Imagine you have taken a group selfie at a party. Though the expressions and lighting are perfect, everyone has violent red eyes, spoiling the entire photo. This mostly happens when taking a photo with a flash in low or dim lighting. Luckily this can be easily fixed with native editing features or third-party apps. In this article, we will show you how to remove red eyes from your amazing photos on iPhone and Android.
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What Causes Red Eyes in Photos
In low-light conditions, the pupil of the eye dilates adapting to the dim lighting, so that more light can enter. When you take a photo with a flash on, the flash passes through the cornea and reaches the backside of the eye. The reflection of the blood vessels over there results in red pupils.
This reflection occurs mostly when the camera flash is too close to the lens, causing the light to bounce off the retina and back into the camera, which is often the case with smartphones.
How to Fix Red Eyes in Photos
Red eyes in photos can easily be fixed with the native editing tools available on Android and iPhone. The steps will differ according to the Photos app on iOS and Android respectively.
1. Apple Photos App (iPhone)
1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone. Select the image that you want to remove the red eyes.
2. Now tap on the Edit option at the top right corner.
3. On the edit page, tap on the slashed eye icon in the top left. This option may not be available if the image has no red eyes. If it does not show the photo you need, you can rely on third-party apps, which we have covered below.
4. When selected, tap on each eye to remove the redness from it. If it says that it didn’t find a red eye to correct, zoom in closer and try to hit the center of the eye to remove it. You can do the same if you have multiple people with red eyes in the photo.
5. Finally, tap on Done at the top right to save the edited photo.
2. Samsung Gallery App (Android/Samsung)
Samsung Gallery app is available for Galaxy phones and Android phones running Android 5.0 or higher. Of course, this will work if you have this app installed.
1. Open the Samsung Gallery app on your Galaxy phone. If you are using any other Android phone, you can proceed with other third-party apps which we have covered below.
2. On the Gallery, open the image you want to remove the red eyes and tap on the edit icon (Pencil icon) at the bottom.
3. On the editor, tap on the four circles icon at the bottom. Then select the Face effects option.
4. Scroll to the Fix red eye option. The red eyes will already be selected with white circles. Tap on them to remove the red eye.
5. When removed, tap on Done and tap on Save at the top.
3. Pixlr (iPhone and Android)
If you use an Android phone other than Samsung and not satisfied with the results from the native editor, you can rely on the Pixlr app. Note that the app is free with no ads.
1. Get and Install the Pixlr app on your phone.
2. Open the app, tap on the Photos option, and select the photo you want to remove the red eyes.
3. On the edit page, tap on the Tools icon (Briefcase icon) in the bottom bar. Then select the red eye tool from the tools available.
4. On the next page, tap on the center of the eye to remove the red eye marking.
5. Next, tap on the check mark icon at the bottom and then tap on Done at the top.
6. Finally, select the Save Image option and then select quality. Keep it to Max for the default quality. Tap on OK to save the image successfully.
Tips to Avoid Red Eyes When Capturing Photos
1. Use natural lighting: Try to capture photos in well-lit environments whenever possible. Natural light is the best option as it reduces the chances of a red-eye effect in photos.
2. Avoid using flash: Unless necessary, take photos without the flash turned on, as it can cause red eyes to appear in your photos.
3. Adjust your smartphone settings: Many smartphones offer settings to reduce red-eye effects. Look for options like “Red-eye Reduction” or “Anti-Red Eye” in your camera app settings. Enabling this feature can help minimize the occurrence of red eyes in your photos.
4. Increase distance from the subject: When taking photos with the flash on, increasing the distance between the smartphone and the subject can help reduce the intensity of the flash and minimize the chances of red eyes appearing in the photo.
5. Position the subjects properly: Red eyes occur when the camera flash reflects off the back of the eye, typically when the pupils are dilated. To minimize this effect, ask your subjects to avoid looking directly at the camera or position them slightly away from the flash. Tilting the phone slightly or using a different angle can also help.
Red Eyes: Low-Light Photo Bomber
You can avoid taking photos with red eyes by trying the above tips. However, if you already have photos with red eyes, removing them is a piece of cake with the native options and apps. They do the job perfectly most of the time, but it can get quite channeling if your image is of low quality or multiple people in the frame. In our testing, Pixlr does a better job compared to the native options in removing red eyes in various types of photos.
