Hi, I'm Kaycee. Welcome to Hidden iPhone Tips, a weekly column where I dig into the best iOS features Apple doesn't tell you about.
Despite owning an iPhone for years, I only recently stumbled upon something I'd completely overlooked: iMessage lets you send handwritten messages and animated sketches. These aren't typed words dressed up in a script font — they're actual finger-drawn messages that play back stroke-by-stroke for whoever receives them.
It's buried in the Messages app and easy to miss if you don't know where to look. There are actually two ways to send handwritten content: Digital Touch for animated sketches and effects, and handwritten messages that appear in landscape mode. Here's how to use both features on your iPhone.
What you need to know
Both Digital Touch and handwritten messages only work with iMessage, which means both you and the recipient need to be using iPhones or other Apple devices. If you send these to someone with an Android phone, the messages won't go through as intended.
By default, Digital Touch messages and handwritten notes expire after two minutes and disappear from the conversation. You can change this in Settings by going to Messages, scrolling to Expire under Audio Messages, and selecting Never to keep them permanently.
How to send handwritten iPhone messages
1. Open the handwriting canvas
Open Messages, go to any conversation, and rotate your iPhone to landscape mode. A handwriting canvas appears instead of the regular keyboard. If you don't see it automatically, tap the handwriting icon on the keyboard (it looks like a squiggly line).
2. Write your message
Use your finger to write a message on the canvas. As you write, your iPhone saves each stroke. When you finish writing, tap Done.
3. Send the animated message
Tap the send button. The recipient watches your handwriting appear stroke by stroke, recreating the exact timing and movement of your writing.
At the bottom of the handwriting screen, you'll see saved messages like "Happy Birthday" or "Thank you" that you can tap to send instantly. After you create and send a handwritten message, it gets saved at the bottom for quick reuse.
To delete a saved message, touch and hold it until the messages jiggle, then tap the delete button.
I've been using handwritten messages for various well-wishes and thank-you notes for the last couple of days now that I've found them. There's something more personal about seeing actual handwriting animate on screen compared to a typed message.
How to send animated sketches
1. Access Digital Touch mode
Open the Messages app, go to any conversation, and tap the plus icon next to the text field. Swipe up to reveal additional options, then tap Digital Touch (it looks like a heart with two fingers).
2. Create your animated sketch
You'll see a black canvas where you can create different effects. Tap with one finger to send colorful bursts, touch and hold with two fingers to send a heartbeat animation, or draw with one finger to create an animated sketch.
To change drawing colors, touch and hold the color dot in the corner and select a different color. Your drawing animates automatically when you lift your finger.
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