to turn it off:

• Artistic Control: Some photographers prefer complete control over their images, including dynamic range, to achieve a specific look or mood.
• Faster Photo Capture: In some instances, disabling HDR can lead to slightly faster photo capture, as the camera doesn't need to process multiple exposures.
• Avoiding Over-Processing: Occasionally, automatic HDR can make photos look overly processed, unnatural, or with exaggerated details.
• Specific Lighting Conditions: For certain lighting scenarios, like high-contrast scenes where you intentionally want strong shadows or highlights, disabling HDR might yield a more desirable result.

Summary of Automatic HDR Control

By following these steps, you can regain control over HDR functionality on your iPhone, allowing you to decide when and how this powerful feature is applied to your photographs.