Simulated performance of the SPHERE APLC in the presence of various LWE models and low-order wavefront error, for an observing wavelength of 1.536 μ m. Left image column: LWE-free PSFs containing only 30 nm RMS of low-order aberrations with a 1∕f² spatial power spectrum, incoherently averaged over 100 random realisations. Centre column: a typical three-lobed LWE model (600 nm PVE) identical to Fig. 1. Right column: an extreme LWE with wavefront similar to a four-quadrant phase mask pattern (600 nm piston on two opposite VLT pupil quadrants). Top image row: non-coronagraphic PSFs, including image Strehl ratio with respect to the diffraction-limited case. Bottom image row: corresponding on-axis coronagraphic PSFs. Main figure panel: Radial average contrast curves of each post-APLC PSF, with shading denoting the 1σ upper and lower bounds on azimuthal variation. Diffraction-limited performance in the absence of all aberration is shown by the blackcurve for comparison purposes.