How to Draw on Your Partner's iPhone Lock Screen & Widgets
You want to leave a little drawing where your partner will see it without having to open anything. Here is what iOS actually allows, and how to set it up.
The short answer
iOS doesn't let one person draw straight onto another person's phone. What works is an app that syncs your drawing to a widget on your partner's iPhone. You both install the same app, pair your accounts, and whatever you send shows up on their widget.
We make Twoodle, one of the apps that does this, so the steps below use it. It's iPhone only and needs iOS 18 or later.
What you need
- Two iPhones running iOS 18 or later
- The same app installed on both
- A way to pair. In Twoodle, one of you creates a pair and the other enters the invite code.
Step by step with Twoodle
1. Install and pair
Download Twoodle from the App Store. You don't need to fill out a sign-up form, since the app creates an account for you automatically. One of you creates a pair and shares the invite code, and the other enters it. Pairing is part of Twoodle Pro, and one subscription covers both of you.
2. Add the widget to your Home Screen
- Touch and hold an empty spot on your Home Screen until the icons wiggle.
- Tap the + button in the top corner.
- Search for Twoodle, pick a widget and size, and tap Add Widget.
Ask your partner to do the same on their phone, since the widget is what shows what you send.
3. Draw and send
Open Twoodle, pick one of your photos or a blank canvas, and doodle on it. Hit send. It fades onto your partner's Home Screen widget.
4. Try drawing together live
Twoodle also has a shared canvas styled like a Lock Screen. You both open it and draw at the same time, and every stroke appears on your partner's phone as you make it. When you finish you can save it to your gallery or send it to their widget.
5. Add Lock Screen widgets
- Wake your iPhone and touch and hold the Lock Screen.
- Tap Customize, then choose Lock Screen.
- Tap the widget area under the clock and pick a Twoodle widget.
Twoodle's Love Note widget can sit on your Lock Screen or Home Screen, and the Days Together widget counts your days as a couple on the Lock Screen.
What shows up where
| Widget | Where it lives |
|---|---|
| Doodle | Home Screen |
| Love Note | Lock Screen or Home Screen |
| Mood | Widget |
| Days Together | Lock Screen |
| Distance (optional) | Widget, only if you turn on location |
Things to know
- Timing isn't instant. iOS decides when a widget redraws, so there can be a short delay after your partner sends something.
- It's iPhone only right now. If your partner is on Android, this won't work for you yet.
- Pairing needs Twoodle Pro. It starts at $3.99/week with a 3-day free trial, or $49.99/year, and covers both partners.
Other apps that do something similar
Twoodle isn't the only option. Apps such as Paint Love, noteit, Pairly, LoveSketch and UsTwo also let couples send drawings or notes to each other's widgets. We haven't compared every feature, so check each app's App Store page and reviews before you decide.
FAQ
Can you draw directly on someone else's iPhone Lock Screen?
Not with iOS alone. Apple doesn't let one person draw onto another person's Lock Screen. Apps work around this by syncing a drawing to a widget on your partner's phone, so you both need the same app installed.
Does my partner need the app too?
Yes. In Twoodle you pair with one partner using an invite code, and what you send appears in their app and widgets.
Does it work on Android?
Twoodle is iPhone only right now and requires iOS 18 or later.
Why isn't the widget updating right away?
Twoodle refreshes the widget when your partner sends something, but iOS controls exactly when a widget redraws, so there can be a short delay. Opening the app once and making sure notifications are allowed usually helps. If it keeps happening, contact support.