Couple Widget App: How to Add One on Android and iPhone

A couple widget is a small panel on your phone's home screen that shows something from your partner, such as a doodle, a photo, a note or live details like how far apart you are. To get one, you install a couples app that offers a widget, then add it from the widget menu on Android or iPhone. Below are step-by-step instructions for both, plus ideas that keep a shared widget fun long after the first heart emoji.

What is a couple widget?

Widgets are mini app windows that live on your home screen: weather, clock, calendar. A couple widget brings that idea to your relationship. Instead of opening an app, you unlock your phone and there's your partner's latest drawing or update, already waiting.

That's the whole appeal: no effort to receive. A text needs to be opened and answered. A widget is just there, every one of the many times a day you glance at your phone.

Common types of couple widgets include:

• Shared drawing canvas: you sketch something, it shows up on their screen.
• Photo widget: your partner's latest snap appears on your home screen.
• Live status: distance between you, battery level, the song they're playing.
• Counter: days together, or a countdown to the next time you see each other.

How to add a widget on Android

The exact wording varies a bit by phone brand (Samsung, Google Pixel, Motorola, OnePlus and so on), but the process is the same everywhere.

1. Install the app and open it at least once to sign in and connect with your partner. Many widgets stay blank until setup is done.
2. Long-press an empty spot on your home screen.
3. Tap Widgets in the menu that pops up.
4. Find the app in the alphabetical list, or use the search bar at the top.
5. Press and hold the widget, then drag it where you want it on the home screen and let go.
6. To resize it, long-press the placed widget. Handles appear on its edges; drag them to make it bigger or smaller.

Tip: put it on your main home screen, not a secondary page. Out of sight really is out of mind here.

If the widget isn't updating, check whether battery optimization is restricting the app (Settings > Apps > the app > Battery). Some manufacturers aggressively close background apps, which can delay widget refreshes.

How to add a widget on iPhone

On recent versions of iOS:

1. Install the app and open it once to finish setup.
2. Long-press an empty area of your home screen until the icons start to jiggle.
3. Tap Edit in the top-left corner, then Add Widget (on older iOS versions, tap the + button at the top of the screen instead).
4. Search for the app or scroll to find it.
5. Swipe through the sizes (small, medium, large) and pick one.
6. Tap Add Widget, drag it into position, then tap Done.

Some apps also offer Lock Screen widgets. Long-press the Lock Screen, tap Customize, choose the Lock Screen, then tap the widget area to add one.

15 ways to use a shared drawing widget

A blank canvas is exciting for about two days. After that, you need ideas. Here are some to keep it going.

Everyday doodles

1. Morning hello: a coffee cup, a sun or a scribbled "have a good one" before you leave.
2. Mood weather: a storm cloud, a rainbow or blazing sun to say how your day is going without words.
3. Cute reminders: "grab milk" with a terrible drawing of a cow lands better than a text.
4. Countdowns: "3 days" until the weekend trip, dinner reservation or reunion.
5. Goodnight: a moon and a few stars before bed.

Games

6. Slow Pictionary: draw a movie title; they guess over text.
7. Pass-the-drawing: one person starts a sketch, the other adds to it, back and forth all day.
8. Bad portraits: draw each other from memory. No reference photos allowed.
9. Tic-tac-toe: draw the grid, make your move, send it back.
10. Rebus puzzles: hint at tonight's dinner spot or a weekend plan in pictures.

Moments that matter

11. Good luck before an exam, a job interview or a doctor's appointment.
12. Proud of you after good news: a trophy, a medal, a big "YES."
13. Anniversary: the date you met, hand-drawn.
14. Inside jokes: a tiny sketch only the two of you will understand.
15. Miss you: simple, and it works, especially when you're apart.

For more ways to make your partner smile, check out our love notes for your partner.

Who gets the most out of a couple widget?

Long-distance couples benefit most. Seeing a fresh drawing, knowing they're listening to a song right now, or noticing their battery is at 3% (which explains the radio silence) creates a sense of presence across time zones. It's one of the easiest long-distance date ideas to set up.

Couples who live together tend to use it as a low-key channel during the workday: a little wink that doesn't interrupt with a notification.

New couples like how playful it is, with less pressure than a long text.

Couples on opposite schedules (night shifts, early gym sessions, travel for work) also get a lot out of it. When one of you is asleep while the other is busy, a drawing left on the widget is waiting for them whenever they next pick up their phone, with no notification buzzing at a bad moment.

How the Lomly widget works

Lomly is a couples app available on Android and iOS. Its home-screen widget combines several things in one place:

• A shared drawing canvas: you draw in the app, and it appears on your partner's home screen without them opening anything.
• Your partner's battery level.
• The distance between you.
• What your partner is listening to, synced via Spotify.

Setup follows the Android or iPhone steps above: install Lomly, pair your account with your partner's, then add the widget from your home screen's Widgets menu.

Beyond the widget, Lomly also includes shared notes, a couple calendar, a memories timeline, date matching (you each swipe date ideas and get a match when you both like one) and voice alarms that let you set your partner's alarm with a message recorded in your own voice. To see how it compares to other options, read our roundup of the best apps for couples. You can download Lomly on Google Play.

A few ground rules

• Talk about it first. Sharing distance or music isn't for everyone. Agree on what you're both comfortable with.
• It's for connection, not monitoring. Distance and battery are there for reassurance, not for keeping tabs.
• Mix it up. A doodle one day, a note the next, a voice alarm on a Monday morning. Surprise is half the fun.
• Don't expect instant replies. A widget is for small signals, not full conversations.

FAQ

What is a couple widget?

A couple widget is a home-screen panel that shows content from your partner, such as a drawing, a photo or live info like distance. It updates automatically without you opening the app.

How do I add a couple widget on Android?

Install and set up the app, long-press an empty spot on your home screen, tap Widgets, find the app, then drag the widget where you want it.

How do I add a couple widget on iPhone?

Long-press your home screen, tap Edit and then Add Widget (or the plus button on older iOS), search for the app, pick a size and tap Add Widget.

Is the Lomly widget available on iPhone?

Yes. Lomly is available on iPhone through the App Store, and on Android through Google Play.

Why isn't my widget updating?

Make sure the app has been opened and set up, you're connected to the internet and, on Android, battery optimization isn't restricting the app in the background.