What causes red eyes in photos?

Red eyes happen when your camera's flash shines directly into the pupil of the person being photographed. The bright light reflects off the blood-rich retina at the back of the eye, making the pupil look red instead of black. This effect mostly occurs in low ambient light, when the pupils are wide open.

Fortunately, removing red eyes is one of the easiest photo edits. Almost every photo app has a dedicated tool that fixes it in one click. In this article we show you how to remove red eyes on different devices and with different programs.

Removing red eyes on iPhone

The iPhone Photos app has a built-in red-eye correction that works very well. You do not need an extra app.

Steps for iPhone

Open the Photos app and select the photo with red eyes. Tap 'Edit' in the top right to open edit mode. Find the red-eye icon in the toolbar: it is an eye with a line through it. Tap it.

Now tap each red eye in the photo. The iPhone automatically detects the red area and replaces it with a natural black pupil. Repeat for all red eyes in the photo. Tap 'Done' to save the changes.

Removing red eyes on Android

The default gallery app on Android phones often has a red-eye tool. The exact location differs by brand and model.

Google Photos method

Open Google Photos and select your photo. Tap 'Edit' at the bottom. Look for 'Tools' in the menu. If your phone supports red-eye correction, you will find the option here. Not all versions of Google Photos offer this feature.

On Samsung phones, open the Gallery app. Select the photo and tap the pencil icon to edit. Go to 'Decorations' or 'Stickers' and look for the red-eye tool. Tap the red eye to correct it.

Removing red eyes on Windows

Windows Photos app

The Windows Photos app offers red-eye correction. Open your photo in the app, click 'Edit image' or press Ctrl+E. In the editing window, look for 'Red eye' or the eye icon. Click the tool and then click each red eye in the photo.

Paint.NET

The free program Paint.NET has a powerful red-eye tool. Download Paint.NET, open your photo and select the 'Red Eye Removal' tool from the toolbox. Draw a selection around the eye and Paint.NET corrects it automatically.

Removing red eyes on Mac

Photos app on Mac

The Mac Photos app has excellent red-eye correction. Open your photo in Photos and click 'Edit' in the top right. In the toolbar, click the red-eye icon (an eye with a line). Then click each red eye in the photo. The correction happens automatically.

You can also try 'Auto': this option automatically detects and corrects all red eyes in the photo. It usually works very well, but always check the result.

Preview

Preview also offers red-eye removal. Open the photo, go to Tools and choose 'Adjust Color'. Select the red-eye tool and click the red eyes. This is less advanced than the Photos app but works for simple cases.

Online tools for removing red eyes

If you do not want to install software, there are excellent online options available.

Fotor

Go to fotor.com and choose 'Edit a Photo'. Upload your photo and look for the 'Beauty' tools. There you will find 'Red Eye Remover'. Click the tool, adjust the brush size and click each red eye. Download the corrected photo.

PicMonkey

PicMonkey offers a free trial with red-eye removal. Upload your photo, go to 'Touch Up' and select 'Red Eye'. Click the red eyes to correct them. The result is professional and fast.

Pixlr

Pixlr E is a free online photo editor with a red-eye tool. Open pixlr.com, choose Pixlr E and upload your photo. Find the red-eye tool in the left menu (under the healing/retouching tools). Click each red eye to correct it.

Preventing red eyes when taking photos

Prevention is better than cure. Here are tips to avoid red eyes when taking photos.

Use the red-eye reduction flash

Most cameras and smartphones have a red-eye reduction mode. It fires a few pre-flashes that make the pupils contract before the main flash goes off. Find this setting in your camera app and turn it on.

More ambient light

In well-lit rooms the pupils are smaller and the red-eye effect is weaker. Turn on extra lamps or take photos closer to a window. The more light, the smaller the chance of red eyes.

Do not look straight into the lens

Ask your subject to look just past the camera instead of straight into the lens. This reduces the chance that the flash reflects directly in the pupil.

External or bounce flash

For serious photography, an external flash aimed at the ceiling or a wall helps. This indirect light prevents red eyes completely because it does not shine directly into the eyes.

Troubleshooting

Sometimes automatic correction does not work perfectly. If the correction is partial or looks unnatural, you can touch it up manually with a photo editor. Zoom in, select the pupil precisely and change its color to black.

With animals, especially cats and dogs, a green or yellow reflection often appears instead of red. This is caused by the tapetum lucidum, a reflective layer in animal eyes. The standard red-eye tool does not always work here. In that case, use manual color adjustment or look for a special pet-eye tool.

Frequently asked questions

Why do eyes turn red in photos taken with a flash?

The flash shines through the pupil onto the blood-rich retina at the back of the eye. This reflects red light back to the camera. The effect is stronger in dark surroundings where the pupils are wide open.

Does red-eye removal also work on animals?

Not always. Animal eyes often reflect green or yellow because of a special reflective layer. Standard red-eye tools do not always recognize this color. You then need manual editing or a special pet-eye correction.

Can I prevent red eyes with my iPhone?

Yes, the iPhone has red-eye reduction. In the Camera app, tap the flash icon and select 'Auto' with red-eye reduction. The iPhone then fires pre-flashes that make the pupils contract before the photo is taken.

The red-eye tool makes the eye unnaturally black, what now?

This can happen if the tool overcorrects. Try again with a smaller brush size or a more precise selection of only the red area. In stubborn cases, you can manually apply a dark gray instead of black for a more natural result.

Looking for WordPress hosting? See our plans.